Decoding the Taobao size maze for your first pick
Taobao size labels drift between stores and 1688 speaks in factory codes. The height-weight notes buyers left are worth more than any tag. Measure, then read those notes before you cart.
Updated 2026-10-17
The label is a suggestion
One store's M is another's L. The printed size is a suggestion, not a standard. The row where a buyer writes 'I'm 170/65, took L, perfect' is the only real sizing data you have.
Stack two or three of those notes and the right size stops being a gamble. Ignore them and you are guessing against a label that means nothing.
1688 factory codes vs retail
1688 listings size by chest/cm or a factory number that maps loosely to retail. Convert with the seller's own chart, not a generic search. The factory cut to its chart, so that chart is law.
When a listing gives both a cm and a label, trust the cm. It is the one number that does not lie about where you sit.
Measure flat, not on the body
For tops and trousers, lay the item flat and measure across, then compare to the seller's flat numbers — not the size you grab in a Western store. Asian cuts run narrower through shoulder and thigh.
Write the numbers down. The size you 'usually wear' is memory; the tape is fact. The notes column exists so you do not have to remember.
No swap across the border
An agent haul ships from China. There is no 'send it back, swap a size'. Wrong means a second order or a closet orphan. The height-weight notes matter more than the tag.
That is why those notes are gold. Someone already wore your size; read them like the only review that counts for fit.
FAQ
Do I trust the Taobao size label?
No. It drifts between stores. Trust the height-weight notes buyers left and the cm on the listing. Size to those, not the letter.
1688 size to retail — how?
Use the seller's own chart, not a generic one. Factories cut to their chart, so a 'L' here may be a different L there. Foot length in cm is the only number that travels.
No size info on the row?
Slow down. Read reviews for fit before ordering. A wrong size on a Taobao find means a second order — there is no swap across the border.