My Little 3 Room Resale Flat..

[PinkTissue 0]

Looking forward to seeing more photos. I bought most of my renovation stuff from taobao. Part of my tiles also come from taobao as I could not find similar patterns locally.

[frankman 5]

Looking forward to seeing more photos. I bought most of my renovation stuff from taobao. Part of my tiles also come from taobao as I could not find similar patterns locally.

Hi PinkTissue,

Wow.... you bought tiles from taobao, I bought all my furniture from taobao as the picture shown above. Including roller curtain, hahaha.... All my plumbing fitting like basin taps, rain shower and kitchen sink mixer from ebay will much cheaper compare to Singapore.

My kitchen sink from Taobao.

[PinkTissue 0]

People thought I am mad importing stuff from ebay and taobao. But it is so much cheaper. My neighbour who is also doing her renovation bought her Delta bathroom accessories from eBay when she realised the price is only 20% of the price sold in Singapore. Even after factoring the postage from US, she still makes a whopping saving of 50% of the Singapore retail price. I bought a lot of bathroom fittings from ebay/taobao with the exception of the shower set (because of warranty issue) and lights which I have to see for myself. As for tiles, I only bought feature wall tiles you cannot find in Singapore.

[Nexer 1]

Im looking to import some furnitures from taobao/Tmall too. Can share the freight company contacts?

Thanks!

[frankman 5]

People thought I am mad importing stuff from ebay and taobao. But it is so much cheaper. My neighbour who is also doing her renovation bought her Delta bathroom accessories from eBay when she realised the price is only 20% of the price sold in Singapore. Even after factoring the postage from US, she still makes a whopping saving of 50% of the Singapore retail price. I bought a lot of bathroom fittings from ebay/taobao with the exception of the shower set (because of warranty issue) and lights which I have to see for myself. As for tiles, I only bought feature wall tiles you cannot find in Singapore.

Yes..... totally agree with you and many people got surprise when I told me that all my household item from taobao. I save more than 50% of the cost that included freight and like me I am just in luck a very good local freight forwarder. At first I think very hard whether local forwarder will help you purchasing items from taobao especially big, big item like sofa set, bed frame, dining table with chair and I told myself not harm trying. I give them a call a call, to my surprise they can help to buy from taobao, they help me to do a list of excel with all my items that I want and then I add on additional item on the list, email back to them. They call me to clarified on the item if they don't understand at the same time they are talking their company purchaser in Canton, I can hear what they give instruction like mirror box left or right hing & left or right door knob. I feel their service is very personal and close. The most surprise is their freight cost, very very reasonable as they are not taobao agent but freight forwarder company help local retailer to take goods from China. According to them that they inform me every 8 days, they have 40 footer containers coming in. I thumb up for them.

[frankman 5]

My wallpaper and mirror box from taobao, coming in soon.

[Nexer 1]

Does the local freight company helps you check for defects before shipping back to spore?

[PinkTissue 0]

I wish I have seen your post earlier. My freight forwarder is based at Shanghai so I have to pay local postage. As I am not doing a full house renovation and my furniture is in good condition, there is no need to buy furniture. The only furniture I bought are from Indonesia. As they are made of kiln dried mahogany wood which is grown in Indonesia, it only makes sense to buy from Indonesia direct.

[frankman 5]

Does the local freight company helps you check for defects before shipping back to spore?

I wanted to asked one question, did the local two famous taobao agents really check defects for us? Very recently, I tested this two local taobao agents, one I ordered 5 nos. of led lights by air freight cost me about S$400 and the other I ordered 4 items using them, note 2 is the same item. I received the 5 nos. of led lights end Septembers, all my 5 nos. light damaged badly but lucky their services is good manage to negotiate with seller to replace all my 5 lights just after China National Day in urgent basis for renovation works. The other I have a big argument with them, miss out order for one of item suppose to be same item and I told them to bring it in asap for my renovation work but they say I have used sea freight for my item so they are using sea freight to bring it in for me again. I told them is their problem that miss my order but their invoice written 2 pieces, did they check the items for buyer??? This is a very big question mark and they do not want to acknowledge any fault, tell me off as buyer saying either to accept bringing in the missing item by sea freight again and reach end of this month or accept a refund, I told him as a agent provide this kind of services then they hang up my call. Do we buyers want this kind of services? And I'll never use them again very irresponsible agent. When I told this matter to my forwarder they are willing to help me asking me to give them the detail of the missing and immediately purchase it for me.

Edited October 15, 2012 by frankman

[Nexer 1]

I wanted to asked one question, did the local two famous taobao agents really check defects for us? Very recently, I tested this two local taobao agents, one I ordered 5 nos. of led lights by air freight cost me about S$400 and the other I ordered 4 items using them, note 2 is the same item. I received the 5 nos. of led lights end Septembers, all my 5 nos. light damaged badly but lucky their services is good manage to negotiate with seller to replace all my 5 lights just after China National Day in urgent basis for renovation works. The other I have a big argument with them, miss out order for one of item suppose to be same item and I told them to bring it in asap for my renovation work but they say I have used sea freight for my item so they are using sea freight to bring it in for me again. I told them is their problem that miss my order but their invoice written 2 pieces, did they check the items for buyer??? This is a very big question mark and they do not want to acknowledge any fault, tell me off as buyer saying either to accept bringing in the missing item by sea freight again and reach end of this month or accept a refund, I told you agent provide this kind of services then they hang up my call. Do we buyers want this kind of services? And I'll never use them again very responsible agent. When I told this matter, my forwarder offer to help me asking me to give them the detail of the missing and immediately purchase it for me.

Wow...i have not bought any stuff from taobao yet, so dont know the standard of the services provided by the agents.

[PinkTissue 0]

I was told by my ID to avoid electrical stuff because they are easily broken & warranty issues.

[frankman 5]

I was told by my ID to avoid electrical stuff because they are easily broken & warranty issues.

50% of it is right, may not have warranty but you are buying at 50% cheaper like I buy direct from manufacturer and I have recently observed closely when I try to shop for lighting locally. I can see most of the lighting come from China and most led lighting come from China or Taiwan. Sometime have to take risk when buying online but if you do your homework the risk factor goes down. Recently I also went to IMM try to shop for furniture when I saw those sofa set, dining table, decliner and their price. I was smile in my heart, 95% of what I saw is the same thing in taobao, compare the price they are selling in taobao that already make profit and the price they are selling in Singapore, you will be in shock.

[PinkTissue 0]

I knew about how you feel. The same stuff is so unbelievably cheap that you could not help but to jump in joy. At first, I am apprehensive of getting substandard stuff, but most of the stuff are as good as those sold in Singapore. I realized that how 'backward' is Singapore in terms of variety of items. I happened to talk to a PRC seller who has a store in Singapore - he told me competition is so stiff in China that they constantly innovate just to survive. Aiyah, if know earlier, we could gather a few people and go to China & do group buy and sent back to Singapore in a container.

[frankman 5]

I knew about how you feel. The same stuff is so unbelievably cheap that you could not help but to jump in joy. At first, I am apprehensive of getting substandard stuff, but most of the stuff are as good as those sold in Singapore. I realized that how 'backward' is Singapore in terms of variety of items. I happened to talk to a PRC seller who has a store in Singapore - he told me competition is so stiff in China that they constantly innovate just to survive. Aiyah, if know earlier, we could gather a few people and go to China & do group buy and sent back to Singapore in a container.

You don't have to wait, you can shop online with taobao and get the forwarder to ship in for you. I usually to shop in Hong Kong but frankly I don't cover every shop and every corner. I prefer to shop online surf everything I am interested in.

My wall clock from Taobao.

You can check with the price of this kitchen sink mixer made of nickel brushed finished local shop price is S$400+ or more, I was offer at US$100 for it.

Edited October 15, 2012 by frankman

[Batman 0]

Congrats on ur new home brother!

Can u share ur forwarder contact w me pls? Cos I m planning to b buy from TB.

U r right abt the prices here in SG. In general, its e price as in TB, but in S$!