Buy from Taobao without reading Chinese.
Open taobao.com, let your browser translate it, find what you want and copy the page address. We do the buying, shipping and paperwork, and give you one quotation in Kwacha.
You never pay on Taobao and you don't need a Chinese bank card.
Open taobao.com in Google Chrome and translate it
On a computer best
- Go to www.taobao.com.
- Right-click anywhere on the page and choose Translate to English.
On a phone
- Open www.taobao.com in Chrome.
- Tap the ⋮ menu and tick Desktop site. Otherwise Taobao keeps asking you to install its app.
- Tap ⋮ again and choose Translate.
Taobao may ask you to sign in before it shows results. Click 登录 (log in) and then 免费注册 (free sign-up) to create an account with your phone number. You won't need to add a card: we pay the seller for you.
Translation is rough, and some text inside product pictures stays in Chinese. It's still enough to compare items, colours and sizes.
Find the product
Use whichever of these is easiest for you.
Search with a photo easiest
Click the camera icon inside the search bar at the top of taobao.com and upload a picture of the item: a screenshot from Facebook, TikTok or WhatsApp works well. Taobao shows you matching products. No typing needed.
Search with Chinese words
English searches give weaker results. Find your item in the word finder and click Search Taobao. It opens taobao.com with the Chinese words already typed in.
Sort the results
Above the results, click 销量 (sales) to see the best-selling listings first. Popular listings are usually the safest sellers.
Type what you want in English, then click Search Taobao.
Pick your colour and size, then take a screenshot
Open the product. Click the colour and size you want in the option boxes (often marked 颜色分类 and 尺码), then take a screenshot with your choices showing. Upload it with your request so we buy exactly the right one.
Don't click 加入购物车 (Add to cart) or 立即购买 (Buy now). You don't need them.
Copy the page address and send it to us
- While you're on the product page, click the address bar at the top of the browser. The address starts with item.taobao.com or detail.tmall.com.
- Copy it: Ctrl + C on a computer, or press and hold and choose Copy on a phone.
- Open Tivora in a new tab, go to Request a product, and paste it into the first box.
- Type the colour, size and quantity, add your screenshot, and click Send request.
Long addresses full of extra letters are fine. Tivora tidies them up for you. Make sure you copy from a product page, not from the search results.
Open the request form in a new tabYou'll be asked to sign in or create a free Tivora account first.
Quick checks before you send
Look at how many have sold. 已售 or 月销 followed by a number. Thousands sold usually means a reliable seller.
Check the reviews. Tap 评价. Buyer photos show what really arrives.
Avoid pre-sale items if you're in a hurry. 预售 means the seller ships later, which can add weeks.
Very cheap "brand" items may be copies. For genuine brands, look for 旗舰店 (official store) or 天猫 (Tmall).
Batteries, liquids, powders and magnets can have shipping restrictions. We'll tell you in your quotation if something can't fly.
The ¥ price is not your final price. Your quotation adds our fee, estimated shipping and customs, in Kwacha.
Taobao words you'll see
Translation misses some of these. Keep this page open in another tab while you shop.
| Chinese | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 登录 | Log in |
| 免费注册 | Sign up free |
| 搜索 | Search |
| 销量 | Sort by sales |
| 颜色分类 | Colour or style options |
| 尺码 · 尺寸 | Size |
| 均码 | One size |
| 规格 · 型号 | Specification · model |
| 套餐 | Bundle or package option |
| 已售 · 月销 | Number sold · sold this month |
| 评价 | Reviews |
| 现货 | In stock, ships now |
| 预售 | Pre-sale, ships later |
| 包邮 | Free delivery inside China |
| 店铺 | Shop |
| 旗舰店 | Official brand store |
| 天猫 | Tmall, Taobao's section for bigger official shops |
| 件 · 套 | Piece · set |
Common questions
Do I pay on Taobao?
No. You pay Tivora in Kwacha after you accept your quotation. We pay the seller in China.
Taobao won't let me in. Can I still order?
Yes. Send us a photo or screenshot of what you want and describe it. Our China team will find it.
Can I order several different products?
Yes. Send one request per product. Each one gets its own quotation.
Do I need the Taobao app?
No. The website is easier because your browser can translate it and the address bar gives you the link. If you already use the app, its Share → Copy link works too.
Can I send a link from another website?
We only buy from Taobao. If you saw the item somewhere else, take a screenshot and use the camera icon in the search bar on taobao.com to find the same product, then send us that link.
Found something you like?
Paste the Taobao address and get your quotation in Kwacha.