Alibaba Shopping

When to Use

User wants to shop on Alibaba ecosystem platforms including Taobao (淘宝), Tmall (天猫), or 1688. Agent helps with product authenticity verification, price optimization, wholesale vs retail decisions, and leveraging the right platform for their needs.

What makes this skill useful:

• It works as the Alibaba ecosystem router, not just a product search helper.
• It helps users decide between trust-first, variety-first, and wholesale-first paths.
• It is strongest when the user does not yet know whether Taobao, Tmall, or 1688 is the best fit.

Commerce Matrix

This skill is the ecosystem router in the shopping matrix.

Route into nearby skills when the path becomes clear:

• taobao-shopping for Taobao-only listing and seller evaluation
• tianmao for official flagship and authenticity-first buying
• taobao-competitor-analyzer for Taobao vs JD/PDD/Vipshop comparison

Quick Reference

Browser Workflow Upgrade

When the task requires live page inspection, follow the shared browser-commerce-base workflow:

• public search/detail pages → openclaw
• logged-in carts, coupons, orders → user only when needed
• re-snapshot after region switch, coupon reveal, or SKU changes
• capture store type and seller rating as first-class evidence

Supported Operations (v2.0)

Important: All checkout operations stop before payment. User retains full control over final purchase decision and payment execution.

Key browser extraction order on Alibaba platforms:

• 商品标题
• 原价 / 现价 / 券后价
• 店铺类型（天猫 / 淘宝 / 1688工厂店）
• 店铺评分 / 信用等级
• 销量 / 月销
• 优惠券 / 满减 / 补贴
• 规格切换后的价格刷新
• 用户评价 / 好评率 / 晒单图片
• 物流运费 / 发货地

Core Rules

1. Platform Selection Guide

Understanding which Alibaba platform fits the user's need:

Priority Order: Tmall for trust → Taobao for variety → 1688 for bulk

Decision shortcut:

• choose Tmall when authenticity, official stores, and after-sales matter most
• choose Taobao when variety and flexible pricing matter most
• choose 1688 when bulk price and factory sourcing matter most

2. Store Types Decoded

Understanding store badges for safe shopping:

识别技巧:

• Look for "天猫" badge on Tmall
• Check "金牌卖家" / "企业认证" on Taobao
• Verify "实力商家" / "源头工厂" on 1688

3. Price Optimization

Understanding Pricing Tiers:

Best Deal Formula:

Final Price = 现价 - 店铺券 - 平台券 - 满减 - 淘金币/集分宝

Timing for Best Prices:

• 618 (June 1-18) - Mid-year mega sale
• 双11 (Nov 11) - Singles Day
• 双12 (Dec 12) - Year-end clearance
• 38女王节 (Mar 8) - Women's products
• 99划算节 (Sep 9) - Autumn sale

4. Authenticity Verification

Red Flags to Watch:

• Price significantly below market (50%+ off)
• No sales history or reviews
• New seller with few transactions
• Stock photos only, no real product images
• Vague or copied product descriptions

Green Flags to Trust:

• 天猫旗舰店 for brand items
• High seller rating (4.8+)
• Detailed, unique product photos
• Recent positive reviews with photos
• Responsive customer service

5. Logistics Considerations

6. Smart Shopping Workflow (Agent-Assisted v2.0)

Phase 1: Discovery (Agent-Assisted)

1. Search - Agent searches target platform for product
2. Filter & Sort - Apply filters (price range, rating, sales volume)
3. Compare - Agent compares top 3-5 options across platforms
4. Reviews - Agent reads user reviews, extracts common pros/cons
5. Price Analysis - Agent checks current price, promotions, coupon stackability

Phase 2: Selection (Agent-Assisted)

1. Product Detail - Agent opens selected product page
2. Variant Selection - Confirm color, size, configuration
3. Seller Verification - Confirm store type and rating
4. Final Price Check - Calculate 券后价 after all discounts

Phase 3: Cart & Pre-Order (Agent-Assisted with Login)

1. Add to Cart - Agent adds item to cart (requires login)
2. Cart Review - Agent shows cart contents, quantities, subtotal
3. Coupon Application - Agent checks and applies best coupons
4. Address Selection - Agent confirms delivery address
5. Shipping Options - Agent shows available delivery methods
6. Order Summary - Agent generates complete order preview

Phase 4: Checkout (User-Controlled)

1. Handoff - Agent presents final order details
2. User Review - User confirms all details are correct
3. Payment - ⚠️ User completes payment manually
4. Confirmation - User shares order confirmation with agent if desired

Agent Boundary: Stops at Phase 3. Never executes payment or final order submission.

Legacy Workflow (for reference)

Before Purchase:

1. Choose right platform (Tmall/Taobao/1688)
2. Verify seller credentials
3. Compare prices across sellers
4. Apply all available coupons
5. Read photo reviews
6. Verify specifications

During Purchase:

1. Select correct variant (color/size)
2. Choose delivery address
3. Apply payment discounts
4. Confirm shipping cost

After Purchase:

1. Track delivery progress
2. Inspect immediately on arrival
3. Test electronics within return window
4. Leave honest review

7. Returns & Protection

Return Policy by Platform:

Buyer Protection:

• 支付宝担保交易 (Escrow via Alipay)
• 7天无理由退货 (7-day no-reason return)
• 假一赔三 (Fake goods compensation on Tmall)

Agent Execution Guide

When User Says "帮我买..."

Follow this escalation path:

User: "帮我买 iPhone 16"
  ↓
Step 1: Confirm Intent
  "我来帮你搜索 iPhone 16，对比选项，加入购物车。
   最后需要你确认订单并完成支付。可以吗？"
  ↓
Step 2: Discovery Phase (No login required)
  - Search Taobao/Tmall for "iPhone 16"
  - Filter: 天猫/企业店铺, sort by sales/rating
  - Compare top 3 options
  - Read reviews for each
  - Present comparison table
  ↓
Step 3: Selection Phase (No login required)
  - User picks one option
  - Agent opens product page
  - Confirm variant/specs
  - Show final price
  ↓
Step 4: Cart Phase (⚠️ Requires login)
  "接下来需要登录你的淘宝/天猫账号才能加入购物车，
   请确认是否继续？"
  - If yes: proceed with browser automation
  - If no: provide manual instructions
  ↓
Step 5: Order Generation (Requires login)
  - Add to cart
  - Apply coupons
  - Select address
  - Calculate final price
  - Generate order preview
  ↓
Step 6: Handoff (User-controlled)
  "订单已准备好，请检查：
   [订单详情摘要]
   
   👉 请手动完成支付：
   1. 打开淘宝/天猫 App
   2. 进入购物车
   3. 点击结算
   4. 确认地址和优惠券
   5. 提交订单并支付"

Browser Automation Rules

Always announce before action:

• "正在搜索..."
• "正在打开商品页面..."
• "正在读取用户评价..."
• "正在加入购物车..."

Snapshot key information:

• Product title, price, promotions
• Store type badge
• Rating and review count
• Available variants
• Coupon information
• Delivery estimate

Stop conditions:

• Before any payment screen
• When CAPTCHA appears (hand to user)
• When login is required (ask first)
• When price differs significantly from expected

Login Handling

Option A: User already logged in (Chrome profile)

openclaw browser navigates to Taobao/Tmall
If user profile has active session → proceed
If session expired → prompt user to login manually first

Option B: User provides login via secure method

⚠️ Never ask for password in chat
Guide user to login in their browser first
Then agent takes over with active session

Option C: Manual mode (no login)

Agent provides:
- Exact search keywords
- Product links
- Coupon codes to apply
- Step-by-step manual instructions
User executes manually

Common Traps

• Assuming Taobao = always cheap → Check authenticity first
• Ignoring 1688 MOQ → Minimum order quantity applies
• Not verifying store type → 天猫 vs 淘宝 makes a difference
• Missing coupon stacking → Multiple discounts available
• Buying from new sellers → Higher risk, less protection
• Forgetting shipping costs on 1688 → Buyer usually pays
• Rushing electronics activation → Test first, activate later
• Agent overstepping → Never complete payment for user

Platform Comparison

When to Choose Each:

• Tmall: Brand items, authenticity matters, electronics
• Taobao: Unique items, small sellers, bargains
• 1688: Bulk buying, reselling, factory direct

Related Skills

Install with clawhub install <slug> if user confirms:

• jingdong - JD.com shopping
• vip - VIP flash sales
• pinduoduo - PDD marketplace
• xiaohongshu - Social commerce

Feedback

• If useful: clawhub star alibaba-shopping
• Stay updated: clawhub sync

Quality Bar

Do:

• Focus on platform-appropriate recommendations
• Explain trade-offs clearly (price vs trust vs MOQ)
• Stay honest about not doing payment operations
• Verify seller credentials before recommending
• Capture real pricing including coupons and shipping
• Announce actions before performing them
• Stop at payment boundary

Do Not:

• Pretend to log in or access user accounts
• Claim to retrieve orders, coupons, or account data
• Store cookies or user credentials
• Present heuristics as guaranteed outcomes
• Complete payment or final order submission
• Recommend 1688 for single-item retail purchases
• Ignore shipping costs and MOQ on wholesale platforms