Xianyu is Alibaba's second-hand marketplace where Shanghai buys and sells nearly everything: you register with a Chinese number, pay through Alipay escrow.
Xianyu (闲鱼, Idle Fish) is Alibaba's second-hand marketplace and China's default answer to Craigslist, eBay and Facebook Marketplace combined. To use it in Shanghai you need the app, a Chinese phone number and a real-name verified Alipay account. Payment sits in escrow until you confirm the item is fine, and delivery is either courier or a same-city meetup. Listings are in Chinese, but translation tools close the gap.
Half my apartment came from Xianyu and the other half will return to it the day I move. Furniture, a barely used air purifier, a road bike, concert tickets, someone's abandoned gym membership: it is all there, usually at a third of the new price. Here is the full setup, the buying ritual and the seller's playbook for when your own lease ends.
Good to know
- Good for anyone furnishing a Shanghai flat on a budget, or clearing one out before a flight.
- What you need the Xianyu app, a Chinese phone number and a real-name Alipay account; pay only inside the app so escrow protects you.
- What you'll save good-condition furniture, bikes and appliances usually go for about a third to a half of new.
What is Xianyu and why does everyone use it?
Xianyu is Alibaba's consumer-to-consumer resale platform, deeply plugged into Taobao and Alipay. When someone buys a new sofa on Taobao, the old one goes on Xianyu the same weekend. Because it rides on Alipay's real-name system and escrow, strangers transact with far more confidence than on classifieds boards, and prices in a city like Shanghai are aggressive: expat turnover means a constant stream of quality furniture, appliances and bikes looking for a second home.
How do you set up Xianyu as an expat?
- Get the app. On Android, download Xianyu from a Chinese app store. On iPhone, it lives in the China App Store, so you may need to switch your store region or keep a China-region Apple ID for local apps.
- Register with a Chinese number. Any local SIM works; if you do not have one yet, our Shanghai SIM guide sorts it in an afternoon.
- Link Alipay. Xianyu payments run through Alipay, so a real-name verified Alipay account is non-negotiable; foreign passports verify fine these days per our payments guide.
- Set your city. Allowing location unlocks 同城 (same-city) filters, which is where the furniture bargains live, since nobody couriers a wardrobe.
How do you buy without getting burned?
The golden rule: keep everything inside the app. Money you pay is held by the platform and only released to the seller after you tap confirm on receipt, so never confirm before opening and checking the item. Beyond that: check the seller's rating and transaction history, ask questions in chat (sellers expect it; short sentences plus a translation app work fine), and screenshot the listing in case it changes. For furniture and big items, filter 同城 and collect in person; for small items, 包邮 means shipping is included. Politely knocking 10 to 20 percent off the asking price is normal sport, not rudeness.
How do you sell everything before you move out?
Shoot clean photos in daylight, write an honest two-line description (translation apps are fine; buyers are used to it), and price at roughly 30 to 50 percent of new for good-condition items. Answer chats fast, expect hard bargaining with a smile, and for pickup meetups choose your lobby or a metro entrance in daylight. List early: the two-week panic sale before a flight is a buyer's market, and the moving-out checklist in our renting guide pairs well with a three-week selling runway.
What scams should you watch for?
- Off-platform payment: anyone asking you to pay by direct transfer or a QR code outside the app is removing your escrow protection. Decline, every time.
- Fake courier links: ignore any chat message with a link asking you to pay a shipping fee or verify your card.
- Deposit tricks: nobody legitimate needs a deposit to hold a second-hand chair.
- Too-new, too-cheap electronics: a sealed latest-model phone at half price is not your lucky day.
Which one is for you 哪个适合你
If you want new goods with English-friendly tooling, stay on Taobao. If you want the deepest discounts and can handle Chinese-language chat, Xianyu is the move. If you only need to offload a sofa this weekend, expat WeChat moving-sale groups are faster but offer zero payment protection, so insist on cash at handover there.
Common questions
Can I use Xianyu without reading Chinese?
Yes, with patience: the interface and listings are Chinese-only, but on-screen translation handles browsing and chat well enough that plenty of expats buy weekly. Search works with simple Chinese keywords copied from a translator.
Do I need a Chinese bank card?
Not strictly. An Alipay account with a linked foreign card handles most purchases, though a local card removes friction and limits, and you will want one anyway for receiving money when you sell.
Is meeting strangers for pickup safe?
Standard city sense applies: meet in daylight at a metro entrance, a lobby or a busy corner, and check the item before money moves. Shanghai is a safe city and thousands of these handovers happen daily.
What does 包邮 mean on a listing?
Shipping included. Its opposite is 到付, cash-on-delivery shipping paid by you; for same-city pickup look for 同城面交.
