Is AliExpress Legit?
Much like any other eCommerce platform, AliExpress is a web portal for shopping. However, it is a Chinese website available for people worldwide to order anything. It is a branch of Alibaba Group as a retail branch.
The primary aspect of AliExpress is to offer direct sales from manufacturers to customers. Over the years, it has developed into a conventional eCommerce with B2B, B2C, C2C, etc. In other words, almost anyone can sell anything on AliExpress now.
Therefore, as far as the credibility of AliExpress goes, it is a legit platform. The same can’t be said for the products available on AliExpress. As it is an open-platform now, you will find various dealers, manufacturers, and business owners using this service. The chances of counterfeited products have drastically increased, especially since the platform is from China.
Primarily, you will come across China dealers, regardless of which part of the world you’re buying from. It is to boost China’s economy and to help local business people. Therefore, it can take several days (10-30) for you to receive the order. Many premium companies and Chinese brands like Huawei also utilize AliExpress to showcase their products and sell them.
You can compare AliExpress to Amazon and other big eCommerce websites available across the world. It is a multi-billion dollar company but doesn’t have substantial control over the quality of the goods.
Overall, if you’re worried about a scamming website, AliExpress is not one of those. It is an authentic website with proper security and payment methods. The objective of AliExpress is to connect you to the dealers in Chinese for you to buy your things.
Therefore, AliExpress’s policies, safety, and other aspects might seem a little ‘gray’ or ‘shady.’ However, there’s no denying that it is a 100% legal platform. You will learn more about it as you read ahead.
AliExpress is an online store where you can buy products at much cheaper prices. But is AliExpress Legit & Safe? Click here to know...
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Always Compare The Pricing
Think of this step as a general rule of thumb for online shopping. It applies to AliExpress and every other platform. Always compare the pricing of the product. As AliExpress is a hub to multiple business owners and manufacturers, you will most likely find the same option at cheaper rates with other dealers. However, at that point, you also have to check reviews to ensure it is a genuine dealer.
Comparing the prices can lead you to save some extra bucks. Some might have an expensive product but free shipping and vice versa. It’s because they secretly cover it in some way.
However, it’s better to have separate charges for shipping and the product. It prevents you from having any legal repercussions. Remember, as you are importing goods, it will never have free shipping.
Too Good To Be True Rule
This is a crucial point to remember. If the deal seems too cheap and ‘
too good to be true,’ the chances are, it will be a fake deal. Either the product would arrive damaged, or not what you expected.
The information is often misleading. Instead of selling a 64 GB memory card, you might receive a 64GB card with 32 or 40GB space. That is a possibility.
Similarly, you might receive an utterly fake product. Remember, you’re on a Chinese platform, and due to the low production cost, you might get something slightly cheaper than others, but a massively cheap deal is just a red flag. You can gamble away if you’d like. However, it’s not advisable.
Don’t Opt For A Brand.
Never contemplate brands on AliExpress. China has always been a hub for counterfeited products. If you order anything branded, you will most certainly receive a fake copy of the product. If the dealer is selling you any branded option at the same or even cheaper price, believe it! It’s going to be a fake copy.
As a general rule, you are looking for useful products that are of high value for money. You have to forget about brands and genuine dealers. Your aim should be to get the ‘bang for your bucks.’ In other words, the best deals on the item you want at the budget you have. That’s the benefit of AliExpress. Play in favor of its key strengths, not against it.
Authenticate The Product & Seller
You can conduct a Google search or use other methods like contacting the seller to see whether they are genuine or not. Alternatively, always check the product image and see if it’s a copy or not. High-resolution photos are better to help you make the decision. Furthermore, read the description of the product.
The first step to finding mistakes would be the grammar mistake. Any authentic dealer would avoid grammatical errors. Next would be to check the essential information. Some dealers hide specific details. Check for the fine prints, and remember, the devil is in the details.
As mentioned before, check the reviews, don’t gamble on the product with low or no reviews. There’s no reason for you to fall for a brand.
Guarantees And Policies
Finally, always check to see if the dealer is offering any warranty on the product. Most Chinese products don’t come with any guarantee—however, some dealers, to build strong customer relations, offer money-back guarantees and what not. AliExpress also authenticates and certifies the dealers. Those would be the ones that you prioritize.
Of course, if dealers are offering additional guarantees or warranties, it will positively play in your favor. Primarily, you wouldn’t have to make the ‘Dispute’ claim on AliExpress. So, it will save both you and the dealer some headaches. Both you and the dealer can settle the problem without any problem.
There might be some fake or fraudulent dealers, but there are equally genuine dealers working to earn honest income and boost their company.
Taxes & Customs
Aliexpress allows you to purchase goods from anywhere across the world, especially China. Therefore, as the goods arrive in your country, there will be unavoidable charges.
You will get VAT or Goods & Service Tax. In short, it is the tax that ‘customs’ will charge you for the importing of the goods, whatever it is. The rate of import tax varies according to the country. For example, in the EU, you have to pay around 20% of the VAT on the goods you get outside the country.
Now, there are two methods this can be handled. Most of the courier (cross-country) service providers will handle it by themself. They will add the charge of the shipment to your overall order.
Additionally, they may even charge you extra for the convenience fees. The convenience fees are what you pay these shipment service providers for handling the tax and customs for you. So, if there is a free shipment offer on AliExpress, it might be too good to be true. It would be best if you varied about it.
Many sellers often send the package as a gift from their country to another country. As a result, some packages are more comfortable to pass through the custom without tax. When this happens, you are receiving the goods illegally without paying the tax. Are there, backlashes? Most likely not, as long as customs don’t catch it.
Sometimes, sellers use other similar methods to bypass the taxes for you. As a result, if it gets seized, you don’t have to take the blame. As long as you have the right documentation, you can work around it. However, customs may seize the order, and you might have to visit them and fulfill the tax and duty payment.
Customs can also seize your order if:
- The order declares a lower value than it is, and customs catch it.
- Documentations are missing from the order.
- The item you ordered doesn’t meet the rules and regulations of your country. For example, ordering a weapon that your country doesn’t allow.
- Counterfeiting or unauthorized order.
Is It Safe To Purchase From AliExpress?
AliExpress is a prevalent website worldwide as a multi-billion dollar company with millions of satisfied customers. Every day, it receives thousands of orders with successful payment gateways.
It utilizes high-grade AI technology, cloud security, and other integrations. As long as you use AliExpress, it will automate shopping once you make the payment.
There is a company’s owned shipment facility and the standard shipment facility. Both of them will give you an order number, the ability to track your order, and other essential notifications. There’s a refund and return policy in Aliexpress, which might take longer, but it is active.
Let’s take a look at the two different aspects of Ali Express that makes it safe:
AliExpress Buyer Protection
AliExpress practices a firm policy known as buyer protection for its users. It is a fixed amount of time you get after you’ve initiated an order after purchase. Usually, it used to be a shorter time frame, but the company has increased the buyer’s protection duration to 90 days after the recent pandemic. Now, what does it mean?
It is essentially a 90-days money back (refund) policy for you. You can extend the days by going to your account or wait for the item to arrive. Of course, if the item doesn’t arrive within the given timeslot, you can contact the support team to rectify the problem.