Temu vs Taobao: Are they the same? Which one is better?

Ever heard of Taobao and Temu? Whether you are local or expat in China, chances are you've bought something from either one of them, or came across their names, at least once. That’s just how big and popular Taobao and Temu have become in China – and even across the globe. Especially for expats in China, Taobao and Temu just make your life abroad so much easier. You can purchase literally everything for your daily life on these two websites within a few clicks, all at an incredibly low price!

But are Taobao and Temu the same? And as an expat, should you choose Temu or Taobao? This article is your all-in-one guide to comparing Taobao and Temu. With this guide, you can confidently choose for yourself which site is better for you.

Are Taobao and Temu the same?

Though both Taobao and Temu are popular online shopping platforms, they are not the same thing. Before diving into the differences between Taobao vs Temu, let’s first take a look at what they exactly are!

What is Taobao?

Taobao is one of the earliest players in the China ecommerce scene – with its establishment way back in 2003. If you have been in China for a while, you might have already known that Taobao is owned by the giant Alibaba.

But did you know that “Taobao” can literally be translated as "search for treasures"¹? And exactly like its name, Taobao is a real online treasure trove for you to discover the next unique products with extremely great deals! Taobao mainly operates as a consumer-to-consumer marketplace. But you can also find some manufacturers that directly sell their products there, so this place is always bustling! You can literally find almost everything there: from everyday groceries, small beauty products to even luxury cars. Negotiating for a lower price is another function from Taobao that makes the price tag attractive!

Taobao, however, is entirely in Chinese. So if you are fluent in Chinese, you will have no issues navigating around websites or negotiating with sellers. Taobao mostly only ships in mainland China, and the delivery time is fast. So in general, if you are an expat living in China with some level of Chinese fluency, shopping on Taobao will be a convenient experience for you. Of course, Taobao will still deliver abroad, but it will ship via third-party logistics providers!

What is Temu?

Temu is another online marketplace, and it is owned by PDD Holdings. But Temu is actually established in Boston, US,³ mainly targeting international buyers. Unlike global marketplace like AliExpress, Temu actually sets up its warehouses in other countries like the US or some of key locations in Europe to reduce delivery cost and shipping time.

Temu sells pretty much the same things as Taobao does, but it is more English-friendly as its main customers are foreigners. That’s to say, while shopping with Temu, you don’t need to have fluent Chinese to navigate around the website.

Beside selling products at bargain prices, social shopping and gamification are also the backbone of Temu’s business. You can invite friends to play games such as spin-the-wheel to win rewards and free products!

Taobao vs Temu: What are the differences?

If you are looking to compare between these two websites, here are a few main differences between Taobao vs Temu:

Target Audience

Temu is mostly for international customers, and Taobao caters to domestic customers.

Language and Accessibility

Temu is available in English and 9 other languages, including Chinese.

However, Taobao is completely in Chinese. If you still prefer Taobao over Temu, you can still translate the website to English to order from Taobao.

Product Range and Pricing

Temu caters most of its listing for the international buyers with common products for every day’s life like technology, fashion apparels, beauty items, toys, books, and other categories. In contrast, Taobao offers a much broader product range, featuring many China-exclusive items. This means you’ll often come across quirky and unique products on Taobao that are rarely found on international platforms like Temu.

Shipping and Delivery

Temu offers free standard shipping options if you reach the amount of required purchase. Orders will be ready to ship as soon as possible. On each item page, you will find the expected delivery day, which is calculated by the percentage of past orders delivered. If your order arrives later than expected, don’t worry – Temu will provide compensation for use on your next purchase ².** It is worth noting that Temu doesn’t ship to China.**

If you live in China, the good news is that Taobao’s shipping fees are often very low – sometimes even free, and delivery times are usually fast. It might sometimes take up to weeks to receive your package, but you can even get your goods within an hour. The platform does support people who don’t live in China to buy from Taobao as a foreigner, but since most sellers rely on third-party logistics providers, the shipping costs might be significantly higher.

Payment Methods

Temu accepts multiple payment options like credit/debit cards,Paypal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Venmo. You might even opt for Buy Now Pay Later options ².

With its main customers being Chinese, Taobao, on the other hand, also predominantly offers payment gateways that are convenient for Chinese consumers. Payment methods such as AliPay and Wechat Pay are frequently used. Taobao also supports international credit/debit cards such as Visa, MasterCard and JCB for payment. It is worth noting that there will be non-refundable handling fees.

Customer service

Temu has an online virtual assistant and customer service agent. You can scroll to the bottom of the 'Support' page and click the 'Contact us' button to talk to customer service if you have any questions.

Taobao also has 24/7 self-service and online customer service. But they will talk to you in Mandarin. There are also international hotlines to call if you live in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, or Australia. For other countries, you can email to: English@service.alibaba.com

Dropshipping

Are you also looking for a reliable source for your dropshipping business? In general, Temu doesn’t support dropshipping. But you can do so with Taobao instead.

For dropshipping, Taobao is a massive marketplace. However, if you don’t speak Chinese, navigating the site can be challenging and time-consuming. One suggestion is to work with a Taobao agent once your business grows large enough. By focusing your efforts on effective management rather than translation and logistics, you can achieve significantly better profit margins through dropshipping with Taobao.

Is Taobao cheaper than Temu?

Whether Taobao is cheaper than Temu depends on several key factors like what the products are, duties & tariffs, and shipping costs. Sometimes you might find an item at a more competitive price on Temu, but other times, products may be cheaper on Taobao.

But in general, the price tags on both sites have already been very competitive.

Is Taobao better than Temu?

Whether Taobao is better than Temu will really depend on each individual's needs. Temu sets up its warehouses in many countries to make your shipping cost cheaper and delivery time faster, but it doesn’t deliver products in mainland China – so if you are overseas, it might be a better option for you. While shopping with Taobao, you can access a wider range of exclusive products. So it might be a better option especially if you are living in China.

Taobao vs Temu: Reviews on Reddit

You can also check authentic reviews from the expat community on Reddit to understand real-experience with shipping on Taobao vs Temu.

Some Reddit users agree that Temu is a good option if you want fast shipping and easy return, especially if you don’t live in China. Reddit users also agreed that Taobao has wider product categories, but it is more complicated to navigate around its website because it appears in Chinese. Other users also point out that shopping on Taobao often gives you a better chance of finding premium-quality items at reasonable prices.

Such platforms like Temu and Taobao make your life as an expat in and outside of China so much easier! Getting good deals for premium products becomes so much easier!

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