Usually foreigners has 4 main issues shopping on Chinese online websites such as taobao, 1688, Aliexpress although there are huge cheap products listed there. Language issues, payment method, online shopping knowledges, shipping issues each part cause the failure shopping experience.

A very good way is to find an agent to learn from them about all the steps shopping on 1688 or find websites has 1688 shopping tutorials to learn at the beginning, then you can start to buy yourself after a few times later. That's absolutely correct strategy shopping on Taobao and 1688.