There has been a lot of debate in recent years over whether or not AliExpress is a legitimate and secure online marketplace, and opinions on the subject have been all over the map.
There are those who see no reason to be concerned, while others who think it’s a waste of time and money to use the site. In a nutshell, yes, AliExpress is legitimate and safe; but, the longer answer is not quite as cut and dried, so read on for the entire lowdown!
What Is AliExpress?
AliExpress, founded in 2010 and headquartered in China, is an online retail service comprised mostly of small, primarily Chinese firms. AliExpress has been likened to eBay because it serves as a marketplace for both large corporations and individual sellers.
Jack Ma, formerly China’s richest man and now worth an estimated $32 billion, created the Chinese multinational technology corporation Alibaba, which owns the e-commerce platform AliExpress.
Is AliExpress Legit & Safe?
You may shop with complete confidence knowing that AliExpress is a reputable business. When you shop on AliExpress, you can rest assured knowing that you’re protected AliExpress has a 90-day buyer protection period, beginning on the day the seller ships the item, during which customers can return any product for a full refund.
Customers can request a refund if they don’t receive their product or if it turns out to be significantly different from what was advertised. On each product page, just below the Buy Now button, you’ll find information detailing the length of the buyer protection period.
Why Is AliExpress So Cheap?
You may have noticed right away that many of the pricing on AliExpress are really inexpensive if you have shopped there before. How come? Several widespread explanations come to mind.
You’re Buying Direct
One possible route to a lower final price is purchasing straight from the manufacturer. China has much cheaper production costs than other countries. The laxity with which intellectual property laws are enforced could potentially be a factor.
AliExpress is a great place to find deals on electronics (like this 4WD Arduino robot we constructed) because so many of them are made in China and can be purchased directly from the manufacturer. That means you won’t have to pay the higher price a retailer would charge.
It’s Fake
The second reason for an item’s low price is that it is counterfeit or was a reject from the production line due to the brand’s strict quality controls. The manufacturing of fake goods in China is widespread, and AliExpress is no exception.
Genuine branded goods are difficult to come by on AliExpress unless the brand in question is a Chinese one. That’s why it’s important to be wary of AliExpress frauds.
Listing Tricks
Some merchants will engage in questionable listing tactics in order to distinguish themselves from the hundreds of other sellers who offer the same goods at a similar price. The most popular strategy is to offer a minor accessory at a reduced price as an add-on. The search results list the price of the attachment, not the primary product.
How Long Does AliExpress Take to Deliver?
The anticipated delivery time for any given item on AliExpress can be found on the product page, and it ranges from 20-60 days. Also, in my personal experience, it’s completely inaccurate.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, AliExpress has extended their “Buyer Protection Time” to a maximum of 90 days. What this really means is that you have to wait 90 days before you can get a refund if your order was never shipped.
Waiting three months for an online purchase is ridiculous. That’s simply a possibility; it doesn’t mean it’ll take 90 days. From my personal experience, most products come within two weeks.
We received more than half of the more than thirty products we ordered during the 11/11 deals within two weeks. The sad truth is that it is also dependent on the chosen mode of transport.
With their own warehouses and shipping partners in key countries, AliBaba started their own shipping service, Cainao, in 2018. I have found that the Cainao Global Economic System is bad.
Conclusion
This is a brief introduction to AliExpress for those who are unfamiliar with it. It is a massive online shop owned by the Alibaba Group, a multibillion dollar company that began as a B2B marketplace. It has developed into B2C, C2C, cloud computing, and monetary transaction services.
