With all the people across the world going bananas in buying cheap stuff online, online shopping applications and websites are booming each day. AliExpress and Amazon are only two of the most talked about shopping sites that offer affordable deals.
But the question is - Is Aliexpress really cheaper than Amazon?
We will be weighing and comparing these two shopping giants that have probably been a part of our daily lives already. These two virtual shopping sites actually have a lot of similarities and differences too. If you’re thinking about where to purchase next, we have created a very extensive guide for you today.
Find out more about AliExpress and Amazon, and you will surely be a pro when it comes to e-commerce after reading this article.
Related: Ever wondered if Wish is cheaper than AliExpress? Learn more here.
AliExpress vs. Amazon Prices
Without any doubt, AliExpress offers much cheaper products than that of Amazon. There are actually a lot of reasons behind it, and we have simplified it for your convenience. So why exactly does AliExpress offer more affordable items than Amazon?
Awesome read on: Awesome things to buy on Aliexpress 2022
Third-Party Sellers and Manufacturers
Competition is what makes AliExpress affordable. AliExpress contains millions of third party sellers that usually sell the same products, so they compete with each other in terms of price. Of course, lower priced products are more catchy to customers so the seller that offers the lowest price usually has the highest profit.
Another reason behind the super-low prices of the products from AliExpress is that these third-party sellers get their products directly from the manufacturers. Also, you might be buying directly from the manufacturer too, if they happen to have a registered store from AliExpress.
Unlike physical stores, the manufacturers who have an online store in AliExpress do not add any markup on their products. Customers from across the world are able to get the lowest deals directly from the manufacturers.
Cost of Production
It is not a secret that all products from AliExpress are manufactured from China. China is known for its very low cost of production, hence the affordable price of the items. The employees are also given minimum wage which mainly affects the deduction from the goods’ prices.
In addition to the low cost of production and low wages, there are also a lot of free economic zones in China. This means that the manufacturing companies are not required to pay for taxes that allows them to offer more affordable products.
Product Quality
Most of us know that AliExpress mainly sells knock-off or fake products as compared to the original items that you can buy from Amazon. This is also one of the reasons why AliExpress is technically cheaper than Amazon.
Since these knock-offs make use of inferior products, you should expect that the overall quality is not as good as the original ones. You might be amazed that AliExpress sells fake items and you won’t even notice that they are fakes - and that might be a positive or a negative thing depending on your perspective.
If you are not so keen about the originality of a certain product especially for luxury items, then you can definitely rely on AliExpress for your purchases. You can actually purchase items for as low as $1 or less from AliExpress but one friendly reminder is that don’t expect too much about the product’s quality.
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Coupons and Promotions
As soon as you visit the AliExpress website, you would notice that it is bombarded with coupons and promotions all over the page. You get to have a new user coupon, and there are also added discounts for certain products when you check out. If you’re buying in bulk, you are also entitled to get additional discounts which is highly enticing!
As for Amazon, you would see that there are limited coupons available, but their strong spot is that they offer lower-priced original products online compared to what customers can buy from physical stores.
Pros and Cons of Buying from AliExpress
From a simple phone case to a car, AliExpress can definitely bring anything at your fingertips. Since AliExpress offers a wide range of products, this site is usually the go-to e-commerce platform for resellers.
Now that we have listed down the reasons as to why AliExpress definitely offers cheaper products than Amazon, it’s time to weigh the pros and cons of buying from AliExpress.
Pros:
- Price: The affordable price of AliExpress is definitely the sole reason why this website is very popular across the world. It is rare to see simple yet useful home products that are worth a dollar or even less.
- Buyer Protection: Since most buyers purchase their goods from AliExpress in bulk, AliExpress has to make sure that the packages would be delivered completely and safely. AliExpress boasts about its buyer protection program wherein getting refunds and sending disputes will always be honored to ensure customer satisfaction.
- Variety: As stated above, you can find almost any item that you’re looking for on AliExpress. From simple household items to appliances and electronics, AliExpress has everything you need.
- Discounts and Coupons: Everyone shopping at AliExpress would love that the affordable items they bought can still be decreased in price all thanks to the endless coupons and promotions. Each store offers different discounts depending on how many items you buy.
- Free Shipping: Aside from the numerous discounts and coupons, customers can also avail the free shipping offers from AliExpress. This free shipping service is available in almost all countries that AliExpress caters, giving customers more savings.
Read: Safe to use PAYPAL on Aliexpress?
Cons:
- Product Quality: Aside from the fact that some of the products from AliExpress are knock-offs of original goods, customers are also not able to assess the quality of the product until it’s in their hands.
- Shipping Time: AliExpress does have free shipping offers, but their shipping honestly takes too long. Sometimes, it takes 7 days before the seller ships the product out. On the other hand, this con can be justified because of the bulk orders that customers usually order.
- Payment Method: PayPal, which is one of the most used payment methods for online transactions, is usually not granted by AliExpress sellers.
- Language: If you visit the AliExpress website and you’re not using the English language, you would notice that the website is poorly translated. The English descriptions are also quite difficult to understand.
Pros and Cons of Buying from Amazon
Since we are mainly talking about the comparison between the prices of AliExpress vs. Amazon, it is also important to distinguish the advantages and disadvantages of purchasing goods from Amazon.
It is quite astonishing that Amazon has gained its popularity across the world by delivering high-quality and original products to the public. Let’s dig deeper into the advantages and disadvantages of buying from Amazon.
Pros:
- Reputation: According to Morning Consult, Amazon is deemed as the Top 5 Most Trusted Brands Globally. Customer satisfaction from Amazon is highly commendable because the customers know that they are not purchasing from third-party sellers when shopping at Amazon.
- Website Functionality: Unlike AliExpress, Amazon comes with a very easy to manage website, and shopping for hours wouldn’t hurt your eyes from looking at the screen. The website is very reliable, fast, and user-friendly even to older people who love shopping online.
- Customer Service: Great customer service is what makes Amazon also stand-out from other e-commerce websites. Customers are able to receive prompt responses and refunds from the sellers as soon as they contact them.
- Quality Assurance: High-quality products are the core reason why people buy from Amazon. The products are 100% original from legitimate suppliers, and you don’t even have to worry about thinking if the product you received is a knock-off.
Read: Aliexpress vs Alibaba
Cons:
- Price Differences: Some items differ in prices depending on what size and quantity the customer chooses to buy. The price displayed on the page would sometimes change as soon as you pick out a different variation of the product on the same page.
- Shipping Costs: Shipping is usually expensive when you purchase from Amazon, and if you’re living halfway across the United States of America, the shipping cost can sometimes be more than the price of the item you are purchasing.
- Product Stocks: Amazon has a large variety of products, but you would notice that the products are usually out of stock. This usually happens to products that are always on-demand in the market. Customers find themselves waiting for a long time for stocks to be filled up again.
AliExpress is Cheaper than Amazon
AliExpress is indeed cheaper than Amazon, but this fact comes with pros and cons. These two giants of e-commerce both have their edges and downfalls, but they definitely deliver the most important thing in virtual shopping: variety and customer satisfaction.
Have you ever tried shopping on these two online shopping platforms? Let us know about your experience in the comments below!
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