I’m not a big shopper – it’s not a pastime I like to indulge in (except when I’m overseas, but that’s a story for another time).
I’m not a big shopper – it’s not a pastime I like to indulge in (except when I’m overseas, but that’s a story for another time).
But put me in front of a computer logged into Chinese online shopping platform Taobao and I’ll spend five intense hours surfing the site, happily bookmarking shops and products for future purchase. But many times, I don’t actually buy anything – for me, it’s the thrill of tao bao (“looking for treasure” in Mandarin); and because I’m still a newbie whose Mandarin isn’t so great, I refrain from getting products that are too expensive or large. The good news is there’s plenty of help available! Businesses that support Taobao, such as forwarder Ezbuy and newcomer Etrove, are part of an industry in itself; there are also fellow local shoppers keen to share their experiences. It is to these guys we turn to, for our insider Taobao shopping special this month, Add to Cart, on page 82.
Find out how to shave up to 30 per cent off your shipment of heavy items such as furniture! There’s also a handy English-to-Mandarin translation guide to popular design themes such as industrial-chic, Scandinavian and loft. At the other end of the spectrum to mass-produced factory goods, are the folks who do small batch production by hand – the “makers”. (Actually, we much rather you shop from them!) The talented woodworkers in Handled with Care on page 76 are the new face of ‘carpentry’ – read about their love and exploration of wood, why they prefer to work the material by hand, and how they try to do justice to it. Get inspiration, too, from our 14-page Milan Furniture Fair report, Design Renaissance on page 58, and of course, the annual Designer Showcase booklet, which comes free with this issue! Download our digital edition for more articles, including an outdoor furniture shopping guide.
