Taobao is a good choice for shopping for cheap products from China. Taobao is part of the Alibaba Group and one of China’s largest online selling platforms.
In short, it is a more extensive and cheaper version of AliExpress, but only for the Chinese people.
Since the site is 100% Chinese, this can be an obstacle for foreigners who want to shop but can’t make sense of the shopping process.
Therefore, the Taobao agent can solve all the problems for these users. Here is the list of the top 10 Taobao agents you can find in 2022.
What Is Taobao?
Taobao is a Chinese online shopping platform based in Hangzhou and is owned by Alibaba. Taobao was founded in 2003 and increased quickly, gaining 80% of the Chinese online shopping market by 2010.
Taobao is a consumer-to-consumer (C2C) and business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce marketplace, and is the largest consumer-to-consumer (C2C) retail platform in China.
Taobao provides a platform for small businesses and individual entrepreneurs to sell products through their own stores online, primarily for consumers in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.
Facilitating consumer-to-consumer (C2C) retailing, with payments made through online accounts and often with express delivery services provided by their stores.
Is It Safe to Buy from Taobao?
Yes, it is safe to buy on Taobao. Taobao is one of the largest e-commerce sites in the world and one of the top 10 most visited sites (according to Alexa).
It is the largest e-commerce site in China, with over 600 million monthly active users and nearly 60% of e-commerce sales. It is used by most Chinese and a growing number of Asian and global users.
On Taobao, buyers can easily cross-reference sellers through products, reviews, and ratings to complete their purchases. You don’t have to worry!
Because hundreds of millions of transactions are made daily, your money is kept in custody during the payment process, which means payments are processed by Alipay and kept in an escrow center until the transaction is completed. This is similar to Alibaba Trade Assurance.
In short, Taobao is legit and safe, but it will be a test for you to choose a Taobao seller and make a purchase.
What Is a Taobao Agent?
Taobao agent is a third-party middleman who purchases items from Taobao on your behalf. They will check and deliver all things to you.
You pay a fee for the services of a Taobao agent, but in exchange, you will get a convenient and hassle-free shopping experience.
In addition, a good Taobao agent can help you avoid frustration and financial loss due to misunderstandings or bad transactions.
Taobao agents usually provide some of the following key services:
- Negotiate with the seller and purchase the product to avoid buying from a scam seller.
- Product quality check. Ensure that the goods sent are not damaged and in good condition.
- Returns and refunds. The Taobao agent will negotiate with the seller on your behalf in any dispute.
- Warehousing, packaging, and order consolidation. Order consolidation will save international shipping costs if you buy items from different sellers on Taobao.
- With international shipping through ePacket, ems, ups, DHL, etc., you just enjoy the experience of having your items delivered to your door.
Why Should You Hire a Taobao Agent?
Taobao’s leading consumer group is the Chinese domestic market and is jokingly referred to as the “all-purpose Taobao that nothing you can’t buy, only what you can’t think of”.
However, most of the sellers on Taobao are not good at English, which makes it a big challenge for foreign consumers to communicate in the first place.
The primary purpose of a Taobao agent is to serve consumers from abroad, especially those foreign consumers who do not speak Chinese, so it is recommended that you hire a Taobao agent if you plan to buy from Taobao.
Taobao agents have a lot of experience in dealing with Chinese sellers and handling international shipping, and they can offer you value for money. A Taobao agent makes it easier for foreigners to shop on Taobao.
A Taobao agent can help you with the following:
- Assist in communicating with Taobao sellers.
- Provide English website and English customer service support.
- Convenient payment methods.
- Help you inspect the item so you can preview how the thing will look before it is shipped.
- Consolidate your orders at no extra charge, saving you money on shipping costs.
- Work with reliable shippers, so you can be sure your package is safe and secure.
- Inform you of every detail of your order and every process step.
On top of these services, a reliable and trustworthy Taobao agent always go the extra mile to ensure you get the best shopping experience.
How Much Does a Taobao Agent Cost?
Usually, Taobao agents take a percentage of the total cost of goods and domestic shipping as a service fee, ranging from 5% to 10%.
Some agents offer a VIP plan where you get points every time you order from them and upgrade to VIP for a discounted service fee.
Taobao agents may have some hidden redemption fees, even the cheapest agent you can find.
For example, the Taobao agent only charges about 3% of the money you earn, but keep in mind that they do not have 24-hour customer service.
In short, Taobao agent fees vary for different agents. The industry standard is to charge 5% as a commission, while some agents charge 3%, 8%, and 10%.
Top 10 Best Taobao Agents in 2022
1. Yansourcing
Yansourcing was established in Guangzhou in 2010 and is considered one of China’s best and most trusted Taobao agents.
They provide import consulting, handle exports, and many other services. They also help buyers who cannot visit China to buy most Chinese products.
Pros
- No matter how many items you plan to import from China, Yansourcing will assist you.
- No hidden fees. There are no hidden or upfront fees with this Taobao agent.
- Product Inspection. Yansourcing will thoroughly inspect the product before shipping to ensure your customers receive a high-quality product.
Cons
Service may take longer than expected. Sometimes, they may take more time to source some products.
2. Cssbuy
Cssbuy is probably the ideal one if you are looking for the cheapest Taobao agent. This agent offers a wide range of shipping options and gives you a lot of choices.
Pros
- Cheap shipping costs. They use reliable couriers such as SF-express and DHL.
- Many shipping options. Not only are shipping services cheap, but also many shipping services are available.
- Low exchange fees. Cssbuy charges about 3% of the money you top up.
Cons
- They don’t have a 24-hour support service, and you must contact them during their working hours.
- Slow delivery and processing time. Packages usually take a long time to be “accepted” by the shipping company.
3. 42agent
42agent was founded in 2011 and was one of the first Taobao agents. It was initially known as Taobaoring, and its fee structure is quite clear and transparent.
Pros
- Clear fee structure. All the services and fees they offer are listed on their website.
- Outstanding customer service. From email, via Skype and Whatsapp, to Facebook.
Cons
- High exchange rate loss. 42agent charges a 5% exchange rate loss.
- Outdated website design. 42agent website looks like it’s ten years old.
- Limited shipping options. The shipping solutions, and their prices are not very competitive.
4. Basetao
Basetao is one of the best Taobao English agents who provide Taobao English support but have fixed hours between 9:30 and 18:30. They also offer repackaging, shopping, and shipping services.
Pros
- Low service fee 5%. When you apply for VIP, the fee can be low to 3%.
- Free quality control photos. When your item arrives at their warehouse, they will take pictures for you to confirm.
- Good, friendly customer service. I haven’t seen too many complaints about their customer service.
Cons
- The website interface is difficult to use, and new users often spend a long time looking for information.
- No mobile app. Basetao doesn’t have an app for mobile users.
- With expensive currency exchange fees, customers pay 6% to 8.6% of the item price.
5. Superbuy
Superbuy, formerly known as Dotdotbuy, is the most potent Taobao agent available. They provide professional and reliable Taobao agent shopping services worldwide to individuals and small business owners.
Pros
- Easy to use interface, so you spend less time searching and learning how to use their services.
- Excess shipping costs are refundable. All shipping overpayments are refundable.
- Professional customer support, On Superbuy, you can get professional, friendly, and top-notch customer support.
Cons
- Expensive shipping fees, Superbuy’s shipping fees are not cheap, especially for some postal services such as EMS and ePacket.
- High currency exchange fees, nearly 7% hidden exchange fees whenever you top up your account on their website.
- 10% expert service fee. The industry standard service fee is 5%-8% of the order total.
6. Baohero
Baohero is one of the trustworthy Taobao agents that help you buying from China. You just need to choose from a wide variety of items and send the link to this agent. They will do the rest!
Pros
- Multiple payment methods. Support Paypal, Western Union, MoneyGram, or bank transfer.
- Quality check. Baohero’s professional team checks the quality of your order according to your requirements.
- Combine orders. Combining multiple orders in one package can save a lot of shipping costs.
Cons
Not the fastest Taobao agent. Baohero may take longer to source some items.
7. FreeShoppingChina
FreeShoppingChina is a China purchase service agent and one of the best English Taobao buying agents. They will help you communicate with Taobao sellers and complete payments to Taobao sellers.
Pros
- Provide convenient services, such as dropshipping, wholesale purchasing, shopping center model, etc.
- No hidden fees. The commission is transparent, and there will be no other way to charge.
Cons
Not so many shipping options. While they offer affordable shipping options, there are not as many options to choose from.
8. Wegobuy
Wegobuy is a new Taobao agent that has recently emerged in the market. This company offers Taobao shipping and shopping services, and its team comprises some of the best experts in this industry.
Pros
- Wegobuy requires no handling fees except for the cost of some items and shipping fees.
- Online English support. Wegobuy offers fast 24-hour English customer support.
Cons
No mobile app. Unfortunately, Wegobuy does not have any mobile app.
9. YOYBUY
YOYBUY is one of the most trusted and rated Taobao agents. They offer two kinds of services: One is a standard Taobao agent service, and another is a forwarding service.
Pros
- Reasonable fees. 0%-10% commission of product price + domestic shipping.
- Multiple payment methods. Such as foreign credit cards, WesternUnion, and bank transfers.
Cons
No support for PayPal. However, they support credit cards and Western Union.
10. Ytaopal
Ytaopal was created in 2016, which is a relatively new Taobao agent, but it is efficient and reliable, promising to process every customer’s order within 24 hours.
Pros
- Ytaopal’s customer service is very responsive and very helpful.
- Quality control photos. They provide excellent photos to give you a general idea of your items.
Cons
- Less shipping options. They only have three options: ePacket, EMS, and DHL.
- High exchange rate. Ytaopal has the highest exchange rate loss at 7.27%.
How to Find a Good Taobao Agent?
When it comes to choosing a Taobao agent, there are a ton of options out there. So, how do you choose the best one?
Below are the five steps you should follow when selecting a Taobao agent:
Step 1. List the available Taobao agents
First, list the available Taobao agents you find through Google (or your favorite search engine) and forums about shopping in China.
Try to contact each one with the same information request and wait for a response. This way, you can estimate the agent’s responsiveness and the response’s quality.
Step 2. Check the reputation of Taobao agents
The reputation of a Taobao agent will tell you whether to use them or not.
You can find as many reviews as possible on different platforms, such as Trustpilot and Reddit. Also, try to avoid paid reviews only about the agent’s products.
Step 3. Make sure the Taobao agent has a good customer support
Customer support is very important. It ensures that the Taobao agent provides timely assistance and puts the customer’s needs at the forefront of every interaction.
To ensure your agent has good customer support, ask them what contact information they provide and if their support is fast and effective.
Step 4. Compare Taobao agents’ fees
Price is the most important factor in choosing a Taobao agent over others. Ensure you get the most reasonable service fees, shipping, and exchange rates.
Step 5. Ask the Taobao agent for a user-friendly website interface
How does their interface work, and is it easy to navigate and place orders?
The simpler the website interface, the easier it will be to find products. When choosing a Taobao agent, ensure their website is easy to navigate.
How to Avoid Getting Scammed Using a Taobao Agent?
Taobao is a customer-to-customer marketplace, which puts you at greater risk of dealing with scammers. Although most Taobao sellers are legit, be wary of the occasional fake Taobao agent.
Some Taobao agents charge very high fees (usually about 10% of total product cost), and some will charge unknowing newbies 15% or 20%.
These agents may refuse to let you get the item until you pay this fee, which will only show up after completing the transaction.
A good Taobao agent can help you avoid frustration and financial loss due to misunderstandings or bad deals.
Thus, when choosing a Taobao agent, verify that they can:
- Alert you promptly if you are buying from a scam seller.
- Make sure the correct order is placed.
- Make sure that the goods sent are not damaged and in good condition.
- Combine and repack your items purchased to save you money on shipping costs.
- Negotiate with the seller on your behalf in the event of any dispute.
How Yansourcing the Best Taobao Agent Help You Buy from China?
Since 2010, Yansourcing has provided many quality sourcing services to small, medium, and large commercial enterprises.
Because we have more than 10 years of experience as a Taobao agent, Yansourcing will be one of your best sourcing partners in China. We can help you easily buy products on Taobao
Here are the details on how Yansourcing can help you:
- Find the best Taobao sellers and Taobao products.
- Provide the best shopping experience for those who want to import items from Taobao.
- Avoid losing your money from Taobao seller scams.
Yansourcing can help you ship Taobao products from China at the lowest prices. In addition, Yansourcing can help you build your e-commerce brand.
Taobao Agent FAQ
1. Is Taobao an agent?
Taobao is not an agent but an online shopping platform in China. Those individuals, companies, or organizations who buy items on Taobao for their customers are Taobao agents.
2. Why is Taobao cheaper than Alibaba?
Taobao primarily sells for the Chinese domestic market, so the prices are much lower than Alibaba. In addition, Taobao is only available in Chinese, so you have to be Chinese to order your products.
3. Is the quality of Taobao products good?
Even though the products on Taobao are quite cheap, it doesn’t mean they are low quality. With enough Taobao shopping experience, you can find many high-quality products at reasonable prices.
4. Can I shop on Taobao without an agent?
You can do it yourself if you have a Chinese e-wallet and know Chinese well. Some Taobao sellers may speak English and even accept international payments, but their prices are higher.
5. What currency can I pay Taobao sellers?
Most of the transactions may happen in RMB. It is necessary to know that currency exchange rates vary and change from time to time.
6. Does Taobao ship to the USA?
Yes, it does. This Chinese website equivalent of Amazon or eBay is a huge, global e-commerce marketplace where you can buy everything at low prices.
Of course, you must overcome the language barrier or hire a Taobao agent to make everything simple.
Taobao Agent Conclusion
If you want to buy products from Taobao, consider using a Taobao agent. They will provide Taobao shopping and shipping services and act as a middleman between Taobao sellers and the customer.
Yansourcing, as a full-service Taobao agent, we can provide custom packaging at reasonable prices and use fast shipping to get your order delivered quickly.
I am Yan, the founder of Yansourcing, the best Taobao agent in China, who can quickly and safely help you buy and import from China. We will provide you with the right solution when you contact us.
