Understanding AliExpress

[ExpatOilWorker]

Not sure the IT forum is the right place for a question about online shopping, but hopefully the smart guys hang out here.

When ordering from AliExpress you often have multiple shipping from options.

Usually China is the cheapest, but as in the below shipping from the US and Belgium is even cheaper.

Can you really order from Belgium or will it get caught up in customs?

 

If you haven't used AliExpress before, it is basically the exact same format as Lazada, just all made in China stuff.

Oddly enough, there seem to be fewer scams, copies and fakes on AliExpress compared to Lazada. 

 

 

[BigStar]

12 minutes ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

hopefully the smart guys hang out here.

No.

 

12 minutes ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

When ordering from AliExpress you often have multiple shipping from options.

Usually China is the cheapest, but as in the below shipping from the US and Belgium is even cheaper.

Free shipping from the US and Belgium isn't cheaper than free shipping from China. Free shipping is possible, however. Why not? Speed of shipping is always an issue, however. China seems to have the fast track, not to say it's very fast, usually.

 

Were you logged in and your shipping address listed as Thailand? Once you try to order, you may find some message to the effect that "can't ship to that location" or the choices besides China greyed out. Or maybe not.

 

Free shipping is often much slower than paid shipping. I'd prefer to pay a bit more and get the item sooner, so always go into the dropdown and see what other shipping is available w/ estimated times. Which doesn't look very soon in any case nowadays (again) unless you wanna go DHL (not recommended).

[ExpatOilWorker]

7 minutes ago, BigStar said:

Free shipping from the US and Belgium isn't cheaper than free shipping from China.

By cheaper I was not referring to the cost of the free shipping, but the cost of the product. 

$19.32 from China Vs. $12.16 from Belgium.

Yes, I am logged in with my Thai address.

[BigStar]

2 minutes ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

By cheaper I was not referring to the cost of the free shipping, but the cost of the product. 

$19.32 from China Vs. $12.16 from Belgium.

Yes, I am logged in with my Thai address.

Ah. Well, different vendors have different prices for the same product within China and indeed within any country. In fact our members are constantly posting in a state of SHOCK after comparing different prices on Lazada.  Comparison shopping is quite a sport, come down to it. I wonder if exchange rates come into play.

 

Why don't you order two of an item, one from China, the other from Belgium or wherever and report back.

[ExpatOilWorker]

51 minutes ago, BigStar said:

Ah. Well, different vendors have different prices for the same product within China and indeed within any country. In fact our members are constantly posting in a state of SHOCK after comparing different prices on Lazada.  Comparison shopping is quite a sport, come down to it. I wonder if exchange rates come into play.

 

Why don't you order two of an item, one from China, the other from Belgium or wherever and report back.

Oh boy!

This is the same product from the same seller, just different sending location.

[fdsa]

2 hours ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

Can you really order from Belgium or will it get caught up in customs?

I think the seller will close your order because it's more expensive to send from Belgium. Or the seller will ship from China regardless of your choice.

 

2 hours ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

Oddly enough, there seem to be fewer scams, copies and fakes on AliExpress compared to Lazada. 

unfortunately you are wrong, Aliespress is a shíthole with all the scams you could ever imagine. And that's the website from where all copies and fakes end up on Lazada and Shopee.

I've stopped using Aliexpress years ago after being fed with all sellers scams and chose Lazada instead, few years later the chinese scammers infested Lazada so I mostly use Shopee now, and unfortunately now I see many scam sellers appear on Shopee too. You could determine them by similar generated names (blablabla.123 asdasdasd.228 etc) and same items.

The chinese just register a thousand of accounts and fill each one with thousands of products with different prices, hoping that one of these will catch their customer.

 

[ExpatOilWorker]

52 minutes ago, fdsa said:

I think the seller will close your order because it's more expensive to send from Belgium. Or the seller will ship from China regardless of your choice.

 

unfortunately you are wrong, Aliespress is a shíthole with all the scams you could ever imagine. And that's the website from where all copies and fakes end up on Lazada and Shopee.

I've stopped using Aliexpress years ago after being fed with all sellers scams and chose Lazada instead, few years later the chinese scammers infested Lazada so I mostly use Shopee now, and unfortunately now I see many scam sellers appear on Shopee too. You could determine them by similar generated names (blablabla.123 asdasdasd.228 etc) and same items.

The chinese just register a thousand of accounts and fill each one with thousands of products with different prices, hoping that one of these will catch their customer.

 

What kind of scams or wrong doing have you experienced on AliExpress?

Substandard or defect equipment?

Empty boxes or no parcel at all?

 

For anything bigger than a Keychain, I usually as the vendor a trivial question about the product. I only purchase if the answer is somewhat reasonable. 

Also I only buy from vendors that have a high'ish rating and only items that have been sold before and have a few 5-star reviews, usually with pictures.

So far, I haven't been taken to the cleaner, yet.

[fdsa]

4 hours ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

What kind of scams or wrong doing have you experienced on AliExpress?

1) very slow delivery speed or shipping scams, e.g.:

- shipping advertised as "Registered Air mail with international tracking number", shipped by some cheap company like YanWen which is not trackable outside China, lost more than 10 parcels that way and had to wait for 2+ months for the moneyback.

- item has free shipping by "seller's shipping method" or some cheap price like $1-$2 advertised for Registered Air mail. I've paid for Registered but seller still shipped by cheap company without tracking. Have to wait for a month to get the shipping and then 2+ months to get that dollar moneyback for the wrong shipment option.

 

2) support always cater to the seller side in disputes (several years ago they usually supported buyers but seems that buyers abused the system too much):

- if the shipment is definitely lost (no tracking updates for 2+ weeks) the support just prolongs the "buyer protection" for 30 more days and you can't do anything rather than wait one more month to get a moneyback for lost item (so I treat the "buyer protection" as simply a scam as it's actually a seller protection)

- if the shipment is wrong/damaged the support suggests to ship the item back (most funny when your order is <50 USD and the shipping cost from Thailand to China is ~50 USD) for full moneyback or accept a partial moneyback instead.

 

 

[ExpatOilWorker]

49 minutes ago, fdsa said:

1) very slow delivery speed or shipping scams, e.g.:

- shipping advertised as "Registered Air mail with international tracking number", shipped by some cheap company like YanWen which is not trackable outside China, lost more than 10 parcels that way and had to wait for 2+ months for the moneyback.

- item has free shipping by "seller's shipping method" or some cheap price like $1-$2 advertised for Registered Air mail. I've paid for Registered but seller still shipped by cheap company without tracking. Have to wait for a month to get the shipping and then 2+ months to get that dollar moneyback for the wrong shipment option.

 

2) support always cater to the seller side in disputes (several years ago they usually supported buyers but seems that buyers abused the system too much):

- if the shipment is definitely lost (no tracking updates for 2+ weeks) the support just prolongs the "buyer protection" for 30 more days and you can't do anything rather than wait one more month to get a moneyback for lost item (so I treat the "buyer protection" as simply a scam as it's actually a seller protection)

- if the shipment is wrong/damaged the support suggests to ship the item back (most funny when your order is <50 USD and the shipping cost from Thailand to China is ~50 USD) for full moneyback or accept a partial moneyback instead.

 

 

I am OK with slow shipping, I kind of expect 1 month delivery time, but if the right item shows up after 2 months that is also fine.

As long as I don't find a brick or a <deleted> in lieu of my spanner. 

I am new to AliExpress and currently have 12 orders pending.

Based on your experience, I will not make any additional orders, until stuff starting to show up at my doorstep. 

Thanks for sharing by the way.

[shdmn]

I buy stuff from AliExpress all the time.  Generally, it's cheaper than Amazon for similar things.  I find the quality is usually pretty good for what you pay.  The tradeoff is long ship times depending where you live and where it's coming from.  My stuff always comes from China and it can sometimes take a month or more.  Usually it's only two or three weeks but you never know for sure how long it will take.

[BigStar]

16 hours ago, shdmn said:

I buy stuff from AliExpress all the time.  Generally, it's cheaper than Amazon for similar things.  I find the quality is usually pretty good for what you pay.  The tradeoff is long ship times depending where you live and where it's coming from.  My stuff always comes from China and it can sometimes take a month or more.  Usually it's only two or three weeks but you never know for sure how long it will take.

This. Buy products w/ good ratings, read reviews, upgrade the shipping if the purported difference seems significant for a little more. I got refunds on a couple of things that never showed up, no problem. Got a refund on a product w/ poor quality, no problem.  Vendor sent me a T-shirt one size too large, I negotiated a 50% discount. Satisfied. I'm getting ready to order more stuff.????

 

Like other noobs, I had to get used to Aliexpress (and Lazada), but I feel comfortable now.

 

 

[fangless]

On 8/10/2021 at 11:26 AM, ExpatOilWorker said:

If you haven't used AliExpress before, it is basically the exact same format as Lazada, just all made in China stuff.

AliExpress and Lazada are both owned by Alibaba!

[scubascuba3]

I've stopped using Aliexpress, can take months to arrive, or not arrive at all, refund given after 90 days, that's too long. I always get deliveries from China via Lazada, they seem to tie in with local motorbike delivery companies so it's tracked.

 

On AliExpress, if you choose a more expensive delivery option, the product may arrive, but then it may be more expensive than Lazada.

 

Whenever I've clicked on from US etc instead of China it says not available for your location

[BigStar]

9 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

I've stopped using Aliexpress, can take months to arrive, or not arrive at all, refund given after 90 days, that's too long. I always get deliveries from China via Lazada, they seem to tie in with local motorbike delivery companies so it's tracked.

 

On AliExpress, if you choose a more expensive delivery option, the product may arrive, but then it may be more expensive than Lazada.

 

Whenever I've clicked on from US etc instead of China it says not available for your location

I prefer Lazada when possible. Deliveries from China via Lazada are always faster, though there's always a delivery charge. Sometimes Lazada prices are equivalent to Aliexpress prices or shock! even a bit cheaper.

 

However, other times Lazada prices for the same item are absurdly higher than those of Aliexpress prices or Lazada doesn't have an acceptable equivalent of the product you want. Aliexpress also has international reviews & questions and a lot more of them, in greater detail. Some of them can be pretty hard, too. Russians.????

 

Aliexpress deliveries can be tracked all the way your local PO, or they may not be, esp. for really cheap items.

 

All in all, Aliexpress has its place.

[fdsa]

I could confirm that same items from China come faster when bought on Lazada compared to Aliexpress, but they are more expensive on Lazada. I've bought from the same sellers on both websites.

However Lazada has its own disadvantages, some of them are severe enough so made me stop using that website.

[ExpatOilWorker]

Shoose the right size....

 

[ExpatOilWorker]

On 8/10/2021 at 2:58 PM, ExpatOilWorker said:

So far, I haven't been taken to the cleaner, yet.

Actually, I got two refunds for substandard products. The value was low, $3 and $9, so the dispute was instant approved and no need to ship the faulty item back.

 

[ExpatOilWorker]

8 minutes ago, helendarack said:

you posted such a cute things that i also want to order something now

Remember to also check the price at Shopee before you order and search with various keywords.  It is shopping chaos online, but certainly cost effective and fun if u have the time to look around.

Show us what you are buying. 

[Lite Beer]

Aliexpress is a waste of time.

After waiting 3 months for a delivery I think I am getting a refund but really have no clue.

[ExpatOilWorker]

6 hours ago, Lite Beer said:

Aliexpress is a waste of time.

After waiting 3 months for a delivery I think I am getting a refund but really have no clue.

Delivery usually time out after 75 days and then you have a 15 days window to claim a refund. If you do nothing, it will just time out and you get nothing.

Since AliExpress operate in US$, you will never get the exact amount refunded. 

I lost a couple of 100 of baht on a few larger $100 refunds, although the exchange rate should have worked in my favor. Probably some banking charge.

[ExpatOilWorker]

I just had 2 failed deliveries and AliExpress plain and simple just stole my money. 

I made dispute and provided all relevant information, but they simply just closed the order. Criminal organization. Will never use them again.

 

[fdsa]

well...  https://aseannow.com/topic/1227017-understanding-aliexpress/?tab=comments#comment-16729751

 

- welcome to Shopee! (note that I'm not saying "Lazada" because it's the same shíthole as Aliexpress - same owner, same codebase, same broken search engine)

they have greatly enhanced their logistics so I usually get shipments from China in ~10 days.

 

[ExpatOilWorker]

3 minutes ago, fdsa said:

well...  https://aseannow.com/topic/1227017-understanding-aliexpress/?tab=comments#comment-16729751

 

- welcome to Shopee! (note that I'm not saying "Lazada" because it's the same shíthole as Aliexpress - same owner, same codebase, same broken search engine)

For my remaining orders on AliExpress,  I will give them all a 1 star rating and then abandon this criminal organization all together.

[fdsa]

you are too serious, give the remaining orders a honest rating and then abandon Aliexpress.

[BritManToo]

It's a good place to buy Vape pens ........... and have them shipped to Thailand.

So a friend tells me.

[Lite Beer]

Aliexpress?

After waiting 3 months for an order to turn up I initiated a refund and the item turned up a week later.

A totally pathetic organization.

 

Why do Lazada orders from China turn up reasonably quick? 

[scubascuba3]

7 hours ago, Lite Beer said:

Aliexpress?

After waiting 3 months for an order to turn up I initiated a refund and the item turned up a week later.

A totally pathetic organization.

 

Why do Lazada orders from China turn up reasonably quick? 

Lazada seems to partner Thai local delivery companies like Lex. With AliExpress packages seem to disappear at the border and no partner thai up

[ExpatOilWorker]

8 hours ago, Lite Beer said:

Aliexpress?

After waiting 3 months for an order to turn up I initiated a refund and the item turned up a week later.

A totally pathetic organization.

 

Why do Lazada orders from China turn up reasonably quick? 

Did you get the refund?

[Lite Beer]

1 hour ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

Did you get the refund?

No idea.

My Wife's credit card and she has little idea what goes in.

We don't even get much post here so rarely see a statement.

[sometimewoodworker]

My view point is that AliExpress is just as good as the other Chinese groups. The delivery can be slower with them than Banggood, lazada etc. so far I have had no worse service with them than any other company, all orders have either completed or in the very few instances (2 or 3 out of over 200) of either non arrival or damaged items have been refunded in full.
 

FWIW I currently have 5 items ordered on 11/11 some are waiting dispatch others have been dispatched from the sorting centre.

 

I do not order time critical items from overseas, only from within Thailand, FWIW USPS has been even slower than AliExpress, with a package going missing from the tracking system for over 2 months and another that traveled over 14,000 miles including a cross USA round trip trip then a round trip to Europe before finally making it via Tokyo.