OurCosyVale
our journey to create a cosy home | 5 rm BTO | 113sqm | Minimalist Japandi
Big Risk, Big Buy: Our taobao win or fail?
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In this post: we are going to showcase some of our Taobao bigger purchases and share whether it’s a yay or nay for us! 
Our biggest (and riskiest) Taobao buy was the curtains and tracks — estimated $600 w shipping and $150–$200 for installation from a SG handyman. Still a definite BUY for us thanks to the savings and the amazing quality. Customization was easy: we sent window photos and measurements, and the seller handled the rest — even sending free samples beforehand. 
Sofa – definitely a BUY! It fits perfectly with our minimalist Japandi theme. After visiting countless furniture stores in SG and JB without luck, we measured our ideal dimensions (length, depth, backrest height, etc.) and searched Taobao based on those. We realized a high backrest and at least 50cm depth were key for us — and this one ticked all the boxes. Super happy with it! Cost: $550 before shipping. 
Dining table and chairs – BUY! Super cute and perfectly matches our Japandi aesthetic. The sintered stone surface of the table is a must for us — easy to clean and resistant to stains. Dining table: $430 before shipping 4x chairs: $150 before shipping 
Bathroom vanity and sink – BUY! The common bathroom vanity looks super aesthetic and has a hotel-like feel with its sintered stone surface — couldn’t find anything similar in SG. MBR top-mount sink was a steal compared to $400 options here. Common vanity cabinet: $260 before shipping Master bathroom top mount sink: $50 before shipping 
Retractable insect mesh – our only major aTaobao FAIL so far. Seller claimed it was easy to install with adhesives, but the mesh kept falling off — major stress. We ended up hiring a handyman to drill it in, which compromised the mechanism’s smoothness. For the living room, we realized too late that the frames were too thick for our windows. Despite sending window photos, the seller didn’t flag this. We had to scrap those completely — a waste ): Total damage: $360 before shipping Wasted cost (not installed): ~$200 
Overall, Taobao has saved us money and offered great style options. Most buys were hits, thanks to good measurements and clear communication. We had one major miss with the insect mesh, but it’s a learning point. Would we shop on Taobao again? Absolutely — just with sharper eyes and better prep!
1 August
