Crimson Reflections

Because sometimes the world is too complex for black and white
Lolita Fashion History

Review : Taobaoring – Neutral

I recently ordered two dresses, four blouses, some hair clips, and a bunch of shoes through taobaoring, and while I will be reviewing the items by shop later, I’d like to start with reviewing the shopping service as a whole. Please note that links in correspondences have been edited into linked words instead of the link typed out as text because the links are too long to fit neatly on my blog pages.

I created my account October 21st, 2012, and began to finalize my order. They have a shopping cart system where you can put items into your “cart” while you are figuring out what you want, which is nice. Once I’d added my items to the cart, they checked on things being available, and they commented. Here is where it started to get messy. Each item, under my comments, they replied, often with questions. I could not add a comment/answer there. In fact, the only place I could add a comment was in a bottom comment box. The comments I placed there were not ever answered.

On October 24th, 2012, they sent me my first invoice, and I paid the same day.

Here is a quick summery of my order:

Picture Description Price Qty. Delivery fee Total price Available Arrived
T18CVVXbtdXXa1v8IY_030413.jpg_310x310 别致蝴蝶结8007-淘宝网 16 ¥ 2 0 ¥ 32 ¥ yes yes
Remark Can they make a pair of red bows with pink hearts in the middle?

Reply yes, they can. It takes 7-10days for the seller to make the items.
T2VOaWXc4aXXXXXXXX_!!11942814 [Infanta.婴梵塔]LOLITA*权利与王座*军装风JSK 烫金四色入-淘宝网 448 ¥ 1 12 ¥ 448 ¥ yes yes
Remark Color: Red x Gold, Size: XL
T2mm8GXihNXXXXXXXX_!!87209185 表面咒语gothic Lolita定制店*审判日*哥特原创绣花女王长裙OP-淘宝网 525 ¥ 1 12 ¥ 525 ¥ yes yes
Remark Color: Navy Blue, Size: Custom Size (my bust = 95cm, waist = 75cm)

Reply it is XL. 162cm tall and dress is 106cm long.
blouse1 2012秋装新品 3501韩版 修身 职业 衬衣 女 长袖 大码 雪纺衬衫-淘宝网 59 ¥ 1 10 ¥ 59 ¥ yes yes
Remark Size: XXL, Color: Navy Blue
T2agdhXaJXXXXXXXXX_!!87209185 表面咒语gothic Lolita定制店 *蔷薇之冠*羽毛玫瑰发饰-淘宝网 45 ¥ 2 0 ¥ 90 ¥ yes yes
Remark Light Blue, Coffee Brown
T2lIJ4XeNXXXXXXXXX_!!87209185 表面咒语gothic Lolita定制店 三玫瑰发饰-淘宝网 35 ¥ 2 0 ¥ 70 ¥ yes yes
Remark Style: Comb, Color: 1 all Wine Red and 1 all Light Purple
2016-17 欧美英伦复古学院糖果娃娃鞋 甜美海军风蝴蝶结圆头漆皮女单鞋子-淘宝网 49 ¥ 1 0 ¥ 49 ¥ yes yes
Remark Size:39, Color: White
T2Hch2XXxXXXXXXXXX_!!675269713 艾尚臣2012秋装新款韩版OL职业装女装新品时尚上衣翻领衬衫长袖-tmall.com天猫 82.6 ¥ 1 0 ¥ 82.6 ¥ yes yes
Remark Size: XXL, Color: Red
T2sgdFXjNaXXXXXXXX_!!675269713 艾尚臣现货2012秋装新款韩版黑白色蝴蝶结雪纺衬衫女长袖OL热销-tmall.com天猫 88 ¥ 2 10 ¥ 176 ¥ yes yes
Remark Size: XXL Color: 1 black & 1 White
honey-shoes 甜美海军风学院风小清新雕花镂空小单鞋娃娃鞋小皮鞋T字丁字鞋T型-淘宝网 66.24 ¥ 1 0 ¥ 66.24 ¥ no after paid no
Remark Size:39, Color: Navy Blue
pink-shoes 2012新款甜美低跟鞋单鞋韩版蝴蝶结圆头女鞋大尺码四季鞋子[S056]-淘宝网 55 ¥ 1 0 ¥ 55 ¥ yes yes
Remark Size:40, Color: Pink
20120530222249664_750x750 包邮大码鞋 40 41 42 43 小码 31 32 33 低跟坡跟单鞋 YH-淘宝网 59 ¥ 1 0 ¥ 59 ¥ yes yes
Remark Size:40, Color: Orange
bows1 an*tai*na*流行LOLITA风格多用活动蝴蝶结多色-淘宝网 12 ¥ 2 0 ¥ 24 ¥ no no
Remark Can they make a pair of these in royal blue (not light blue)?
T2.CV2XdJXXXXXXXXX_!!48415403 an*tai*na*日本新款丝带靴 8011多色-淘宝网 288 ¥ 1 18 ¥ 288 ¥ yes yes
Remark Color: Black, Size: Japanese Size 25

Reply can you tell me your foot length?size 40 ,IS IT OK?
T2ECF2XoRXXXXXXXXX_!!48415403 an*tai*na*LOLITA甜美公主必备9988A-淘宝网 178 ¥ 1 0 ¥ 178 ¥ yes yes
Remark Color: Can they make these in Navy Blue?, Size: Japanese size 25

Reply can you tell me your foot length?size 40 ,IS IT OK? they can make navy blue like this color: http://img03.taobaocdn.com/bao/uploaded/i3/48415403/T2GINDXXlOXXXXXXXX_!!48415403.jpg_310x310.jpg

So, once I got those comments back, I wrote in their little message for taobaoring thing at the bottom of the order page

“Yes, size 40 is ok. I’m sorry, last time I bought from an*tai*na, the shoes were
listed in Japanese Sizes by the shopping service.

Does an*tai*na make any of their shoe clip bows in royal blue? I wasn’t sure which
ones can be made in custom colors and which couldn’t. I don’t really care which
style/shape clip on bow it is, I just was looking for a pair that is royal blue.”

Which, as far as I can tell was totally ignored.

on 10/25/2012 I got this email:

“Thanks for your payment for order TBR00412C00C6482 and we have paid to all
sellers.
For this dress Could you please tell us your height in cm? Also please tell
the dress length you want, from shoulder to the dress bottom. T
he seller wants to
know it to make the dress more perfect.”

and I replied 10/26/2012 with:

“I am 162cm tall.

For the dress length, maybe 106cm? I measured a dress I like the length of and
that is how long it was.”

and they replied:

“Thanks for the reply and we will inform the seller soon. :)”

later that day they emailed me:

“This seller called us and told only black 39 is available for the shoes, do you want to
change to black color or cancel it?

and I replied (same day)

“For this item Changing to black is ok, yes.”

the replied the next day with

“OK, then we will ask the seller to deliver black color.”

on 10/27/2012, after having not gotten a reply to my message in the message box still, I sent an email reply stating:

“I am not sure where to put the answer, but on the order form for
http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=12439781435, someone wrote
“size 40 ,IS IT OK? they can make navy blue like this color

And I just wanted to make sure I let you know that, yes, Size 40 is ok, and
Yes that color is ok.”

and they sent back

“Thanks for your email. :)”

Some time ticks by… and finally, November 15th, 2012, I get an email stating:

For order TBR00412C00C6482, this seller called us just now, [item link] they have
waited for many
days, but still can not get the stock from factory, so she has
refunded
us the payment, and we will refund you 66.24 + 5.30 = 71.54 CNY.

December 6th 2012, I get an email saying my items have arrived:

Good news! Your items have arrived at our office safely. We have checked them carefully, and attached are photos for your convenient view. Once the second payment is done, we will ship them and you can track your parcel in your taobaoring account.

Order ID: TBR00412C00C6482
Shipping method: EMS
Weight: 5400 g
Total shipping fee: 544.5 ¥ / 88.21 $ (Standard EMS fee: 990 ¥ / 160.38 $)

for this one: http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=14788959617 refund 66.24 + 5.30 = 71.54 CNY;

Total refund is 71.54 CNY, so you should paid: 544.5 – 71.54 = 472.96 CNY / 76.62 USD.

Please login at TaobaoRing.com and check your shopping cart to make the second payment.

You have made such a great choice, for your items looks so wonderful. Congratulations and thanks for shopping with us again!

So I check the photos and immediately notice a problem.TBR00412C00C6482-2 TBR00412C00C6482

Do you see it? I’ll give you a hint. Those sax shoes should be navy. So I wrote to them…

I’m very sorry, and I don’t mean to be troublesome, but in the picture you have of my order (http://www.taobaoring.com/photo/201210/TBR00412C00C6482.JPG) there is a pair of shoes at the bottom that are light blue (sax).

But on my order it says:

an*tai*na*LOLITA甜美公主必备9988A-淘宝网 178 ¥ 1 0 ¥ 178 ¥ yes yes
Remark Color: Can they make these in Navy Blue?, Size: Japanese size 25

Reply can you tell me your foot length?size 40 ,IS IT OK? they can make navy blue like this color: http://img03.taobaocdn.com/bao/uploaded/i3/48415403/T2GINDXXlOXXXXXXXX_!!48415403.jpg_310x310.jpg

The sample image that is in the reply shows a pair of dark blue (navy) shoes, which is what I wanted, but the shoes in the picture of my order are light blue instead? Did I do something wrong?

and they wrote back:

I checked your items again, it seems you are right, the shoes is light blue not you wanted(dark blue),
We’ll contact the seller this morning, if I get any news I’ll let you know 🙂

and then again, on December 11th 2012:

Sorry for the late reply. For the shoes, we have negotiated with the seller, and they checked their records and found that they made the wrong color. They are very sorry and asked if you can accept the light blue color. If you want to change to navy blue, they can make another navy blue pair for you, but it will take about 5-6days for them to make it. Can you wait?


Please let us know if you will accept the light blue one or change for navy blue color?

and at this point, I’m worrying that I’m going to get charged to get them in the right color, so I’m being extra-super-polite:

Thank you so much for your help. ^_^ I can wait for dark blue, I am not in a rush. Please change for Navy Blue Color.

 

I am sorry to be so difficult. But, I already have 2 pairs of light blue shoes at home. They don’t match my dark blue dresses, so I can not accept light blue. I am sorry. 🙁

They responded with:

Please don’t say sorry, we understand your mood, so we have sent shoes back to the seller and wait him to exchange. have a nice day 😉

On Christmas Eve, I get this message:

Your shoes arrived at our office, please check the attachment. 😉

DSC06143

I emailed them back:

Those are perfect! Thank you so much!

and then they replied with:

Thanks for your reply. If the shoes is okay, we’ll pack it and email you the weight and shipping price soon. 😉

Times goes by, I don’t hear anything, eventually January 9th, 2013, I email them:

I know it’s been a holiday, and I don’t mean to be troublesome, but I just wanted to make sure that I didn’t miss an email from you? Our last email was on December 24th (see below), and I have not yet gotten an email with the updated shipping weight/price after the shoes were changed.

and they say:

We have packed your items and wait for your second payment a few days ago.
Anyway, we’ll resend the payment email again soon.
Have a nice day 😉

and follow up with:

Good news! Your items have arrived at our office safely. We have checked them carefully, and please login to your order to have a check of the photos. Once the second payment is done, we will ship them and you can track your parcel in your taobaoring account.
Order ID: TBR00412C00C6482
Shipping method: EMS
Weight: 5400 g
Total shipping fee: 544.5 ¥ / 88.21 $ (Standard EMS fee: 990 ¥ / 160.38 $)

for this one: http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=14788959617 refund 66.24 + 5.30 = 71.54 CNY;

so total payment should be 544.5-71.54=472.96 CNY.

Kind reminder: the tracking information will be usually updated by international shipping company within 2-3days after we ship the parcels, so please be patient for it.

Please login at TaobaoRing.com and check your shopping cart to make the second payment.

You have made such a great choice, for your items looks so wonderful. Congratulations and thanks for shopping with us again!

I pay, and my items are shipped out January 11th, 2013, and arrive via EMS January 14th, 2013.

13 - 7When the items got here, most of them were as expected with a couple minor things. One, the black boots are a dark, dull  blue grey color that basically passes for navy, but would only pass for black if you were working in the dark. Especially when you combine it with the jet black ribbon they are laced up with. It’s rather disappointing; I actually wanted some black boots.  That small black thing on the bed is the cap to a sharpie that I found in the box. Thankfully, only the cap was in the box, not the marker, so there wasn’t any damage. I expect they have a dead marker now though…

 

Speaking of this box, it arrived in decent shape:

13 - 26

Inside, there was very little packing. There was a layer of thin bubble wrap and then a thin sheet of foam was wrapped around everything, and then each garment was in a cellophane bag. The shoes were paired and wrapped in very thin disposable cloth bags; the sort of gauze-like stuff that sometimes electronics some wrapped in inside their boxes. The shoe clips were just free in the box, and the flowers were just in plastic and buried under some shoes, so some of them were slightly bent. Beyond my free pen cap, there was also a pair of metalic silver rose hair clips tucked in for free (I assume from surface spell).

13 - 28 13 - 27

13 - 13 13 - 9

Because I had Oked the things, and they had already been sent to me, I didn’t contact them back about the shoes being the wrong color. However, it was rather bothersome, all in all.

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