Do you want to know how AliExpress can be so cheap? The Chinese company AliExpress is likely a good option if you are an online shopper who enjoys finding discounts and knock-off items or if you’ve considered starting a dropshipping store with Shopify.

Read this article to learn why AliExpress products are cheap. We will also provide some tips on avoiding scams while buying on AliExpress.

Table of Contents

What Is Aliexpress?

The online platform AliExpress is a well-known retail and wholesale service that assists Chinese and other small businesses in selling products to international customers. Alibaba Group established this online retail service in 2010.

It is considered one of the world’s largest online companies, mainly focusing on e-commerce and computing. Merchants use this online marketplace to establish stores to sell their products by listing them.

Customers from across the globe can directly purchase the products from sellers by browsing through various categories such as home decor, electronics, toys, fashion, and more.

Compared to Amazon and other similar mediums, AliExpress is a popular consumer choice because they offer products at relatively affordable prices.

5 Reasons AliExpress Is So Cheap

The primary reason behind the low product prices of AliExpress is its low-quality knock-off products, business-to-customer model, and China’s competitive business setting.

Consider this multinational company if you want your desired high-quality design at affordable rates. Compared to Taobao, AliExpress does not sell its own products. It only provides a marketplace for third parties to market their creations globally efficiently.

AliExpress is a trustworthy online marketplace and a subsidiary of Alibaba Group that mainly focuses on media and commerce. The website provides full refunds for products that arrive late, damaged or do not arrive at all.

Users worldwide can utilize this platform because their smartphone apps and websites support many language versions. It includes Portuguese, Turkish, Arabic, English, Thai, Spanish, Russian, Hebrew, Polish, French, Korean, German, Vietnamese, Italian, Japanese, and Dutch.

A variety of products are available at AliExpress. It includes:

Women’s Fashion
Men’s Fashion
Electronics
Jewelry
Toys
Cars
Beauty Products
Furniture
Motorcycles

Here are some items that are not available for purchase on this marketplace.

Weapons
Ebooks
Software
Digital Products

While using this forum, you will experience that many of their products are incredibly cheap. Are you wondering what is the reason behind this? Let’s examine why AliExpress is one of the most affordable online marketplaces.

Directly Buy from Manufacturers:

It is the first reason for AliExpress’ low prices. This marketplace eliminates the mediator role, and manufacturers can directly sell the items to buyers. Everything that deals with this service has a “Made in China” label.

China has a highly positive business environment, with competitive currency practices and reduced taxes compared to other countries. This business-friendly environment assists all Chinese manufacturers to make products at significantly lower costs.

Sellers are trying to expand their business:

Compared to other countries, the Chinese manufacturing industry is fiercely competitive. As a result, customers get to benefit from their competition.

Vendors try to attract customers’ interest by offering a cheaper version of a similar product rather than competing with similar products for the same price.

AliExpress provides a unique coupon code to new users to motivate them to buy something. AliExpress and merchants benefit by engaging more customers and selling more items.

Replica Products:

It is a massive Chinese e-commerce platform where third-party sellers and manufacturers offer millions of products. The products are available in different qualities. It includes poor-quality, fakes, original, and good-quality look-alike products. The reason behind the cheap products is that most manufacturers and sellers are from China and Hong Kong.

Use Coupons:

You can buy cheap products from AliExpress by using coupons because you can redeem them at any store. A single coupon can only be used per order to combine orders from various stores with AliExpress coupons.

You can get coupons by exchanging your coins or from sale pages. It is also possible to utilize Auto-Apply AliExpress Promo Codes Tool to find and use coupons while placing a new order.

Low Shipping Costs:

China is home to most AliExpress merchants, and most of their products are sourced from Chinese manufacturers, which keeps shipping costs low. The shipping rate for AliExpress Standard is usually quiet, and sometimes it’s even free. It takes 15 to 45 days for packages to reach destinations worldwide.

What are the Pros and Cons of AliExpress

PROS

Unbeatable prices
Buyer protection guarantee
User reviews and ratings
Diverse product selection
Global shipping

CONS

Long shipping times
Quality control issues
Customs and import duties
Communication challenges

How Does AliExpress Work?

Firstly, open the official AliExpress website. Then click the sign-up button to manually create an account by providing a valid email address or signing up with your Google, Facebook, or VK account.

Next, the website will ask you to enter more information to complete your profile. It includes your gender, first and last name, nationality, and date of birth.

You must also provide other information, such as your children’s birthdays, your average salary, your marital status, your industry, and your average monthly expenses while shopping online.

After providing personal information, choose several shopping categories. It includes your interests in tech accessories, men’s fashion, and consumer electronics. When your profile is set up, the search bar at the top of AliExpress allows you to browse products.

The shopping procedure on this online service is very similar to the best-known other online stores. If you want to purchase any product, go to the individual’s page and click the Buy Now or Add to Cart button.

AliExpress Competitors

Wish App
LightInTheBox
DHGate

FAQs

Is it safe to buy on AliExpress?

Yes! It is entirely safe and secure due to its buyer protection program. It is a legit platform, and there are no chances of fraud if you directly purchase the items from AliExpress.

Why are AliExpress prices so low?

The primary reason is that most of their merchants are Chinese that directly purchase the products from Chinese manufacturers.

Secondly, there is no middleman involved between the merchant and the manufacturer.

Thirdly, China’s labor, raw materials, and shipping costs are low.

What is the cheapest thing on AliExpress?

There are a wide variety of low-cost products on AliExpress. You will also find many items that are $1 or less.

Does AliExpress sell fake stuff?

The platform does not allow to offer fake products. Vendors use many tactics to sell counterfeit products. For example, they share hidden links to ignorant buyers and conceal counterfeit goods with well-known brands.

How to avoid low-quality goods?

Avoid Buying Branded good
Read Product Description
Think why the product price is too low
Communicate with the Seller to clear all doubts before buying
Purchase from approved sellers
Check the Product Before Confirming Receipt

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7 Reasons Why Is AliExpress So Cheap?