If you’ve ever dreamed of owning designer furniture and had the bright idea to search for deals and dupes on Taobao, only to get lost in a sea of traditional Chinese characters, we’ve got your back.
You can also check out The Smart Local’s introduction to shopping on Taobao, but we have come up with a complete guide to buying furniture on the Chinese site.
Is it worth it to buy furniture on Taobao?
It can be—Taobao offers a wider variety of furniture styles at lower prices, as compared to most local brick-and-mortar or online stores.
You can take advantage of major sales events throughout the year like 11.11 and seller-specific coupons for greater discounts. If you factor in potential savings from 88VIP membership perks and redeemable Taobao points, you can significantly reduce furniture costs, as compared to traditional stores.
However, you should still consider factors like delivery costs and shipping times, product quality, and return policies before you make a purchase.
Although Taobao’s main interface is in Chinese, there are ways to navigate it even if you don’t speak or read the language. You can use browser extensions such as Google Translate and Youdao Dictionary Chrome extension, or online translation tools to translate product descriptions and reviews. However, it’s still recommended to search for products in Chinese for the best results.
What should I do if I receive damaged furniture?
You should always inspect the furniture upon delivery and document any damages with detailed photos and videos. Then, initiate a return request on Taobao, clearly stating the reason and providing evidence. Communicate with the seller and try to negotiate towards a solution. Lastly, keep records of all your communication with the seller throughout the process.
What are the payment options available on Taobao?
Taobao offers various payment methods, including:
- Alipay: Requires linking a Chinese bank account or credit card.
- WeChat Pay: Requires a WeChat account linked to a Chinese bank account or credit card.
- International credit cards: Some sellers might accept international credit cards directly on Taobao.
How to use Taobao’s keyword search?
To begin a keyword search, enter your product keywords in Chinese into the search bar located at the top of the Taobao home page. For those with a limited or a nonexistent Chinese vocabulary, here’s a comprehensive list of furniture shopping keywords.
Style keywords
| English Keyword | Traditional Chinese (繁体字) |
| Modern | 現代 (xiàn dài) |
| Minimalist | 簡約 (jiǎn yuē) |
| Scandinavian | 北歐 (běi ou) |
| Industrial | 工業風 (gōng yè fēng) |
| Bohemian | 波西米亞 (bō xī mì yà) |
| Japandi | 日系 (rì xì) |
| Vintage | 復古 (fù gǔ) |
| Mid-century Modern | 中世紀現代 (zhōng shì jiàn dài) |
| Luxury | 奢華 (shē huá) |
Material keywords
| English Keyword | Traditional Chinese (繁体字) |
| Solid Wood | 實木 (shí mù) |
| Plywood | 夾板 (jiā bǎn) |
| Iron / Wrought Iron | 鋼 (gāng) / 鍛造鐵 (duàn zào tiě) |
| Steel / Stainless Steel | 鋼 (gāng) / 不銹鋼 (bù xiù gāng) |
| Fabric | 布藝 (bù yì) |
| Linen | 亞麻 (yà má) |
| Cotton | 棉花 (mián huā) |
| Velvet | 絲絨 (sī róng) |
| Leather / PU Leather | 皮革 (pí gé) / 人造革 (rén zào gé) |
| Rattan | 藤編 (téng biān) |
| Marble | 大理石 (dà lí shí) |
| Granite | 花崗岩 (huā gāng yán) |
| Glass | 玻璃 (bō lí) |
| Acrylic | 丙烯酸 (bǐng xī suān) |
| Concrete | 混凝土 (hùn níng tǔ) |
| Plastic | 塑膠 (sù jiāo) |
Living room furniture keywords
| English Keyword | Traditional Chinese (繁体字) |
| Sofa | 沙發 (shā fā) |
| Loveseat | 兩人座沙發 (liǎng rén zuò shā fā) |
| Sectional Sofa | L型沙發 (L xíng shā fā) |
| Chaise Lounge | 貴妃椅 (guì fēi yǐ) |
| Armchair | 扶手椅 (fú shǒu yǐ) |
| Ottoman | 擱腳凳 (gē jiǎo dèng) |
| Beanbag Chair | 豆袋椅 (dòu dài yǐ) |
| Coffee Table | 茶几 (chá jī) |
| End Table | 邊几 (biān jī) |
| Console Table | 玄關桌 (xuán guān zhuō) |
| TV Stand | 電視櫃 (diàn shì guì) |
| Bookshelf | 書架 (shū jià) |
| Storage Cabinet | 儲物櫃 (chú wù guì) |
| Rug | 地毯 (dì tǎn) |
| Floor Lamp | 落地燈 (luò dì dēng) |
| Side Lamp | 檯燈 (tái dēng) |
| Throw Pillow | 抱枕 (bào zhěn) |
Dining room furniture keywords
| English Keyword | Traditional Chinese (繁体字) |
| Dining Table | 餐桌 (cān zhuō) |
| Extending Dining Table | 可伸縮餐桌 (kě shēn suō cān zhuō) |
| Round Dining Table | 圓形餐桌 (yuán xíng cān zhuō) |
| Bar Table | 吧台桌 (bā tái zhuō) |
| Dining Chair | 餐椅 (cān yǐ) |
| Armchair Dining Chair | 扶手餐椅 (fú shǒu cān yǐ) |
| Barstool | 高腳椅 (gāo jiǎo yǐ) |
| Bench | 長凳 (cháng dèng) |
| China Cabinet | 碗櫃 (wǎn guì) |
| Sideboard | 餐邊櫃 (cān biān guì) |
| Hutch | 吊櫃 (diào guì) |
| Placemats | 餐墊 (cān diàn) |
| Painting | 畫 (huà) |
| Wall Art | 牆面裝飾 (qiáng miàn zhuāng shì) |
| Vases | 花瓶 (huā píng) |
| Fruit Bowl | 水果盤 (shuǐ guǒ pán) |
| Pendant Light | 吊燈 (diào dēng) |
| Chandelier | 水晶吊燈 (shuǐ jing diào dēng) |
Kitchen furniture keywords
| English Keyword | Traditional Chinese (繁体字) |
| Base Cabinets / Wall Cabinets | 地櫃 (dì guì) / 吊櫃 (diào guì) |
| Kitchen Cabinet Set | 廚櫃套裝 (chú guì tào zhuāng) |
| Pantry Cabinet | 儲物櫃 (chú wù guì) |
| Corner Cabinet | 轉角櫃 (zhuǎn jiǎo guì) |
| Countertop | 枱面 |
| Kitchen Sink | 水槽 (shuǐ cáo) |
| Oven Cabinet | 烤箱櫃 (kǎo xiāng guì) |
| Microwave Cabinet | 微波爐架 (wēi bō lú jià) |
| Dishwasher Cabinet | 洗碗機櫃 (xǐ wǎn jī guì) |
| Island | 廚島 (chú dǎo) |
| Pantry Shelves | 儲物架 (chú wù jià) |
| Pot Rack | 鍋架 (guō jià) |
Bathroom furniture keywords
| English Keyword | Traditional Chinese (繁体字) |
| Bathroom Vanity | 浴室櫃 (yù shì guì) |
| Wall-mounted Vanity | 壁掛式浴室櫃 (bì guà shì yù shì guì) |
| Floor-mounted Vanity | 落地式浴室櫃 (luò dì shì yù shì guì) |
| Single Sink Vanity | 單盆浴室櫃 (dān pén yù shì guì) |
| Double Sink Vanity | 雙盆浴室櫃 (shuāng pén yù shì guì) |
| Medicine Cabinet | 醫藥櫃 (yī yào guì) |
| Shower Head | 蓮蓬頭 (lián péng tóu) |
| Rainfall / Hand-held Shower Head | 頂噴蓮蓬頭 (dǐng pēn lián péng tóu) / 手持蓮蓬頭 (shǒu chí lián péng tóu) |
| Faucet | 水龍頭 (shuǐ lóng tóu) |
| Towel Bar | 毛巾杆 (máojīn gān) |
| Toilet Paper Holder | 廁紙架 (cè zhǐ jià) |
| Robe Hook | 浴袍掛鉤 (yù páo guà gōu) |
| Laundry Hamper | 髒衣簍 (zàng yī lóu) |
| Bathtub | 浴缸 (yù gāng) |
| Toilet | 坐廁 (zuò cè) |
| Bidet | 免治馬桶 (miǎn zhì mǎ tǒng) |
| Bathroom Mirror | 浴室鏡 (yù shì jìng) |
| Bathroom Stool | 浴室凳 (yù shì dèng) |
Study furniture keywords
| English Keyword | Traditional Chinese (繁体字) |
| Computer Desk | 電腦桌 (diàn zhuō) |
| Writing Desk | 書桌 (shū zhuō) |
| L-Shaped Desk | L型桌 (L xíng zhuō) |
| Standing Desk | 升降桌 (shēng jiàng zhuō) |
| Corner Desk | 轉角桌 (zhuǎn jiǎo zhuō) |
| Office Chair | 辦公椅 (bàn gōng yǐ) |
| Desk Chair | 書桌椅 (shū zhuō yǐ) |
| Ergonomic Chair | 人體工學椅 (rén tǐ gōng xué yǐ) |
| File Cabinet | 文件櫃 (wén jiàn guì) |
| Drawer Unit | 抽屜櫃 (chōu tì guì) |
| Pegboard | 洞洞板 (dòng dòng bǎn) |
| Desk Lamp | 檯燈 (tái dēng) |
| Desk Organiser | 桌面整理架 (zhuō miàn zhěng lí jià) |
| Desk Mat | 桌墊 (zhuō diàn) |
Bedroom furniture keywords
| English Keyword | Traditional Chinese (繁体字) |
| Bed Frame | 床架 (chuáng jià) |
| Platform Bed | 平台床 (píng tái chuáng) |
| Canopy Bed | 公主床 (gōng zhǔ chuáng) |
| Bunk Bed | 上下舖床 (shàng xià pù chuáng) |
| Loft Bed | 高架床 (gāo jià chuáng) |
| Murphy Bed | 隱藏式折疊床 (yǐn cáng shì zhé dié chuáng) |
| Mattress / Single / Double | 床褥 (chuáng rù) / 單人 (dān rén) / 雙人 (shuāng rén) |
| Innerspring Mattress | 彈簧床墊 (tán huáng chuáng diàn) |
| Memory Foam Mattress | 記憶棉床墊 (jì yì mián chuáng diàn) |
| Wardrobe | 衣櫃 (yī guì) |
| Sliding Door Wardrobe | 滑門衣櫃 (huá mén yī guì) |
| Hinged Door Wardrobe | 平开门衣櫃 (píng kāi mén yī guì) |
| Dresser | 梳妝台 (shū zhuāng tái) |
| Nightstand | 床頭櫃 (chuáng tóu guì) |
| Underbed Storage | 床下收納 (chuáng xià shōu nà) |
| Storage Ottoman | 儲物凳 (chú wù dèng) |
| Mirror | 鏡子 (jìng zi) |
| Jewellery Box | 飾品盒 (shì pǐn hé) |
| Duvet Cover | 被套 (bèi táo) |
| Sheets | 床單 (chuáng dān) |
| Pillowcases | 枕頭套 (zhěn tóu táo) |
| Comforter | 棉被 (mián bèi) |
| Blanket | 毛毯 (máo tǎn) |
Seller ratings
When it comes to determining how reliable a seller is, it’s recommended to only shop at stores with at least 3 blue crowns—this means they’ve processed at least 100,000 successful transactions, with positive feedback.
While high overall ratings are a good sign, you should still check the breakdown of positive, neutral, and negative reviews. A seller with a high overall rating but a significant number of negative reviews can be a red flag.
You should also pay more attention to recent reviews, as they’ll reflect the seller’s current performance and furniture quality.
Most importantly, search for reviews with images. Look for the “有图评价” (yǒu tú píng jià) filter: This translates to “Reviews with pictures”. Apply this filter on the product page to prioritise reviews that include images.
While browsing reviews, use keywords like “质量” (zhì liàng—quality), “做工” (zuò gōng—craftsmanship), or “实物图” (shí wù tú—real picture) to find reviews that specifically mention these, and which come with buyer images.
Top-rated Taobao furniture shops
| Shop Name | Product Specialisations |
| 林氏木业 (Lín Shì Mù Yè) | A large and well-known brand that offers a wide variety of modern and minimalist furniture at different price points. They often have good sales and promotions. |
| 曲美 (Qū Měi) | Another established brand known for its modern and stylish furniture, with a focus on functionality and comfort. |
| 宜家 (Yí Jiā) | The official Chinese IKEA store, with cheaper prices than in Singapore. |
| 全友家居 (Quán Yǒu Jiājū) | A popular choice for budget-friendly furniture with a focus on classic and traditional styles. |
| 左右家居 (Zuǒ Yòu Jiājū) | Specialises in high-quality solid wooden furniture. They are known for their craftsmanship and the durability of their pieces. |
| 北欧表情 (Běi Ōu Biǎo Qiíng) | Focuses on solid wood furniture with a simple and natural aesthetic. |
Furniture shipping options
When browsing furniture listings, Taobao will provide an estimated shipping cost based on your delivery address. The actual cost of delivery will be determined once the seller measures the size and weight of the package after purchase.
Choosing the right option
Image credit: Yicai Global
As you can probably guess, larger and heavier furniture will be more expensive to ship, regardless of the method. Taobao offers a number of shipping options, with direct shipping being the most beginner-friendly choice, but it’s not always the most economical.
If you’re a seasoned online shopper who’s comfortable with some legwork, a freight forwarder could save you money.
In summary, sea freight is the most budget-friendly option, taking approximately 4-6 weeks to reach your doorstep. On the other hand, air freight prioritises speed, getting your items to you within 2-3 weeks, but that comes at a significantly higher cost.
Direct shipping (Cainiao)
Image credit: Payload Asia
Direct shipping via Cainiao is split into 2 options: air freight, also known as “Official Direct Mail (By Air) – 官方直邮 – 空运”, and sea freight, or “Official Direct Mail (By Sea) – 官方直邮 – 海运”.
This is the most convenient option, handled directly through Taobao. You can select and pay for shipping during checkout, and it’s often cheaper for smaller furniture pieces.
However, not all furniture qualifies to be shipped by this method, as Cainiao has size and weight limitations. Actual shipping costs might be higher than estimated.
Consolidated shipping (Cainiao)
Image credit: Alizila
Similarly, consolidated shipping is split into 2 options: Official Consolidated Shipping (By Sea) – 官方集运 – 海运 and Official Consolidated Shipping (By Air) – 官方集运 – 空运.
This option is ideal for bulk furniture purchases, where you can combine items from different sellers into one shipment for potentially lower costs. However, it requires communication with the respective sellers to confirm if consolidation is possible. This can lead to longer waiting times, as items are shipped to a warehouse for consolidation.
External freight forwarder
Image credit: M&P International Freights
Referred to as 第三方货运代理 on the app, external freight forwarding is often the most cost-effective option for large or heavy furniture, especially for international shipping.
However, it requires more effort on your part. You’ll need to find a reputable freight forwarder, negotiate rates, and handle separate communication and payments.
Taobao return policies
Taobao operates under a buyer protection program, Taobao Jinbaobao, that provides some basic return rights.
General return policy
Image credit: SmartShanghaiI
Within 7 days of receiving your order, you can initiate a return request for one of the following reasons:
- Wrong item received: If you receive an incorrect item compared to what you ordered.
- Item not as described: If the item significantly differs from the description or photos in the listing.
- Quality issues: If the furniture has defects, damages, or malfunctions upon arrival.
- Fake or counterfeit products: If the furniture is not genuine as advertised.
Key considerations for furniture returns
Image credit: Artem Podrez
Unfortunately, furniture returns can be expensive. Generally, the buyer is responsible for return shipping costs, especially for large or heavy items.
Depending on the individual seller’s return policy, you might get lucky with some who may offer to cover return shipping costs, particularly if the fault is theirs, like if they sent the wrong or damaged item.
You typically have 7 days after receiving the furniture to initiate a return request on Taobao. However, some sellers might offer extended return windows, so always double-check the specific return policy for each item.
Generally, the furniture must be returned in its original packaging and in unused condition. Any damage caused during the time in which the item is in your possession may void your return eligibility. Taobao’s buyer protection program doesn’t cover change-of-mind returns, so if you decide you don’t like the furniture after receiving it, you will be stuck with it.
An alternative strategy, especially for international buyers, is to use a local forwarding service in China, like Shipito. These companies provide a local address for your furniture deliveries and potentially help manage return logistics within China if needed.
You should always check the seller’s specific return policy before you buy anything, as many furniture sellers on Taobao have their own return policies that could be more lenient than Taobao’s general policy.
Complete guide to buying furniture on Taobao
Congratulations, you’ve officially braved the exciting—and sometimes slightly confusing—world of Taobao furniture shopping. Now, you can furnish your dream home without needing to sell a kidney.
But remember, careful research, clear communication with sellers, and a realistic understanding of potential challenges will contribute to a smooth experience on Taobao.
Read our other articles here:
Photography by Clement Sim.
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