Is AliExpress Legit and Safe? | Best Guide 2023

Table Of Contents[ Show ]

1. What is AliExpress?
2. How Does AliExpress Work?
3. ?
4. Who can buy from AliExpress?
5. What products can I purchase on AliExpress?
6. Why is Aliexpress so Cheap?
7. What to Expect When Using AliExpress
8. Fraudsters and Fakes on AliExpress
9. 4 Tips to Stay Safe While on AliExpress
   1. 1. Read Product Reviews
   2. 2. Select Your Buyer Carefully
   3. 3. Learn about Shipping Options
   4. 4. Understand the Scam of Fake Tracking Numbers
10. What do you think about shipping?
11. AliExpress FAQ | Is AliExpress Legit
    1. How many countries does AliExpress ship to?
    2. How do I contact AliExpress?
12. Wrapping up | Is AliExpress Legit

What is aliexpress – Is AliExpress Legit | Shipping from Aliexpress

Aliexpress is a popular online marketplace that has been around since 2010. Initially, it was mostly comprised of clothing and electronic products. Today, there are over 7 million sellers and an estimated 3 billion products available for purchase.

But is Aliexpress legit? That’s the question on most people’s minds when they think about buying from the site. If you’re thinking about buying from AliExpress or have heard bad things about the site, then you’ll want to read on!

What is AliExpress?

If you’re not aware of AliExpress, here’s a brief introduction: It’s a massive online retailer that is owned by Alibaba Group, a multi-billion dollar company that began as a purchasing and selling platform. It has since expanded to business-to-consumer, consumer-to-consumer, cloud computing, and payment services.

In order to give an impression of how huge Alibaba can be, it announced more than 75 billion dollars in sales in the Singles’ Day 11/11 time period in 2020.

AliExpress is Alibaba’s online marketplace that caters to international buyers (while Taobao is for domestic Chinese). It allows small-scale businesses in China to sell their products to buyers from all over the world.

Like Amazon as well, you can find everything you need. However, unlike Amazon, all those selling on AliExpress are third-party sellers. AliExpress is not a retailer. It simply provides the marketplace.

This means that your experience could differ greatly.

How Does AliExpress Work?

To make use of AliExpress: To use AliExpress, you must first create an account, free of charge, by clicking on the sign-up button located on the upper-right side of the AliExpress website. Sign up for a new account by filling in your email on the sign-up page, or by logging into the account you have on Facebook, Google, or VK.

After you have created your account, AliExpress will ask for your first and last names, as well as your gender, date of birth, and nationality, as well as a variety of shopping categories that appeal to you, including men’s fashion, tech accessories, and consumer electronics.

Other details you are required to provide include your marriage status, children’s birthdays, the field you are employed in, your wage, as well as an estimate of the amount you spend shopping online every month and any other shops that you visit online.

This information will not be necessary except for your child’s birthday and other stores on the internet that you visit.

Once your profile is created, you’ll be able to navigate AliExpress as well as search for items by using the search bar at the bottom of the page. You can purchase items from their own pages by clicking the “Buy Now” button or place them in your cart by clicking the “Add to Cart” button. The process of shopping on AliExpress is quite like other online stores like Amazon and Target.

Is AliExpress legit?

On AliExpress, products are sold in the manner described on the listing of the item. Buyers only rely on a couple of images as well as the product’s description to judge the quality of the item. Certain sellers who are not trustworthy may profit from this system to swindle customers with low-quality products that don’t conform to the images.

To help with this, AliExpress offers a buyer protection plan to keep hackers at bay and minimize the possibility of financial loss to the customer. Here’s how they ensure that customers are safe.

• A full reimbursement if the order isn’t delivered. If an order fails to arrive or is delayed past the seller’s estimated delivery duration, customers may ask for an entire refund. When the request is accepted, the customer will get their cash back after 15 business days.
• A partial or complete refund in the event of inaccurate listings: If the product isn’t exactly as stated in the listing or isn’t delivered as promised, two options are offered. Customers have the option of returning the item for a full refund, or keeping it and getting a partial refund.

Here’s an explanation of how this buyer security program operates and the reasons why buyers should benefit from it to be safe when buying.

1. Contact the seller first to determine if the issue is solvable informally.
2. If the issue can’t be addressed informally, the buyer must make contact with AliExpress support for any problems with the purchase. Sellers will then be informed and given an additional chance to correct the error.
3. If the seller is still insistent on continuing, the buyer has the option of starting the process of resolving the dispute through AliExpress.
4. If the seller is inactive and does not respond to the complaint, the platform will offer the customer a full reimbursement.
5. If the seller doesn’t respond to the seller’s request, an agent from AliExpress will serve as a mediator between the seller and the buyer. The seller will analyze your claim and issue a ruling.
6. If the dispute is settled in favor of the buyer, your purchase is reimbursed within 15 days.

The money-back guarantee they offer protects buyers from being ripped off or receiving products that don’t meet the description. Though there could be some bickering with the seller in the dispute resolution process, which can take a while, in the majority of cases, the buyers are protected.

Who can buy from AliExpress?

Everybody is free to buy on AliExpress for all purchases, except for native mainland Chinese residents, who have to purchase from a different market. In terms of quantities, there’s no limit at either end. This means that any business or individual can purchase products in large and small quantities that they want through the platform.

Shopping on AliExpress is a straightforward and easy procedure. Here’s how to get it done safely:

• Then, click the sign-up button to establish and verify your account.
• Then, go to the website to search for products that appeal to you.
• Compare the prices and products of various sellers to find the most affordable price.
• Do your homework, including reading reviews, to find out what other customers have to say about the product and the seller.
• Add the items you like to your shopping cart, then click the checkout button after you’re done.
• Complete your Paypal, credit card, or iDeal account information, as well as the shipping information to complete your purchase.

What products can I purchase on AliExpress?

AliExpress offers a broad selection of products, ranging from women’s and men’s fashion, electronics, toys, beauty and hair products, jewelry, furniture, as well as motorcycles and cars.

Items you’re not in a position to purchase on AliExpress include weapons, software, and ebooks, as well as digital media.

Why is Aliexpress so Cheap?

In contrast to Amazon, however, the majority of sellers on AliExpress are located in China and purchase all of their products directly from Chinese manufacturers. This reduces costs and allows them to provide free or inexpensive shipping too.

What to Expect When Using AliExpress

• Lower prices If you shop on AliExpress, you can anticipate finding items at substantially lower costs than other stores, whether physical or online.
• The addition of an address and payment In contrast to other websites, which typically require you to include a shipping address and a payment option in your account prior to making your account setup, AliExpress will require you to input this information in the checkout stage of your first purchase. Once you’ve entered the information, the information will be saved in your account to be used in future orders.
• Missing locations Certain cities or regions might be absent from the drop-down menus that appear when you add your address to AliExpress. However, you can manually input these into the text fields of your street number or apartment name.
• English The English that is available on AliExpress is excellent. However, you might encounter a grammar issue that could cause a second guess. However, despite the fact that AliExpress is a Chinese website, there should be no problems understanding what is said in English.

Fraudsters and Fakes on AliExpress

AliExpress, along with AliPay, are reliable systems in terms of security. They’re not perfect, but there’s nothing to be afraid of, and their performance is a solid one. Therefore, you can be sure that you’re not more likely to get your personal information stolen through one of these sites than if you were using the more well-known services like Amazon or eBay (remember that even eBay suffered a major information leak).

I’ve had a variety of credit cards on my AliPay account for a long period of time and have never had to deal with fraud. Be aware that I’m located in the EU, which means that my card is secured by chip-and-pin technology along with an authentication code on the back that isn’t stored. US consumers still have to contend with outdated financial technology that makes it much easier to commit fraud using these

4 Tips to Stay Safe While on AliExpress

We’ve found that AliExpress is legitimate. However, we have discovered that it is possible that some sellers might not be trustworthy. So, how do you be sure you are safe using AliExpress, avoid scams, and safeguard the image of your company?

Here are nine steps to ensure your security when you use AliExpress.

1. Read Product Reviews

It is also essential to read reviews of the product that you are considering. The seller could offer hundreds or even dozens of items, and all of them could be great, but only one or two.

You can find them in the “Customer Reviews” tab on the product page. If you scroll down, you won’t find that.

It is also important to consider the number of reviews the product is getting. Even if a product is sold with only a few or none, it doesn’t mean that it’s not good.

But, I’d recommend against the purchase. It is best to buy products that have at least several dozen reviews, the majority of which are positive.

The products that have seen the most sales are also the most reliable. You can filter those items in the results of your search.

2. Select Your Buyer Carefully

It is essential to choose whom to purchase from with attention. By examining the profile of each buyer, it is possible to see if they are reliable and trustworthy.

What do you need to be looking for? Here are some clues to help you determine whether the buyer is reliable:

• Be sure to check the proportion of positive feedback. If negative feedback accounts are more than 1-2 percent of the total, you should avoid it.
• Look at the number of followers the account has. The more the merrier.
• Find out the length of time this store has been operating on AliExpress. Beware of new stores as they do not have experience. Use sellers and stores that have been in operation for at least a couple of years.
• Take a look at the specific seller’s reviews for communication and delivery speed as well as the item as described.

All of this information is accessible without having to visit the profile of the seller; simply move your cursor over the name of the seller in the upper right corner of the page to see the information.

When you go to the seller’s website and then go to the feedback section, you’ll be able to find an additional set of relevant information. Below are some of the things you should be looking at: Looking over:

• Positive feedback rates over the last month as well as six months If it’s been getting worse, you shouldn’t purchase it– the store may have been slipping.
• The number of negative reviews (1 or 2-star reviews) posted during the abovementioned time frames.
• The real reviews Check them out! They could be available in various languages, so you should use Google Translate. (In the image below, there are some reviews written in Portuguese). You’ll need to understand why the people who negatively rated the seller’s product were able to do so.
• How did the seller react to negative reviews? feedback. If they responded to a review, it will appear in the form of “Seller’s Reply” under the review.

3. Learn about Shipping Options

Many items will come with free shipping. It could be beneficial to pay a little more to get faster shipping from an organization such as DHL or FedEx instead of having the seller ship the product via the postal service in their local area.

A global company like DHL is more secure in protecting goods from loss as well as getting the items to their destination faster. As a drop shipper, it’s worth the extra cost to ensure that your customers are satisfied.

4. Understand the Scam of Fake Tracking Numbers

A frequent AliExpress fraud involves the seller giving an untrue tracking number. The number could not be inexistent, but instead, it could be a reference to a different delivery, which was sent to another buyer.

Or, in other words, it could be that the seller is offering that same amount to several buyers.

It’s unlikely that you’ll be aware of this scam initially when you check your tracking numbers. You may realize that the item has been delivered to an unknown area or even a different country from where you live.

It’s crucial to look up the tracking number to ensure you can file a claim in case you do not receive your item. Sometimes, sellers will provide a refund through PayPal, and you are then open to the same kind of fraud I mentioned earlier.

To stay away from sellers who use tricks like this, it is important to look over reviews with care. It’s common for sellers to get one or two negative reviews from time to time.

What you should look for are reviews with negative comments that refer to fraudulent scams such as this, as well as a consistent pattern of negative behavior. If the seller has already pulled an e-mail scam before, they’ll try it once more.

By filtering products to only have reviews of 4 stars or higher, you can remove a lot of garbage quickly.

Related: USPS Awaiting Delivery Scan Briefly Explained (2023)

What do you think about shipping?

The majority of the items you purchase from AliExpress are typically transported from China, except for rare occasions when items may be delivered from a local shop or warehouse within the country of the buyer.

The platform has a range of shipping options for you to select from. Costs for shipping vary depending on the location you are in and delivery time and speed, with faster delivery options being more expensive.

It could take up to 2 months or as fast as two weeks for an order to arrive, based on where you are located and the speed of shipping chosen. However, generally speaking, international shipping of merchandise from China will take some time.

Easyship is a provider of more than 250 low-cost shipping options, including some that deliver to China. We also work together with you to ensure that the rough seas of shipping internationally are more like easy sailing. Furthermore, Easyship provides a wide range of shipping tools to help you streamline your business’s shipping process and stay ahead of the competition.

AliExpress FAQ | Is AliExpress Legit

How many countries does AliExpress ship to?

AliExpress is an online marketplace that offers goods for worldwide internet buyers and ships products around the world.

How do I contact AliExpress?

If you have a problem regarding an order on AliExpress, please open an issue by clicking on the “My Accounts” and “My Orders” tabs. All orders are given buyers’ protection and can be challenged. There are two types of disputes: if you’ve not received your order, or if there’s something wrong with the product. The time to file a dispute starts 11 days after the product is delivered and expires 15 days after the item has been delivered. They also provide the option of online chat in their help center.

Wrapping up | Is AliExpress Legit

Absolutely. AliExpress can generally be used with confidence. Although there are other options too, the majority of drop-shippers begin with AliExpress and have great success.

However, it’s essential for you to stay aware of the most common frauds and be able to recognize a fake seller. If you’re purchasing items on AliExpress to use for your personal needs, it is possible to pay for a loss of $10 through a mistake.

But, if you’re running a drop-shipping business, you can’t afford this, so you need to be more cautious about the sellers you purchase from.