How to buy from China, honestly explained
No hype, no sales pressure. These guides cover the real process, the real costs, and the real risks of buying Chinese products from abroad — so you can decide with your eyes open.
Start hereHow to Buy from Taobao in 2026
The complete guide for international buyers: five methods compared, a step-by-step proxy-buying walkthrough, real cost breakdowns, and how to avoid counterfeit and customs traps.
NewAuthentic Chinese Tea Ware: a buyer's guide
Yixing clay teapots, gaiwan and Jingdezhen porcelain — how to tell real zisha from machine-made fakes, fair 2026 prices, red flags, and shipping fragile ware safely.
NewBracelets & Collectibles (文玩): a buyer's guide
Red sandalwood zitan vs dyed wood, agarwood fakes, bodhi seed beads, walnut pairs and seals — five field tests, honest prices, and the red flags to walk away from.
NewJingdezhen Porcelain: a buyer's guide
How to tell hand-painted blue-and-white from printed decals, eggshell ware from lookalikes, fair 2026 prices for studio and artisan pieces, and shipping fragile porcelain safely.
NewCustoms Duties & Shipping from China: what you actually pay
Thresholds for US, EU, UK, Canada and Australia, who pays duty and VAT, shipping methods compared, and the questions to ask before you order.
NewChinese-Style Home Decor: oriental aesthetics for modern interiors
Statement pieces that actually work in modern rooms, the palette that reads instantly, quality checks for lacquer and wood, and fair 2026 prices.
NewChina-Made Value Buys: what's actually worth importing
The categories where the price gap is biggest (ceramics, appliances, textiles), how to find genuine quality on Taobao and 1688, and when importing isn't worth it.
NewChinese Cultural Creative Gifts (文创): a buyer's guide
Door-god canvas bags, Song brocade sachets, lacquer phone cases, zodiac figurines and museum collabs — real craft vs souvenirs, fair prices, and what to gift whom.