eShopping

Ok, don't laugh but I have acquired a reputation among some of my friends in Shanghai for being "Taobao Queen".

I wouldn't say that I am really one, it's just that most of my mates are just too busy to sit down and figure out how this amazing eCommerce site works. Not to mention the fact that everything is IN Chinese.

Remember how your Chinese teacher told you to not talk in class and to pay attention? Well, apparently this is WHY we learn Chinese. To Shop.

Or maybe it is just me.

For those who do not know, Taobao is the Chinese equivalent of eBay. Except that its so much more 'cos there is a limit to what you can find in eBay e.g. counterfeits. I've been able to find most things that I can think of from Taobao. Both real AND fakes. The trick is getting the right search term to track the item down. In the right language, of course.

You browse, click and viola! it turns up on your doorstep a few days later. My mates laugh and say its just easier to send me the link and I pass the final goods to them, they say its a much more hassle-free process. Seeessshhhhh.

And since I work full time and try to be a Mom to R as much as I can, that leaves me not much time and opportunity to hit the shops. (You can hear Mr B's sigh of relief in the background, can't you?). I lunch at my desk most work days so that I can leave on the dot to be home for that 1 hour before Miss R hits the sack. So how do I know what's the latest in the shops? You got it. Online research!

Online shopping is actually a habit I acquired during my investment banking days. When I was in the office all day, as in literally, ALL day, EVERYDAY. Glued to my chair and often so stressed out, I used to just go to online shops to check out latest fashions, reviews, haunt sales items etc. Naturally, I became really good at multi-tasking...and eShopping.

So for the un-initiated, here is a Taobao Field Guide in English.

Don't say that I never share my widgets of wisdom!