What users can expect from Taobao’s newly launched English app interface in Malaysia

Malaysia is now one of the first countries to get access to Taobao in English. 

This much-anticipated English interface of the popular ecommerce platform is part of a major update. Before this, consumers could only use the Taobao app in Mandarin, which secluded it from a large demographic due to the language barrier. 

During the launch at 1 Utama Shopping Mall earlier today, Taobao shared that the English translations are done automatically using artificial intelligence (AI). 

At the moment, this English interface is still in beta and only available on the app, but it’s already offering a pretty good user experience. Item descriptions are well-detailed and there’s even an estimated price conversion in Malaysian Ringgit (RM). 

Payment methods available include credit and debit cards, bank instalments, online banking, and e-wallets like Touch ‘n Go eWallet and Apple Pay.

Taobao mentioned that their logistics network, which is supported by Cainiao, ensures timely deliveries and offers order tracking options to keep customers informed about their order status.

The ecommerce giant from China will also be providing customer support in both English and Chinese. This English beta interface will continuously be refined based on feedback to meet the evolving need of users.

Together, they make Taobao more accessible to users in Malaysia, where English is one of the top languages spoken here. In fact, the 2023 Education First English Proficiency Index (EF EPI) ranked Malaysia 25th in terms of global English proficiency. The same index ranked Malaysia third in Asia. 

Jess Lew, country manager for Tmall Taobao World, shared at the launch that this new interface is developed in response to the increasing customer demand for an English language option.

“With the launch of the Taobao beta English interface, we are thrilled to provide a platform that caters to the diverse needs of our Malaysian customers.”

In an interview with Malay Mail, Lew disclosed that this beta English interface has actually been in development for the past six years. For context, Taobao entered the Malaysian market back in 2018.

The only other country that currently has Taobao’s new English interface is Singapore. 

To celebrate this launch, Taobao is offering several vouchers for new users such as a platform-wide shopping voucher worth RMB20 (about RM12.19 at the time of writing) and free returns within 15 days (for first-time returns). 

The app is available for download on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.