Is AliExpress Legit? All You Need to Know When Buy from AliExpress

Recently, is AliExpress legal? has become a hot topic. Many people discuss whether it’s a scam and whether sourcing from AliExpress is safe. As a retail businessman, expanding your profit will lead you to this platform. So, let me provide you with an in-depth analysis of AliExpress and what you need to know when sourcing from AliExpress.

AliExpress, often called the Amazon of China, is one of the largest global e-commerce platforms. With over 50 billion downloads, it ranks as the 6th most popular online shopping app worldwide. Unbelievablely, It maintains a 12% user growth rate. According to

big data, in the first half of 2024, the Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) reached $30 billion. If such a large platform were illegitimate, retail e-commerce sellers would lose access to an excellent source of goods.

What is AliExpress?

AliExpress is an online retail platform under Alibaba Group, one of the world's largest e-commerce companies. Launched in 2010, AliExpress quickly grew into a global platform connecting buyers worldwide with sellers, primarily from China. It offers diverse retail products, including electronics, fashion items, and home goods, often at highly competitive prices with nice quality.

Image source: sultan of turkey

As mentioned earlier, AliExpress is often referred to as the Chinese Amazon, but there is a key difference: it only acts as an e-commerce platform, which means it does not directly offer products to consumers. This makes sourcing from AliExpress potentially less safe.

AliExpress is famous for its low prices, which can be attributed to its unique business model that directly connects buyers with manufacturers or wholesalers. This direct-to-consumer(D2C) approach helps reduce costs, enabling sellers to offer products at lower prices. Additionally, there are many more reasons, let’s take a look!

Why is AliExpress so Cheap?

One of the reasons AliExpress has been able to grow so successfully is cheap. So why is AliExpress so cheap? Why can the same products be priced at only a third or even less than what you find on Amazon?

After careful consideration, the following key factors can explain this:

Differences in Supply Chains and Production Methods

Supply Chains: AliExpress provides a direct communication platform between consumers and suppliers, without the intermediaries that typically earn profits from distribution. This allows suppliers to achieve the same profit with lower prices, giving consumers more discounts and lower costs.

Production Methods: As a platform based in China, AliExpress hosts mostly Chinese manufacturers who benefit from the scale effects of China's manufacturing industry. The large production scale significantly reduces the cost of goods, enabling suppliers to offer more competitive pricing.

Variations in Pricing Standards and Market Positioning

Pricing Standards: AliExpress charges a lower commission than Amazon, typically around 5%, with a maximum of 10%. There are almost no other fees besides the commission. This allows consumers to save on costs that would otherwise be passed on by the platform to merchants.

Commission diagram for some products

Market Positioning: Unlike Amazon’s premium positioning, AliExpress primarily targets mid to low-end consumers. In the consumer market, mid- to low-end products often offer the best value for money, and their brand markup is lower than high-end products.

Platform Characteristics and Differences in Market Regulation

Platform Characteristics: AliExpress facilitates cross-border trade, so consumers often place large orders. From a practical perspective, it makes sense for wholesale prices to be lower than retail prices. Wholesale also brings the added benefit of reducing per-unit shipping costs.

Market Regulation: As mentioned earlier, AliExpress is merely a transactions platform. Although it takes extensive measures to protect consumer rights, some low-quality products inevitably slip through the cracks. Lower prices often correlate with lower quality.

Is AliExpress Legit？Is AliExpress Safe?

Is AliExpress legit? The answer is yes, it is a legit platform. Here are three reasons to support this point.

1. AliExpress operates in multiple countries and regions worldwide, adhering to various local laws and regulations, including consumer protection laws, tax requirements, and import/export rules.

2. AliExpress offers a secure payment platform and refund protection policies to ensure consumers' transaction safety.

3. AliExpress conducts verification and certification of suppliers when they join the platform and continues to monitor and penalize them.

Image source: Shutterstock

Although AliExpress is a legit platform and takes steps to protect consumer rights, this doesn’t mean every trade made on AliExpress is completely safe. As a platform that merely facilitates transactions, AliExpress doesn’t sell products directly. Some suppliers may engage in practices that infringe on consumers' rights. Therefore, it is crucial to assess the safety of your purchases independently.

AliExpress Penalty rules

How to Safely Source from AliExpress?

You already know buying from AliExpress carries certain risks, but the tempting low prices and excellent service make it hard to resist. So you must learn how to buy safely from AliExpress. It’s not as difficult as it seems, and following these key tips can ensure a secure shopping experience.

Choose better Sellers

As with other platforms, selecting reputable sellers is key. AliExpress rates all its sellers based on store level, customer reviews, and feedback. Sellers with a rating of 4.5 stars or higher are generally considered reliable.

Merchant star rating diagram/Source: SEOtenten

Carefully Inspect Products and Avoid Counterfeits

Before completing the order, please carefully review the product details to ensure it meets your requirements, such as size, color, material, etc. Be aware that some sellers upload misleading images that don’t reflect the real item. Also, pay attention to the brand: if a product is priced much lower than market value, it’s likely fake.

Beware of Brushing Scam

Today's sellers are smart. They know you’ll check product reviews before buying. It led to the rise of fake review schemes. Sellers may offer rewards for customers to leave positive reviews to inflate their ratings. If you see a product with a disproportionately high number of similar reviews, it’s a red flag that the reviews might be fake.

Watch Out for Listing Scams

Some unscrupulous sellers include multiple product links on a single listing to mislead buyers. For instance, a high-end bottle of wine priced at $1000 might appear on sale for just $100. If you don’t carefully inspect the product links, you might spend $100 on an empty bottle.

Are There Any AliExpress Alternatives for Businesses Sourcing from China?

Avoiding scams on AliExpress can improve operational efficiency and reduce costs, maximizing the platform’s competitive advantages in pricing and quality. However, besides security risks, AliExpress has several other drawbacks:

Negotiation Difficult

Slow Fulfillment

Customization Limited

After-Sales Service Delayed

Total sourcing costs should account for various factors such as product price, quality, fulfillment, and after-sales services. While AliExpress is often the first platform for many international retailers sourcing from China. But there are numerous other platforms available that offer lower costs and better quality. Here is a comparison and recommendation of alternative sourcing platforms.

You may not have to source from e-commerce platforms, because Chinese sourcing agents have become increasingly sophisticated. Many large U.S. retailers now prefer partnering with Chinese sourcing agents with lower costs and greater convenience. Here is a nice recommendation.

EJET Procurement

EJET is a one-stop China sourcing platform. It can tailor smart procurement solutions for you. Key features include:

• One-stop services
• Customized sourcing solutions
• Multiple order consolidation
• Offline sourcing
• Professional logistics services
• Financial Support

Here are some customer reviews about EJET

Last Words

If you want to learn more about EJET Procurement or get help from EJET, you can visit EJET Procurement or submit your information directly. Our sourcing experts will contact you and offer 24/7 services.