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Aliexpress, what is it?

Created by Alibaba Group, the online sales site Aliexpress is often described as the “Chinese Amazon”. This is indeed a virtual market place. Like its US counterpart, Aliexpress connects third-party sellers with buyers. The site itself does not have an affiliated factory and does not offer products in its own name.
The advantage of this type of marketplace is that there are few intermediaries, so prices are lower. With its success, Aliexpress even has mobile applications on Android and iOS. However, there are not only advantages to this type of trade. A purchase on Aliexpress will therefore require some precautions as we will see in the next paragraph.

The choice of the seller: a primordial element

As we said above, Aliexpress and  is a marketplace. You will therefore buy your item directly from a Chinese reseller, the online site is your only intermediary in case of dispute. The choice of your shop will be essential for a pleasant experience. Rest assured, Aliexpress makes every effort to ensure you such a result.

Faced with thousands of existing vendors on the platform, you will probably be lost early. A rating system has therefore been put in place. After a purchase, the user is invited to rate according to three criteria:
This rating goes from 1 to 5. The higher it is, the better. A score called “Positive Feedback”, expressed as a percentage, will also give you an idea of how serious your future supplier is. Similarly, a global score is assigned to the seller. Every positive comment makes her go up. A negative comment makes it go down. Finally, a small acronym indicates at a glance the seriousness of the dealer. A crown or a diamond ensures a good quality. The top is to choose a shop “Brand Premium”, it is the guarantee of excellent service. All this data is visible by clicking on the name of a seller.
Still not sure? It can be understood. In this case, do not hesitate to read the comments of other users. Some even post photos of the article. You will be able to verify that the product conforms to the seller’s description. If in doubt, do not hesitate to visit another shop. Keep your common sense on the alert: a recent smartphone like the Oneplus 5 will be around 400 or 500 €, a bit cheaper than the official price. If you come across an ad at 150 €, there is inevitably eel under rock!

Do not hesitate to contact the sellers. You will have to master a minimum of English, but you will be able to ensure the honesty of your interlocutor. If it does not respond quickly, remain evasive or refuse to send you pictures of the product, do not insist and change shops.

Purchase Protection and Refund

For a platform like Aliexpress, a bad seller is a thorn in the foot. The site is therefore extremely careful to monitor abuse. For starters, a shop is subject as we have seen to a notation on the most important points. A supplier who wants to succeed therefore has every interest in showing off.

Nevertheless, it is not impossible to fall on small malignant. In this case, it is the Escrow systemwho takes over. The principle is simple: as long as you do not receive your item, your money is not given to the seller. The transaction therefore takes place only after receipt and validation of the conformity of the product. In case of dispute, Aliexpress can go to a complete closure of the offending shop. You will of course be reimbursed for all your expenses.

On each product sheet, the seller must indicate his conditions of return and his maximum delivery time. If this period is exceeded, you can claim a full refund. In case of product not corresponding to the description, it is a full or partial refund will be proposed.
Aliexpress accepts payments in Visa and MasterCard as well as transfers via Western Union. However, we advise against this last means of payment, because your money will be more difficult to recover in case of dispute. So privilege the classic bank card.

Delivery and customs fees

As on most Chinese sites, you expose yourself to a possible passage of your package to customs. The deliveries by UPS and DHL are mainly concerned. You will save time (about 1 week for delivery) but you will probably have to pay customs.
So prefer Chinese postal services. They are certainly slower with about 3 weeks of waiting, but you will save 50 € customs fees . On the other hand, take care to choose a service with a tracking number. You will be able to check the progress of your order and prove your good faith in case of loss.

Ordering from China can frighten some. Aliexpress is however an excellent site, renowned for its quality as well as its attractive prices. We hope this folder has given you all the help you want. Feel free to give us your opinion on Aliexpress in the comments!

How to take advantage of the best offers of Single Day?

Every year, on November 11th, Alibaba creates the event by organizing the International Shopping Festival on the occasion of the Singles Festival. In China, this day – once created as a resistance to Valentine’s Day – is now considered the day of good business.

And it is especially thanks to Alibaba that this day has gradually become the biggest day of online shopping of the year, at least in China. In 2017, the e-merchant has generated more than 25 billion of turnover in 24 hours for more than 800 million parcels. Best of all, 90% of these purchases were made from a mobile phone.
Our tips for taking advantage of promotions on the occasion of the single day
Set your alarm : if the bachelor party is locally on November 11, in Pakistan, the commercial event will begin on November 10 from 14 hours.
Prepare your purchases pre-order : from Wednesday, November 7, you can pre-book the products and validate your cart once the current operation.
Be careful : apply all the advice we have given you in this buying guide. Check the seller’s rating and ratings, avoid Western Union wire payments, and favor delivery by Chinese postal services.