Should I shop on Taobao or through ezbuy? We bought the same aroma diffusers through Taobao direct and ezbuy to compare the item prices and shipping costs!
We’ve already explored where you can get Muji-style furniture on Taobao, and also Taobao vs ezbuy vs ezShip when it comes to bulky shipping, but many readers have also asked us: “What about regular-sized items? Should we buy and ship directly from Taobao, or rely on ezbuy?”
Taobao vs ezbuy Guides:
#1: Taobao Furniture Shipping: Taobao vs ezbuy vs ezShip
#2: Taobao Daily Purchases: Taobao vs ezbuy
To find out, we’ve decided to buy two of the same aroma diffusers – one through Taobao direct and the other through ezbuy. Here’s a quick summary of the prices, shipping costs, and duration before we dive into the details:
Diffuser | Shipping | Total | Duration | |
Taobao | S$23.59 | S$7.60 | S$31.19 | 14 days |
ezbuy | S$25.65 | S$4.76 | S$30.41 | 21 days |
Taobao vs ezbuy: Aroma Diffuser Product Price Comparison
Taobao price ezbuy price
Why an aroma diffuser? It’s a product anyone could use. We selected a brand-less one from Taobao, and we copied the link from Taobao and used that link to search for the same item on ezbuy.
Product Price | Remarks | |
Taobao | ¥118.00 (S$23.59) | 3% card waiver |
ezbuy | ¥118.00 (S$25.65) | +8% agent fee |
Now, right off the bat, you’ll notice one key thing: It’s the same item, with both prices in Chinese Yuan exactly the same. But their prices are different.
From our understanding, that’s because ezbuy charges an 8% agent fee – but that should have added up to S$25.47. Perhaps the final ezbuy price of S$25.65 included some difference in foreign currency exchange rates. This fee was later deducted during shipping payment because ezbuy was running a shipping promotion. More details below!
By the way, during the time of purchase, Taobao also had a 3% card waiver – a frequent waiver voucher that waives the card processing fee and you should always keep a lookout for it on Taobao’s home screen!
Taobao vs ezbuy: Aroma Diffuser Shipping Cost Comparison
Taobao shipping ezbuy shipping
Both Taobao and ezbuy will require you to pay for shipping after the items have arrived at the warehouse. Instead of charging a flat rate for shipping, you’ll be charged according to shipping method (air or sea) and weight. You can check out ezbuy’s shipping rates here, and refer to our How To Ship From Taobao guide.
Shipping | Duration | Remarks | |
Taobao | S$7.60 | 14 days | – |
ezbuy | S$4.76 | 21 days | After agent fee and 20% promo, S$7.15 before discount |
Why Was ezbuy’s Shipping Cheaper?
Remember the agent fee? I was wondering why ezbuy’s shipping was so affordable. Then, I realised that ezbuy had waived the agent fee of S$2.15, and added a 20% off the shipping fee which deducted S$0.24. This was because ezbuy was running a promotion that waived agent fees and also a 20% discount on shipping.
(FYI: without the discounts, the total shipping fee would have been S$7.15 – which was S$0.45 cheaper than Taobao’s shipping fee)
Which Platform Should I Use to Do My Everyday Taobao Shopping?
Of course, this all comes down to personal preference. Whichever you choose, there are positives to both!
For the cheapest shipping: ezbuy seems to run regular shipping discounts. With a waived agent fee and a further 20% off sea shipping, ezbuy is a good option if you can catch their sale and you don’t mind waiting for a slightly longer shipping time.
For the fastest shipping: If you want your items as soon as possible, stick to Taobao’s consolidated shipping. Taobao shipping only took 14 days, while ezbuy shipping took 21 days. Again, make sure to look out for that 3% card fee waiver!
For big ticket items: When shopping online, you’ll still need to pay 7% GST if your shipment exceeds S$400. However, ezbuy charges 7% GST even if your item costs less than S$400. Go with Taobao if you’re considering expensive products.
What If I Don’t Know How To Use Taobao?
If you’re sweating bullets at the idea of having to read all that Mandarin, you’re not alone. We’ve put together a list of step-by-step guides on how to use Taobao with English translations!
Part 1: How to Buy From Taobao
Part 2: How to Navigate Taobao Keywords
Part 3: How to Ship From Taobao
Part 4: How to Refund on Taobao
Part 5: How to Reverse Image Search on Taobao
Part 6: How to Checkout Taobao in CNY with YouTrip
Part 7: How to CBM Bulky Ship From Taobao
Part 8: How to Earn Cashback From ShopBack Taobao
Taobao is Thrilling & Rewarding…
How do you like our new aroma diffuser? I’ve placed the extra one in office for everyone to enjoy it. Seriously, you don’t have to pay exorbitant prices for an aroma diffuser – this one is as good as Muji’s, if not sturdier. But if you really do want to grab the one from Muji, get it from Muji’s official Taobao store instead, it’s much cheaper!
Are there any other price comparisons you’d like to see? Let us know what to buy next in the comments below! Plus, remember to checkout in Chinese Yuan (CNY) with your YouTrip card on Taobao to enjoy YouTrip’s Wholesale Exchange Rates!
If you still haven’t gotten your free YouTrip card yet, use promo code <TAOBAO5> to sign up and receive a free S$5 in your account. 😎
For more great tips and guides like this, join our Telegram (@YouTripSG) and subscribe to our free weekly newsletter here or down below!
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