AliExpress is a very popular online marketplace in China. It is one of the biggest sites to shop online. You find the cheapest and value for money products here.
It is similar to Amazon but here all the sellers are third-party. All of them come from China are listed on the platform and sell various goods, shipping them worldwide.
The tempting deals and dirt-cheap prices on certain products make you want to order them. But you are concerned whether Aliexpres is a scam or a safe site to do shopping.
Your concerns are justified since AliExpress is not as popular in most countries as eBay used to be.
So, let us take a closer look at the Chinese e-commerce giant, and then you can decide whether AliExpress is safe to use or not.
Is AliExpress safe?
The offers and prices are cheap and often offer better value for money. However, you are confused about whether AliExpress can be trusted for online shopping.
As a company, AliExpress is trusted, renowned, and safe. But it is an online e-commerce platform, where sellers sell their products to you.
So, you have to keep an eye on the seller, its ratings, and reviews of the product you are interested in.
Once you are ready to order, then you have to select the right shipping partner. AliExpress’s in-house courier, Cainiao, offers a cheaper way to get your orders but it takes a little more time.
The average delivery time through the official courier is anywhere between 12 to 60 days.
On the other hand, third-party couriers like DHL, FedEx, DHL, and UPS cost more but deliver the order in a very short time, generally between 4 to 10 days.
How does AliExpress protect the customer?
Buyer Protection for unsatisfactory orders
The money you paid for the order is safe till you are satisfied. AliExpress keeps the money in escrow and only gives it to the seller after you are satisfied, marking the delivery as “delivered”.
You have 15 business days to raise a dispute after receiving the order to ask for a refund. It is applicable in the following cases
- You have received a damaged, low-quality product.
- The product is different from what was shown in the description.
- Your order has been returned to the seller due to the customs duties.
Buyer Protection for no delivery
There is buyer protection for all the orders placed on the platform. It starts from the time you have placed your order on AliExpress.
When you have not received the order for a pre-defined period, let us say 30 days, then you have ti raise a dispute.
After raising a dispute, you will receive the full refund in 15 business days, in your original payment mode.
How to order safely on Aliexpress?
1. Check Seller’s Rating and Feedback
Feedback for sellers is very important. Customers rate the communication with the seller, shipper speed, and other parameters. You can find it in Seller’s feedback tab.
A general rule of thumb is to be worry-free with 4+ rating sellers. You can read the seller’s recent reviews and see how they are faring in recent times.
But if you want to dig deeper, you can filter filters from the lowest to the best and see what went wrong.
2. Product reviews
You have checked the seller’s rating but now it’s time to check the product reviews. The product you want should be properly received by the earlier buyers and must have positive reviews.
Look out for reviews with photos. This will give you a better idea of the actual product and help in comparison with the description, and seller listing photos.
Along with that, make sure to look for overly positive reviews. There are alleged scams by a few sellers to boost their reviews by ordering their products.
3. Check for Prices
Does the price or the deal seem too good to be true? chances are they are not genuine and can be a scam.
Compare the product’s prices in multiple places to see if the difference feels legit and possible. For instance, a special Yoga mat on AliExpress is $30 while its original price is $200.
This is clearly too good to be true and the product can be a first copy. You should avoid going for such deals.
4. Payment Methods
Always make payments through AliExpress. This way you are secured and protected by AliExpress’s buyer protection. You can claim a refund in case of no delivery or problems with the delivered products.
Never make any payment outside the platform to the seller, for any reason whatsoever. That is not covered by the protection and you may suffer loss in case of fraudulent seller.
5. Record Unboxing Video
Record a video unboxing the packaging of the order and then the product. This way, you have the proof of the product’s condition and physical appearance, as received from the courier.
You can attach it to the order dispute for receiving the refund or a replacement product.
6. Take Refunds on the Platform
No matter what reason the seller gives you, always ask for a refund through Aliexpres’s dispute mechanism.
You are protected with buyer protection and money is in escrow account till the dispute is solved.
Common scams to avoid on AliExpress
1. Avoid buying Expensive gadgets, Memory Cards, Storage Accessories
A very common scam on Aliexpress is for branded tech gadgets and storage accessories like memory cards, and hard disks.
Generally what happens is when you buy a memory card, say 32 GB. You receive it and plug it to find that it is only 8 GB in capacity.
Avoid buying expensive gadgets for cheap from AliExpress. They are most likely first copies or duplicate products.
This is an exception to reputed Chinese brands that have official stores on AliExpress. You can order from them after verifying their authenticity.
2. Tracking Number Scam
When you place an order on AliExpress, the seller sends a tracking number after shipping the product. It is for tracking your order and you get an idea of when it will be delivered.
Some fraud sellers try to scam you by sending a fake tracking number or for a different order altogether.
Some of the tracking number red flags include:
- Quick tracking number – You get a tracking number, often immediately upon placing the order
- Zero seller communication – Seller doesn’t communicate at all regarding your queries and order delivery updates. This is a big red flag.
- False Confirmed Delivery – Seller marks the product as delivered from their end. It shows as delivered to a different location, often hundreds of kilometers from your address.
3. Resending Scam
You open a dispute for being unhappy with the order. The seller may contact you requesting to close the dispute and then offer to resend the product. Sometimes even offer refunds outside the platform.
The risk here is that you may receive the product once you close the dispute after the buyer protection period is over.
Once that happens, you cannot do anything and the seller may refuse to cooperate.
4. Different Shipping Method
When you buy something on AliExpress, keep an eye on the shipping details because there’s a common trick where you might not get the shipping you paid for.
Sometimes, you might choose a faster or better-tracked shipping option and pay more for it, but the seller sends your package by a slower, cheaper method instead.
If this happens to you:
- Once you get your item, double-check which shipping method was used.
- If it is not what you picked, talk to the seller about it.
- If the seller doesn’t help, you might want to ask AliExpress for a refund of the extra shipping cost you paid.
5. Paypal Refund Scam
You raise a dispute for the problems with the order. The seller promptly messages to refund the amount through PayPal, while requesting for closing the dispute.
Here the risk is, that once you provide the Paypal details and close the dispute, you are out of the buyer protection cover.
The seller may ghost and not send the refund.
Another way is the chargeback fraud. If the seller asks you to request money from them, then reject it instantly.
The seller can raise a dispute on PayPal and claim a chargeback for fraudulent transactions. They get the money back while your PayPal deducts the refund amount.
Start Shopping on AliExpress now
Overall, AliExpress is a safe site to shop for your desired products. Be alert while checking the seller and the product for reviews.
Always inspect the product before marking it as delivered.
