If you want to buy Tea but don't know much about it, how can you effectively avoid pitfalls?
How can consumers without the ability to discern tea quality buy genuine and good tea? As an experienced industry insider, I hope my insights can be helpful.
The following are some practical tips for buying tea that are applicable to about 90% of ordinary tea enthusiasts. Those who have their own tea circles can exclude themselves, as they usually have their own channels for purchasing tea. If you are just an ordinary consumer, the content below should help you avoid about 80% of common issues.
Northerners are more prone to pitfalls when buying tea.
Starting with the method of purchase, if time permits, buying tea offline is generally the first choice for most tea buyers. However, northerners are more likely to encounter problems when buying tea compared to southerners.
This is partly due to differences in consumption attitudes between the north and south. Southerners sell almost everything by small portions; they might even sell you half a celery stalk. Northerners rarely sell items this way, as it's too much trouble. On the other hand, high-quality teas, especially black, white, and dark teas, are mostly well-known from places like Fujian, Guizhou, Guangxi, and Anhui. There are also teas produced in the north, but few are renowned.
Selling tea in the north inherits the generous and large-scale attitude of northerners, along with the meticulous packaging techniques of southerners. Good tea can easily cost over a thousand yuan. The pricing in this industry has always been like a bottomless pool. Even when buying tea at wholesale markets, it's hard to determine the right price for the tea, as tea fundamentally belongs to the category of agricultural products and doesn't have a fixed price for each variety. Different grades of the same type of tea are available, and tea shares the same consumption attributes as alcohol.
Especially now, online shopping is the mainstream, and there isn't much time for offline shopping. Even when buying offline, people usually choose brands, and those who don't understand still don't understand. After going to a store, one may still not be able to buy tea that fits their budget and needs.
For example, some people buy tea just for personal consumption. Going to a very prestigious store, they might spend tens of thousands on a small bag, or several thousand yuan, which is no big deal. How many ordinary people have such purchasing power? Chinese consumers' demand for product quality is increasing, and they are becoming more discerning about products with low quality or poor value for money.
In fact, with the rise of some affordable consumption brands, the transparency of the tea market has significantly improved. However, many people report that some teas they bought and claimed to be of high quality turned out to be subpar when evaluated by experts. This is because most sellers are not experts but newly trained salespeople. For many who don't know much about tea, having an expert guide them in selecting tea is crucial. However, such platforms or stores are rare.
When buying tea online, you need to learn how to pick the right spots.
The main platforms for online shopping are Taobao Tmall, JD.com, Vipshop, NetEase Kaola, Suning, Gome, Amazon, Dangdang, etc. Here, we recommend platforms like Taobao Tmall, JD.com, Vipshop, and Chajisong App. The reason is that the former are familiar second-tier e-commerce platforms where returns are worry-free. Chajisong is an app that I personally find good. It is an online marketplace for a self-operated brand of tea, and importantly, its customer service staff are tea industry experts with over ten years of experience. This was the primary reason I chose them.
How do you know if they are experts? They will discuss deep knowledge about selecting tea with you. First, they tell you how to select and choose tea. Then, they explain where the best tea comes from in specific regions. Not all teas from the same region have the same price. They also provide videos of the tea factory, making the entire process transparent.
Additionally, this platform is conducting early market promotions, so there are many good discounts, such as free first orders. If you're really worried about buying bad tea, place your first order and see. If it's not good, you can return it. Such single-category e-commerce platforms for self-operated brands generally pay more attention to individual brand value, especially during the early promotion stage. To attract customers, they may even take losses. Another main reason I chose them is that they offer various types of tea suitable for different needs. The packaging bags are particularly festive and look very upscale, making them perfect for gifts. I've bought tea from them a few times, and the selection is quite comprehensive, and the prices are reasonable.
When selecting tea online, you should find platforms that genuinely help you choose tea and compare prices. Additionally, how do you choose tea yourself, and how do you evaluate whether the customer service is professional?
A Few Key Points for Buying Tea
«Safety»
The primary standard for good tea is safety, as it is something consumed, and health is paramount.
«Authenticity»
We all know that tea pays attention to origin, processing methods, and appearance. For example, Tieguanyin should come from Anxi, Dahongpao from Wuyi Mountain, and Rougui from San Pit Liang Jian. If the tea is from its original place of origin, the quality should be generally acceptable. Processing methods and appearance are similarly fundamental requirements for good tea.
«Taste Preference»
If you like Longjing, putting Niulanpin Rougui in front of you won't interest you. Everyone has different tastes in tea, so you should choose tea that suits your preferences.
«Consistency»
The quality of good tea should also be consistent. If the first infusion of tea is delicious, but the second and third infusions have no flavor, it cannot be considered good tea. The taste of good tea after brewing should be relatively stable and progressive. Here are a few tips to remember. While these don't guarantee you'll buy the best tea, you won't end up with terrible tea.
«Price»
The most expensive tea isn't necessarily the best, but how do you buy tea with the highest value for money at a reasonable price? The best approach is to choose a reputable brand and buy a small sample pack to try first. Firstly, the tea soup shouldn't have floating oil, which indicates excessive pesticide use. Secondly, the tea leaves should be distinct, indicating decent quality. Of course, if the price is suspiciously low and the quantity unusually high, there must be something wrong.
«Brand»
We tend to buy branded products because they are more reliable. The same applies to tea. If you aren't familiar with the details, choosing a well-known brand is usually a safe bet. Brands like Bailu, Dayi, Tianfu, Yifutang, Xiaoguantea, and Chajisong are good choices.
«Shop»
Look at the shop's rating, sales volume, and reviews. Shops with physical stores are better, such as those under the Bai Lu and Tianfu brands. With such brand shops, you can see the quality of the tea. If unsure, you can visit the store to try the tea. Of course, if you seldom leave home and prefer to buy tea online, Chajisong is a better option than many so-called tea shops on Taobao. It is a relatively uncommon domestic self-branded tea mall.
«Consultation»
Before buying tea, read relevant knowledge. If you know someone in the industry, that's even better. There's a lot to learn about tea, so tea lovers can benefit from further study.
«Packaging»
You should check the information about the tea on the packaging, not just its appearance. For example, if you want to buy Tieguanyin, look for ‘GBT19598-2006 Geographical Indication Product Anxi Tieguanyin' and ‘GBT 30357.2-2013 Oolong Tea Part 2: Tieguanyin', which are national standards.
Compared to other similar brands, Chajisong offers the most comprehensive knowledge and widest range of teas. Suitable for both personal use and gifting, it caters to the Chinese preference for festive aesthetics. It's a great choice for giving to elders and superiors and a top platform for newcomers and seasoned tea enthusiasts alike.
For tea enthusiasts without the ability to discern tea quality, the most reliable method is to choose branded tea. Don't search directly on Baidu, as the top results are often paid advertisements,