In another life, I’m a notorious over tipper. Even — or especially — when I had little money of my own to spare, I always added whatever I could to the tip jar, automatically calculating 25% for restaurant or delivery service, minimum. It likely comes from all my years of working for tips myself and knowing how hard a customer-facing position can be, especially in a world where “the customer is always right.”

Moving to a country where you don’t tip out of respect was a hard transition, so I channeled my energies towards the reviews or ratings at the end of a DiDi ride. It seemed like a no brainer way to show my appreciation and took just a few seconds.

I never think of rating my package delivery services, however. I certainly never dug back into an order once I had received it just to praise a delivery person for a job done well. I also rarely complained unless I didn’t get a package at all. After reading this article on npr about how overburdened and harshly punished delivery workers are in China, however, that will change.

According to the article, “Good customer reviews earn delivery workers virtual points in the app, which serve as a buffer against deductions. In the case of a late package or a three-out-of-five-star review, the app will knock off points. Too few points, and a worker gets fined….If Wang fails to garner at least one five-star review a month, he gets slapped with an $8 pay deduction. If someone complains by email, Wang is fined about $300, nearly a week’s wages. Lesser offenses can carry fines of about $30 to $80.”

Now I feel bad about a time last year when I ordered two small coatracks and neither one arrived. The delivery person said he only had one, and he offered to pay for the one he delivered to the wrong address, almost RMB 250. After reading that article, now I understand that it is possible only one was in his care, where it sounded like a weird trick at the time. Although I didn’t allow him to pay for the mistake, as it seemed like too much for one person to fix out of their own wages, I hope my messages to customer service didn’t cause him more trouble.

I usually don’t like to patronize companies who use such punitive measures, and that sentiment was echoed in one or two WeChat groups where I shared this article. It’s not always that simple, however, since ceasing to use delivery services ultimately only harms the very delivery people we want to help. Without more orders to deliver, they’ll likely lose their jobs, or get wages cut even more.

There’s no way to know what happens on the other side of a delivery, and I’ve never actively tried to get someone in trouble. But I’ve never gone out of my way to write a nice review either. I tend towards Baopals and PandaBoo, but friends use Taobao and showed me where to leave a rating:

I even returned to a recent order and reviewed it, for good measure.

This wasn’t just to make myself feel better, or so I could tout my virtue in this article. I know how difficult it is for me to get everything together, get the kids to school and myself to work, and that’s with a very family-flexible office a mere ten minutes away. I could walk there if necessary. The holidays are coming…who am I kidding? They’re here! And that means more deliveries, more traffic, more people upset, and probably more chances for screw-ups than normal. If there’s one thing I can do on a micro level that might mean a lot more to my receiver, it’s to take 30 seconds to rate and write a review for a job well done.

We have been talking a lot about gratitude and kindness around the beijngkids office lately, as it’s the theme of our next magazine. Let’s just remember that in this case, a job well done is merely a package delivered; where we might normally tip the minimum, we must type the minimum. Be thankful, be kind, and for goodness sake, leave a five-star review!

KEEP READING: How to Use WeChat Subscriptions For All Your Beijing Family News

Photos: Cindy Marie Jenkins, Public Domain Pictures

Good news for the Mandarin-impaired shopaholics: Baopals, ‘the English-language Taobao’ had just launched a handy new feature. As well as the possibility to sort items from either Taobao or Tmall, you can now choose the Baopals Express shopping option. According to the website, Express products are delivered within 48 hours, or (in most cases) 24 hours.

Items sold under Baopals Express “face stringent requirements to ensure authenticity and quality control. Like Taobao and Tmall, Express offers a wide selection of products and name brands, and is the go-to choice for electronics and home appliances.” The function is still in soft-launch mode (and just started on Apr 23) so it’s not clear yet how it will evolve but the launch is timely: in the wake of the COVID-19, shipping has generally been slower than usual, so any option to guarantee fast delivery is a welcome one.

Since launching in 2013, Baopals has been a savior for foreigners who want to take advantage of the vast Chinese online shopping market, but without the hassle of navigating the Chinese-language-only apps and unfamiliar UX. It essentially scoops up all the information available on Taobao and TMall, runs it through a translation system, and presents it in a very clean, easy-to-use format. All shipping information is automatically translated, customer support is in English, and it’s even possible to return items if necessary (something that none of my Taobao-using friends have ever succeeded in doing).

For more info about setting up an account, click here.

KEEP READING: How to Use the Bulk House Zero Waste Online Stores

Photos: RoseBox رز باکس (via Unsplash), Baopals

It’s quite common nowadays to hear people, and even your newfound pengyou, saying their recent purchases are bought on either Taobao or JD – or other popular online marketplace apps in China. Even if those apps are fully in Chinese, you can actually get over the language barrier by remembering several steps or using clever strategies just like what other well-versed expats do.

Online shopping in China is truly distinct, and most of the times a learning experience. But a word of caution: it can be addicting and a real cash drain once you learn the how-tos.

So first, let’s have a quick rundown of the top three online marketplaces you should know.

Shop Like a Local

Excluding Baopals, shopping on Taobao and JD involves a learning curve and some tricks. Forget the difficulty of Chinese interfaces and characters; instead, embrace them like a local to get that unique shopping experience.

– When buying or searching for an item, better use keywords and translate them first into Chinese using Baidu Translate. Usually, English-named items cost much more.

– Items bought in Beijing can be delivered within two days; those from other Chinese cities take three to five days. Sellers show where the item will come from.

– Use picture search. Look for the picture icons on Taobao (left) and JD.com (right). But remember, this function doesn’t work all the time.

– There are review features but they’re entirely in Chinese. Alternatively, you can refer to the ratings or photo comments to see how your item of choice looks like. Just look for this word: 有图 (youtu or with photo) or 晒图 (shaitu or blueprint).

But Here’s the Catch…

Success! Your item will be delivered but you think you’ll be in the office by the time the courier arrives at your home.
– Remember that just add your office address as your second shipping address so that your item will be directly sent there. Remember to select that before paying an item.

“The delivery of my item is taking too long!”
– It could be because of the shipping location or other issues like public holidays, the famous November 11 sales day, and severe pollution (yes, because it affects air freights). You can also track the courier, but remember everything is in Chinese so you need to translate it using an app or asking help from a Chinese pengyou.

Okay, you bought a cheap quality item and it’s ready for shipping … but you changed your mind and want to replace it with a different colored one, if not, get a refund.
– That’s tough because you need to talk to a seller’s customer service representatives (CSRs) or fill up a form. Only a few of these CSRs can speak a limited amount of English. What you can do is to use your translator app… or when they call you, just tell them the following phrases:
• Sorry, I don’t speak Chinese. Can you send me a message instead so that I can translate it?
对不起，我不会说中文。 你可以给我一个消息，以便我可以翻译吗？Duìbùqǐ, wǒ bù huì shuō zhōngwén. Nǐ kěyǐ gěi wǒ yīgè xiāoxi, yǐbiàn wǒ kěyǐ fānyì ma?
• Hold on, here’s a friend to talk with you.
等一下。 这是一个朋友跟你说话。Děng yīxià. Zhè shì yīgè péngyǒu gēn nǐ shuōhuà.

“Wow, the delivery was fast…” only to find out the item has defects or different from what you ordered. Worse, you found the item was fake!
– Again, this is a tricky part because you need to contact the vendor. Try sending them a message telling:
• The item I bought was [fake / has defects]. Can I replace it [or have a refund]?
我买的物品是[假/有缺陷]。 可否更换[或退款]？Wǒ mǎi de wùpǐn shì [jiǎ/yǒu quēxiàn]. Kěfǒu gēnghuàn [huò tuì kuǎn]?

This article appeared on p48-49 of the beijingkids July 2018 Home & Relocation Guide issue.

It’s quite common nowadays to hear people, and even your newfound pengyou, saying their recent purchases are bought on either Taobao or JD – or the most popular online marketplace apps in China. Even if those apps are fully in Chinese, you can actually get over the language barrier by remembering several steps or using clever strategies just like what other well versed expats do.

Online shopping in China is truly distinct, and most of the time a learning experience. But a word of caution: it can be addicting and a real cash drain once you learn the how-to’s.

So first, let’s have a quick rundown of the top three online marketplaces you should know:

But Here’s the Catch…

Success! Your item will be delivered but you think you’ll be in the office by the time the courier arrives at your home. 

Just add your office address as your second shipping address so that your item will be directly sent there. Remember to select that before paying an item.

“The delivery of my item is taking too long!”

It could be because of the shipping location or other issues like public holidays, the famous November 11 sales day, and severe pollution (yes, because it affects air freights). You can also track the courier, but remember everything is in Chinese so you need to translate it using an app or asking help from a Chinese pengyou.

Okay, you bought a cheap quality item and it’s ready for shipping … but you changed your mind and want to replace it with a different colored one, if not, get a refund.

That’s tough because you need to talk to a seller’s customer service representatives (CSRs) or fill up a form. Only a few of these CSRs can speak a limited amount of English. What you can do is to use your translator app… or when they call you, just tell them the following phrases:

• Sorry, I don’t speak Chinese. Can you send me a message instead so that I can translate it? (对不起，我不会说中文。 你可以给我一个消息，以便我可以翻译吗？Duìbùqǐ, wǒ bù huì shuō zhōngwén. Nǐ kěyǐ gěi wǒ yīgè xiāoxi, yǐbiàn wǒ kěyǐ fānyì ma?)
• Hold on, here’s a friend to talk with you. (等一下。 这是一个朋友跟你说话。Děng yīxià. Zhè shì yīgè péngyǒu gēn nǐ shuōhuà.)

“Wow, the delivery was fast…” only to find out the item has defects or different from what you ordered. Worse, you found the item was fake!

Again, this is a tricky part because you need to contact the vendor. Try sending them a message telling:

• • The item I bought was [fake / has defects]. Can I replace it [or have a refund]? (我买的物品是[假/有缺陷]。 可否更换[或退款]？Wǒ mǎi de wùpǐn shì [jiǎ/yǒu quēxiàn]. Kěfǒu gēnghuàn [huò tuì kuǎn]?)

Baopals Around

So when every effort you exerted in using Taobao and JD fails, or if you lose patience, Baopals is another option. On Baopals, most items are priced slightly higher compared to their Taobao counterparts, so if price is not an issue, then you might want to go with Baopals.

Getting your Baopals account is pretty straightforward. In addition, it has a WeChat account where you can do online shopping. You can also find in the account a blog, that contains its famous “The Cool, the Cheap, & the Crazy,” items. Since Baopals is integrated into WeChat, you can for pay items using WeChat Wallet. Baopals also has customer service that responds promptly, so you can direct your instructions like item quantity and shipping location.

Food in a Box

You can also buy food from these Taobao, Jingdong, and Baopals, but beware, there are fakes, and freshness may not be guaranteed.

Other thrift options to set up your home

If online shopping on Taobao or JD.com proves to be too much and you feel Baopals is too pricey for small kitchenware, fret not and remember to use your WeChat. There are several groups like Old & New Deals – Beijing and 2nd Hand Beijing Bargains where you can buy (or sell) items at a much lower price. Below are also some groups you can follow to buy, donate, or sell items. Following these groups will open a lot of possibilities for networking and volunteering too!

This article originally appeared on p 44-47 of beijingkids May 2017 Home & Relocation Guide.
Download the digital copy here.

Photos: Photo-Mix via Pixabay and Yew Chung International School Beijing, (YCIS, Beijing),
Shiyuan Lin, Year 13, Hong Kong

Back in 2013, I researched online for my family’s move to Beijing. I came across Taobao.com and bj.56.com. I already had my apartment picked and all my future purchases decided. The guy assigned to help us with the transition nearly choked on his noodles when I told him my plans. He let me down gently.

Though I chucked 56 hoaxes, I waded through fake and real Taobao products because it really was the best solution for me to shop in China on a budget. My toddlers hated shopping with me and I hated shopping with them, since every beautiful thing is set right at their eye level in markets.

I was known as the Taobao queen, finding things on the site that even my Chinese friends couldn’t find. I once held a workshop at my former school to train other teachers in setting up their Alipay. Then last year my foreign friend wanted me to pay for his rent using my account. Long story short, my Alipay got messed up, and I haven’t bothered with fixing the blasted payment platform. I resigned to using JD.com. Though I found it much more convenient since it allowed WeChat Wallet, I didn’t like the prices.

Then this year, everyone started talking about Baopals.com. JD had become a habit, but finally I decided I was going to put aside my trauma of losing Taobao and plunge into setting up yet another platform for shopping.

To my delight, setting up Baopals was super easy. I mean, shouldn’t it be? It’s all in English. And they accept WeChat Wallet. The glory of those cheap prices came sliding back… Quick! someone lock my WeChat Wallet before I black out from shopping addiction…

I was curious about who came up with the awesomeness of Baopals and decided to reach out for an interview. Sure, Baopals isn’t new news for everyone, but do you know much about the men behind the site? No, I think not.

Two of the three founders made the mistake of adding me on WeChat prior to the interview [insert evil laugh here], so I scooped out their personalities on their moments. I ambushed them with some pretty cheeky interview questions. Many thanks for playing along, Jay Thornhill and Charlie Erikson!

What would be the Baopals theme song?
Jay: “The bananaphone song. We play music while we work, and when the bananaphone song comes on, it’s a time for us to goof around. We don’t dance, but we should. We’re constantly communicating with someone, whether its sellers or consumers, our phones just – ring, ring.”

Which super power would Charlie most benefit from?
Jay: “I wouldn’t want to indicate Charlie is lacking from anything. I guess the ability to handle a thousand things at one time, or maybe to hold five conversations at once.”

Charlie: “That’s not really a super power, that’s more of a mutation.”

(I interjected to say it’s OK, it fits with X-Men.)

Jay: “Ok, five mouths to hold five conversations. We oversee lots of different things we need to handle. Someone is always constantly asking us a question. So I think best to have five mouths to hold five different conversations at one time.”

What’s the oddest behavior you’ve caught Jay doing at the office?
Charlie: “What’s the oddest behavior I’ve caught Jay doing? Well, our office used to be in my apartment, so home and work life often mixed. Some of us lived in the office. In that sense…”

Jay: “Hey! This is a kid’s magazine.”

Charlie: “One time a neighbor came over to use our showers after their hot water ran out. The neighbor was leaving right as staff were arriving, and that was pretty awkward for everyone involved.”

Who’s better at Chinese?
Jay: “Definitely Charlie. I plateaued in 2008 and now I just run on survival Chinese.”

Charlie: “My mom is Taiwanese and my dad is a translator. I was at decent level in a the US. [I came to China because] I wanted to improve. My mom would say, ‘You’re my son and you can’t even understand what I’m saying?!'”

What’s Charlie’s biggest pet peeve in the office?
Jay: “Well, does it have to be in the office? We all know each other really well and are great friends, and our other co-founder, Tyler and Charlie are the same height, so they often share clothes. I’m shorter than them, so no one can borrow my things. Much of our stuff has become communal and free.”

Charlie: “Which means I own all the clothes and Tyler doesn’t own anything.”

Jay: “They had this resolution where they went on Baopals and bought 30 pairs of socks, all the same color and style.”

If I were interviewing your dog, Doge (pronounced DOH-j) what secrets would he tell me about Jay?
Charlie: “He spends too much time on OK Cupid.”

Jay: “But I really don’t!”

What are the Baopal office rumors about Charlie?
Jay: “Well, I think Charlie is comfortable with me sharing this, but there was a rumor that he was bisexual, though he is actually heterosexual. But we did not confirm or squash those rumors. It’s probably because Tyler shows up in his clothes.”

Who picked out the matching suits at the recent award ceremony in Shanghai?
Charlie: Both of us came up with it. Often what happens is that we’re taking branding to a level it shouldn’t and then we’re already there. One of us will say, ‘You’re not going to back out, well I’m not either.'”

If Jay could be anyone in the world, who would he be and why?
Charlie: “Clearly me, if it wasn’t me, maybe an NBA player.”

Confession time: how many of the crazy Baopal finds have either one of you actually purchased?
Jay: “We’ve bought the dog wigs, the lion mane, and the boyfriend pillow. That was a gift for a girl. We actually started a Tinder campaign using the boyfriend window and quickly got banned from the site. We’ve also bought the magic wine and the Death Star for ants, but typically we buy the cool stuff more often than the crazy.”

Check out more about Baopals on their website or through their official WeChat account.

More stories by this author here.
Email: vanessajencks@truerun.com
Twitter: @vanessa_jencks
WeChat: vanessajencks