Aliexpress

[rob_s]

Allow me a moment of boomer-ism (even though I’m a Gen-xer…)

Aliexpress, safe to deal with?

Have you shopped there? Experiences good or bad?

Guidelines or suggestions on payment methods to use to ensure security?

Anything else I need to know?

Ironically I was one of the first people I know to ever buy things online, back in the late 90s, but for whatever reason (China, maybe?) aliexpress gives me pause.

And, in case anyone is wondering, no there isn’t any compelling reason why I *want* to buy from there, but I’ve seen it come up a few times lately and it got me curious. Here’s pretty much everything I know about it, haha
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AliExpress?wprov=sfti1

https://www.lifewire.com/what-is-aliexpress-4174570

[rd62]

My mother is forever buying something from Aliexpress. She hasn't had any issues I'm aware of other than the product is typically crap and at best worth the pittance she paid for it.

[Aisin Gioro]

AliExpress is basically China's version of eBay, in that it's only an e-commerce platform, not an actual retailer or direct-to-consumer merchant. AliExpress itself is as safe to deal with as any other giant, state-aligned business conglomerate in China (which means its data is 100% accessible to the Chinese government, including whatever personal information the consumers choose to share with Ali, purchase histories, etc.). The actual sellers on the platform range from very large companies selling huge volumes every day to tiny, one-person drop shipping operations that are reselling factory pieces, obvious knock-offs, etc. With that in mind, quality variations can be wide, but their return policies are generally in line with those of US/Canadian/European/Australian online retailers.

However, where the practical risks comes in for most international customers is that returning good from outside of China is much more expensive than sending goods out from China. This is due to some complex and very one-sided postal subsidies on exported shipments and high costs levied on incoming shipments. So while a buyer in the US might pay $7.50 USD to have an item delivered, it could cost $50-75 USD to send it back for a return. Naturally, this encourages buying things from China and discourages returns, so it's important to consider whether the items in question are likely to meet expectations, since it's usually not worth the trouble to send things back if they don't.

[ArgentFix]

I've bought two nerd flashlights from Aliexpress from the same seller, https://convoy.aliexpress.com/store/330416

Both times it took about 5 weeks shipping with terrible tracking updates but they did arrive in good condition.

[TGS]

-Generally safe to deal with, as opposed to eastern european or Indian sub-continent businesses

-PITA (on your own, expensive) if you get a bad seller and need to return anything

-You're supporting the Chinese regime more than necessary.

-Similarly to Amazon, you're buying counterfeit garbage, almost without exception

[mtnbkr]

-PITA (on your own, expensive) if you get a bad seller and need to return anything

-You're supporting the Chinese regime more than necessary.

-Similarly to Amazon, you're buying counterfeit garbage, almost without exception

These are the reasons, especially the bolded line, I won't use Aliexpress or *any* ecommerce site based in China.

As for Amazon, I'm on the verge of canceling Prime and just walking away due to the counterfeiting or the Amazon-blessed knock-offs (Amazon Basics). Anymore when I shop there, I'll check a few other vendors to see if they have the same item and buy it from the competition instead. Lots of companies are getting their head around quick order fulfilment and can deliver nearly as quickly as Amazon. Maybe 3 days instead of 2, but I can normally wait (but some are just as fast DXEngineering and B&H Photo come to mind).

Chris

[blues]

I've never been tempted...and don't think I will.

[Shoresy]

These are the reasons, especially the bolded line, I won't use Aliexpress or *any* ecommerce site based in China.

As for Amazon, I'm on the verge of canceling Prime and just walking away due to the counterfeiting or the Amazon-blessed knock-offs (Amazon Basics). Anymore when I shop there, I'll check a few other vendors to see if they have the same item and buy it from the competition instead. Lots of companies are getting their head around quick order fulfilment and can deliver nearly as quickly as Amazon. Maybe 3 days instead of 2, but I can normally wait (but some are just as fast DXEngineering and B&H Photo come to mind).

Chris

All of this, for both Ali and Amazon.

[HeavyDuty]

These are the reasons, especially the bolded line, I won't use Aliexpress or *any* ecommerce site based in China.

As for Amazon, I'm on the verge of canceling Prime and just walking away due to the counterfeiting or the Amazon-blessed knock-offs (Amazon Basics). Anymore when I shop there, I'll check a few other vendors to see if they have the same item and buy it from the competition instead. Lots of companies are getting their head around quick order fulfilment and can deliver nearly as quickly as Amazon. Maybe 3 days instead of 2, but I can normally wait (but some are just as fast DXEngineering and B&H Photo come to mind).

Chris

I haven’t heard of widespread counterfeit issues when buying from Amazon proper instead of affiliates. Am I being naive?

[vcdgrips]

Hard Pass.

If I am no longer buying Arcteyrx or Solomon because they are owned by a PRC based Chinese firm, the concept of doing business with PRC Chinese ebay is a complete non starter at any price. .

AG's insights re the data collection would be reason enough as opposed to generally supporting a regime that is endeavoring to commit genocide against an entire people. As opposed to a govt that essentially nationalized 3M, Honeywell etc manufacturing assets and flatly blocked those companies from shipping PPE out of the PRC etc.