Is it worth buying from Muji’s official store on Taobao? How much does shipping cost? How long will shipping take? Here’s my personal experience!

While scrolling through the never-ending lists of products on Taobao, it was surprising to come across Muji items. Silly, I know, but I couldn’t help but think, “Wait – there’s Muji on Taobao?” Well, you know what they say. You can really find anything on Taobao.

Guide to Muji’s Official Store on Taobao:
#1: Muji Singapore vs Muji Taobao: Which is Cheaper?
#2: My Experience Buying Muji On Taobao

The first thing I noticed on Muji Taobao was a little logo that said ‘Tmall’. I was slightly confused at first, but as mentioned in our comparison guide above, Tmall is actually just a subset of Taobao that verifies licensed businesses to sell on Taobao. You can just treat it as a verified badge for big brands like Sephora and Muji, knowing that they’ve been verified as the official brand stores on Taobao.

If you’re a Taobao newbie like I once was, I’d suggest youd bookmark these comprehensive Taobao guides for the complete Taobao experience:

• How to Buy From Taobao: Shopping Guide
• How to Ship From Taobao: Shipping Guide
• How to Reverse Image Search on Taobao
• How to Refund on Taobao Guide
• How to Navigate Taobao: Keywords Search Guide
• Is Taobao Really Cheaper with YouTrip?

Wait, Why Did I Choose Muji Taobao Over Muji Singapore?

I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again: I’m cheap. I don’t want to pay more than I have to, and Muji Taobao is one of the only ways to get my hands on authentic Muji goods without burning a hole in my pocket at Muji Singapore stores.

Another reason? Muji Taobao has a larger range of products, some of which I’ve never seen in Muji Singapore stores. Bigger product range AND cheaper prices? Issa win-win to me.

However, I’ve mentioned in Muji Singapore vs Muji Taobao: Which is Cheaper? that not everything is cheaper on Muji Taobao. So make sure to do your own comparisons first before adding the Muji items into your cart!

What Did I Get From Muji Taobao?

1. Aroma Diffuser
I snagged the Muji Aroma Diffuser, which was ~S$32.40 cheaper than in Singapore! As an essential oils guru, you have no idea how excited I was to discover the price difference. I had to calculate the prices thrice to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.

By the way, if you’re looking to have your home smell like an expensive spa or even smell like pumpkin spice latte, I’ve got these DIY essential oil blends for you to try at home. Psst, another pro tip: get your essential oils from iHerb instead of Muji. With the price of one lemongrass essential oil from Muji, you can get eight bottles from iHerb. I’m not even joking!

2. Indian Cotton Jersey Stitch Crew Neck
This Indian Cotton Jersey Stitch Crew Neck T-Shirt was something I had to have, given my love for long sleeved shirts. That, and my fiancé constantly asking me to wear more patterns.

Although the savings were only ~S$0.80, I still got it anyway because I was buying a bunch of other stuff on Taobao, and everything had to be consolidated for shipping anyways. Still a win for me. 😎

How Long Did Shipping Take & How Much Did I Pay For Shipping?

It took a total of 11 days – much quicker than I expected! From the day I placed my Muji Taobao order to day I received the parcels on my doorstep, it’s honestly pretty impressive given that I had to wait for my items to:

• Be shipped from Muji Taobao’s store to Taobao’s international shipping warehouse
• Get repackaged (only applicable to consolidated shipping)
• Get processed while I paid for my shipping
• Get dispatched
• Actually fly from China to Singapore
• Be handed over to SingPost for Singapore delivery

If we’re counting the time my parcels took to arrive after I paid for shipping at Taobao’s international shipping warehouse, it’s only 5 days.

I’d definitely recommend using consolidated air shipping for your next Taobao shopping spree. It allows me to receive orders from different Taobao stores at the same time. This is a lifesaver since I don’t want to have my dog barking at the delivery man every day, while my parcels from different Taobao stores slowly trickle in.

Using consolidated shipping means I only paid ¥39 (S$7.78) and Taobao’s 3% card fee for shipping, which rounds out to only S$8.01. Okay I gotta admit, I was boo boo the fool because I paid in Singapore Dollars (SGD) for the shipping through my Taobao app. I should’ve paid in Chinese Yuan (CNY) instead through Taobao’s desktop with my YouTrip card to save a little bit more. In my defence, I was too excited when Taobao notified me that my Muji items have arrived at the warehouse…

Fortunately, the sum is considered small so I didn’t lose more than a few cents, I think!

The Big Reveal: Arrival of Muji Taobao Parcels

If you’re not too familiar with shipping from Taobao, the packaging doesn’t usually arrive in pristine condition. Just take a look at the box on the right, which contains my Muji Aroma Diffuser. In fact, my mildly dented cardboard box is considered pretty great for Taobao’s international shipping standards.

In the plastic packaging is what I fondly refer to as my “Where’s Waldo” shirt, on account of the horizontal stripes and long sleeves. Since it’s just wrapped in plastic, the condition of the packaging on my shirt was fine.

See? I told you that the dented box didn’t damage the aroma diffuser! Taobao merchants know too well to pack their items and these parcels can take a beating.

I honestly let out an excited squeal when I opened it up – I know it’s silly, but it didn’t really sink in that I got actual Muji items until I saw the Muji packaging. Sleek, minimal, and oh so soothing with its brown and white palette.

As far as diffusers go, it’s very compact. It also comes with a lovely, warm, almost pink light. The only hurdle I faced was needing to use a travel adapter, since this diffuser is meant for use with China’s electrical outlets.

As I’m sure we all know, Muji sizes tend to run just a little small. When I ordered this women’s long sleeve t-shirt, I made sure to order it in an XL size to make sure it was larger on me.

The XL is a perfect fit for me, even though I normally wear an M or L, so keep that in mind when grabbing your Muji clothes. Or simply just try them on in Muji Singapore stores first!

Will I Buy From Muji Taobao Again?

Yes, 100%. I personally would continue shopping for my Muji items on Muji Taobao instead of Muji Singapore. The combination of cheaper items, frequent Taobao platform-wide sales, and a wider selection of items tipped the scale in Muji Taobao’s favour.

So there you have it – my journey of buying Muji products from Muji Taobao! Are you excited to buy Muji products from Taobao too? Let us know in the comments below what’s the first item you’re gonna buy!

When you’re shopping on Taobao, remember to check out in CNY on Taobao desktop with your YouTrip card to take advantage of Wholesale Exchange Rates!

If you still haven’t gotten your YouTrip card yet, don’t miss out. Use promo code <TAOBAO5> to sign up and get up to S$5 off your next Taobao purchase with YouTrip!

^{*All currency conversion rates are accurate to nearest 10 cents on 04 June 2020 SGT 20:00.} 

Read: 5 Popular American Beauty Brands That You Can Buy Directly

Read: Insta-Worthy Bedroom: 10 Aesthetic Room Ideas & Decor

Read: Suan La Fen Mala Instant Noodles: Am I Overpaying?

Read: Muji-Style Furniture That Doesn’t Cost a Bomb

Read: iHerb Hack: How to Pay Less Without Promo Codes

Enjoy overseas payment with no fees worldwide!