A link is the bridge between the spreadsheet and your order. Understanding how usfans Product Links work — what they look like for each marketplace, how mobile share codes differ from real URLs, and what to do when a link stops working — saves time and prevents ordering the wrong thing. This guide covers usfans Links from Taobao, Weidian, 1688 and Pinduoduo, and how to work through usfans Sheets efficiently.
For the complete ordering process, start with the usfans Spreadsheet buying guide.
What a product link contains
Every marketplace identifies a product with a unique number — the item ID. The rest of the URL is mostly decoration: tracking codes, campaign tags and app parameters. When the agent reads a link, the item ID is what matters. Recognising it helps you spot duplicates in the sheet and repair broken links.
| Marketplace | Typical link pattern | Where the ID sits |
|---|---|---|
| Taobao | item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=… | The number after id= |
| Tmall | detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=… | The number after id= |
| Weidian | weidian.com/item.html?itemID=… | The number after itemID= |
| 1688 | detail.1688.com/offer/….html | The number before .html |
| Pinduoduo | mobile.yangkeduo.com/goods.html?goods_id=… | The number after goods_id= |
Tmall is Alibaba’s brand-store platform, closely linked to Taobao. Agents treat Tmall links the same way as Taobao links.
Mobile share codes versus real links
If you copy a product from a marketplace app on your phone, you often get a block of Chinese text with a code or short link inside, rather than a clean URL. Taobao in particular shares products as a password-style code. Some agents can read these, but the most reliable approach is to open the shared item in a browser and copy the full address, or to use the link directly from the spreadsheet row.
Short links — compact URLs that redirect to the real product — usually work, but they can expire. If a short link fails, open it in a browser, let it redirect, and copy the final address.
Using usfans Sheets efficiently
Shortlist before you click
Read the row first: platform, price, weight, size notes. Only open links for products that pass that first look. Opening dozens of links to browse wastes time, because individual listings have no useful navigation.
Use the category pages
The sheet is split into eight categories. Comparing within one category — hoodies against hoodies — is far more useful than scrolling a mixed list.
Keep your own list
Copy the rows you are considering into a note with the platform, price, weight and link. After ten or fifteen entries, patterns appear: the same item from two sellers, or one shop that keeps showing up in your favourites.
Spotting duplicates
The same product often appears more than once, sometimes from different platforms. Compare item IDs: an identical ID means an identical listing. Different IDs with identical photos mean different sellers, which may differ in quality, stock or shipping time. In that case compare shop history and real photos rather than price alone. Our platform comparison explains how each marketplace’s sellers differ.
When a link stops working
- “Item not found”. The listing has been removed. Check the sheet for an alternative in the same category.
- Price changed. Sales and promotions move prices. Trust the live price in the agent.
- Size or colour missing. That SKU is sold out. Choose another variant only if the measurements still suit you.
- Different product appears. Some sellers reuse listings for new products. If the photos no longer match the row, do not order.
Pasting links into usfans
- Copy the full product link from the sheet.
- Paste it into the usfans search or link box.
- Wait for the listing to load with translated details.
- Select colour, size and quantity.
- Add a remark for special requests, such as measuring the garment.
- Add to cart, or order immediately.
Links from all four marketplaces follow the same steps, so you do not need separate accounts on Taobao, 1688, Weidian or Pinduoduo.
Links and sizing
A link brings you to a listing, but it does not tell you whether the product will fit. Size charts on Chinese marketplaces use centimetres and often run small. Before ordering clothing or shoes from any link, read the size guide and compare the listed measurements with something you already own.
Saving links for later
Good products sell out and listings change, so it pays to save links you are interested in. Keep the full URL, the date you saved it, the variant you wanted and the price you saw. When you come back, a quick comparison tells you whether the listing is still the same product at the same price. If several of your saved links come from one shop, consider ordering them together to share domestic shipping.
Sharing links with friends
If you are building a group order, share the full product link rather than a screenshot. Screenshots lose the item ID and make it easy to order the wrong variant. Include the colour and size you chose so everyone ends up with exactly what they expect.
Summary
Product links are simple once you know their structure. Look for the item ID, prefer full URLs over app share codes, shortlist before clicking, and always confirm the variant before paying. Treat the spreadsheet as the map and the live listing as the final word, and your usfans Links will lead to the right product every time. Next, learn to judge what arrives in the finds and QC guide.