Update: Online payment now possible using Apple Mac and Merchants Bank.
Apple users in China have long been treated as second class citizens when it comes to surfing the web. Quite simply, many sites just don’t work well. Often one is confronted with buttons that don’t click, pictures that are misaligned, or login boxes that don’t allow you to login. Alipay (支付宝) and Taobao (淘宝网), China’s biggest online payment platform and auction site respectively have long required special Active X / Javascript plugins to work properly – typically these are released exclusively for Internet Explorer only. Now, however, it’s possible to download a Mac version of this plugin.
Note: This only works on Safari at present.
Upon entering Alipay or Taobao, you should notice a link (请点此输入密码) in lieu of the password prompt at the login form. Click this link, and you will get an inline popup. If you do not see a link but are able to enter your password in the form, you might have already installed the plugin or Alipay might have finally come to their senses!
Otherwise, now click the button (立即安装) to download the plugin.
The plugin will work for both Alipay and Taobao sites (they are both same company), though may require a restart of your safari browser first.
That Apple users are finally gaining some recognition in China is excellent news, though there’s still a long way to go. Unfortunately even after your purchase on Taobao you will be faced with a payment problem as most online banking platforms are not Apple compatible. Nonetheless it’s a good beginning, and at least payment is still possible via pre-deposit into Alipay or through other methods such as mobile phone topup card.
