TaobaoPlus10 – Beijing Kids https://www.beijing-kids.com Fri, 03 Jun 2016 13:23:10 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.2 Taobao Made Easy https://www.beijing-kids.com/blog/2014/09/01/taobao-made-easy/ https://www.beijing-kids.com/blog/2014/09/01/taobao-made-easy/#respond

China’s Taobao is one of the world’s largest e-commerce websites, a combination of eBay and Amazon, only bigger. With more than 800 million items listed, you can find almost anything offered for sale. The website has two major platforms – the TMall, where established brand owners sell directly to customers, and the Taobao Market place, where smaller companies and budding entrepreneurs set up shop.
 
If you are unable to read Chinese, or do not have the time or patience to trawl through hundreds of pages of items, then it’s time you got a Taobao agent. Agents, or personal shoppers, will do your shopping for you. They do the searching, buy the items, and have them delivered either to their own warehouse, and then ship them out to you, or will arrange delivery direct to your home.

 
In need of a fancy dress outfit for a friend’s Birthday Party, I did an initial search on Taobao, so that I had a few links and pictures of what I wanted. I then emailed these links to TaobaoPlus10 personal shopper, Andrew Ruan, who helps simplifying the whole Taobao shopping experience for expats in China.
 
 
“As vendors from all over China put their stuff for sale on Taobao, we can find almost anything. My customers only need to send me an email of what they need (description, a web-link, a picture, a brand), then I will get back to them with the links for those items available,” explains Ruan.
 
Once you receive the list of matching products, simply select the item you want, send your personal shopper the payment (cash, PayPal or bank transfer), and they will order the product for you. Items will be delivered to your home, and if you need something urgently, they will pay the seller on your behalf, and then you reimburse TaobaoPlus10. If there are any problems with the order, they will help you resolve the issue. Ruan’s recent orders have included Huggies diapers, Crayola coloring pens and pencils, gluten free pizza base, and Vogmasks.
 
 
For the Shunyi expat community, it’s even more convenient because Ruan works at one of the International Schools, which makes paying in cash incredibly easy. Their ten percent fee is very reasonable, if you consider how much time you will save, and using a personal shopper takes the hassle out of the whole process. So maybe it’s time to give your bilingual friends a break, and enlist the help of an agent instead.
 
Contact Andrew Ruan taobaoplus10@gmail.com
 
beijingkids Shunyi Correspondent Sally Wilson moved to Beijing in 2010 from the UK with her husband and son. Her daughter was born here in 2011 and both her kids keep her happily busy. In her spare time, Sally loves to stroll through Beijing’s hutongs and parks. She is a (most of the time) keen runner and loves reading: books, magazines, news, and celeb websites – anything really. Sally is also a bit of a foodie and loves trying out new restaurants.

 

Photos: Katiazza, laffy4k (flickr), courtesy of TaobaoPlus10

]]> https://www.beijing-kids.com/blog/2014/09/01/taobao-made-easy/feed/ 0 Shunyi Happenings: Halloween Parties, Early Christmas Shopping, and More https://www.beijing-kids.com/blog/2013/10/16/shunyi-happenings-halloween-parties-early-christmas-shopping-and-more/ https://www.beijing-kids.com/blog/2013/10/16/shunyi-happenings-halloween-parties-early-christmas-shopping-and-more/#respond Wed, 16 Oct 2013 01:00:00 +0000

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This week brings a hodge-podge of news in the Shunyi area. Read on to see what’s in store for you.
 
All Things Halloween
If you celebrate Halloween, you and your family are probably already getting your costumes and snacks ready. If you haven’t, don’t fear; some essentials can be easily found around Shunyi. Generally, local shopkeepers have gotten pretty savvy about what foreign families need for Halloween.  

 

Pumpkins
Get these at the big Jenny Wang at Pinnacle Plaza or Jenny Lou’s at Beijing Riviera. They are also available at Didi’s Market in Cathay View Plaza. Smaller groceries usually also have them. Try the fruit and vegetable ladies by Yosemite, across Capital Paradise beside Piazza Cafe, and the guy on the second floor of the Jenny Lou building at Beijing Riviera.
 
Decorations and Costumes
Nothing beats Roundabout for their selection of new or gently-used Halloween items. What’s more, all proceeds go to charity. Also have a look also at Kids Plus and Tots to Teens at Pinnacle Plaza, especially for kids’ costumes – but also for a few adult-sized ones. Decorations can be had at Beidong Flower Market. The grocery stores mentioned above will also have some decorations and treats available.
 
Treats
Don’t forget that treats don’t always have to be sugary candy. How about filling your basket of giveaways with stickers, tatoos, glowsticks, Hallowe’en themed pencils or erasers? Also available at Roundabout, Kids’ Plus and the bigger grocery stores. Mini-oranges with jack-o-lantern faces drawn with felt tip pens are cute and fun to prepare.
 
If you still haven’t bought your tickets for the beijingkids 7th Halloween Costume Ball at the Hilton Beijing Wangfujing, don’t delay! Two out of three sessions are already sold out. There are still a few seats available for the party on Friday, October 25 from 6-9pm. Join us for a lavish buffet, onsite trick-or-treating, pumpkin carving, costume parade, ghoulish games, face painting by Nina Griffee, and a free family photo by Littleones Kids & Family Portrait Studio. Advance registration required.
 
BabyGro Officially on the Market
Big news: BabyGro Founder and beijingkids Board Member Johanna Selth has announced that after six years, she and her partner have decided to sell both the business and the company due to a move from Beijing and new directions in other areas. The BabyGro Shunyi branch is located in Cathay View Plaza. If you or someone you know would be interested in finding out more, contact Johanna at johannaselth@hotmail.com.
 
Europlaza Sightings
Tusting, the leather bags and accessories shop, is out and Starbucks is in (or will soon be). Watch out for the opening of another Shunyi location on the first floor of Europlaza, right by the deck facing Eurovillage. We hope they’ll have an early opening and late closing time.
 
Starkids Bookstore has moved in. From their former location in Riverville Square, the children’s bookstore is now at a more accessible venue. They have a good selection of English books for children, including study review books and graded readers. But a nice surprise is a whole shelf dedicated to culture guides for adults in different languages.
 
On our last visit, we spotted French, Spanish, German and Italian travel guides, recipe books, and Chinese culture books ranging from the importance of jade to how to play mahjong. Near the front of the store, you can find a good selection of bilingual books – perfect for Chinese children who are learning English or English speakers who want an introduction to Chinese. (Note that the English and Chinese levels are not quite even, but it’s a good starting point anyway.)
 
TaobaoPlus10 Personal Shopper
With Christmas coming up, there is just no escaping Taobao as one of the most convenient shopping options. While there are other workarounds, the best solution we have found for those who can’t read Chinese is TaobaoPlus10.
 
TaobaoPlus10 simplifies the Taobao shopping experience for foreigners by finding what you need (or, you can send a link if you know exactly what you want). TaobaoPlus10 can also pay on your behalf and arrange for delivery. You can have the package delivered to your home or pick it up at a Shunyi location. The service charge is 10 percent of the purchase price.
 
TaobaoPlus10 can also add credits to your mobile phone for a service charge of 5 percent of the recharge amount. Just hand in the money, tell TaobaoPlus10 your phone number, and watch as the credits automatically transferred to your phone.
 
Or, simply write to TaobaoPlus10@gmail.com and provide your Chinese mobile phone number and the amount you want to add to your phone, then arrange to pay the amount and the additional 5 percent later.
 
Solo Per Te Customized Cashmere Sale
Today only, there is a special sale from 10am to 4pm on cashmere items by Solo Per Te (among others). You’ll find items from Solo Per Te’s winter collection (cashmere, silk cashmere, and wool); Image Optics East eyewear; Tai Tai gifts; jewelry designed by Antonia; Tu Textile’s cushions; and Keary’s homemade jams.
 
Villa 216, Grand Hills, Jingshun Lu, Chaoyang District (158 1118 7040) 朝阳区京顺路大湖山庄216号
 
Got Shunyi-related tips, news, or recommendations? We’d love to hear from you! Send an email to the author at danamercado@beijing-kids.com.
 
Photo by Dana Cosio-Mercado
 
Dana is the beijingkids Shunyi Correspondent. Originally from the Philippines, she moved to Beijing in 2011 (via Europe) with her husband, two sons and Rusty the dog. She enjoys writing, photography, theater, visual arts, and trying new food. In her free time, she can be found exploring the city and driving along the mountain roads of Huairou, Miyun and Pinggu.

 

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