AliExpress can offer great deals, but it’s also very easy to get scammed, receive a cheap knock-off, or even end up with nothing at all. The search engine isn’t very helpful, often mixing reputable merchants with sketchy ones and real products with junk.
So far, I’ve found the AliUp extension, which seems fairly helpful. I wish there were third-party websites with independent reviews, but I haven’t found anything truly helpful or comprehensive yet.
So, what are your tips for buying on AliExpress or similar platforms?
I try look for higher sold numbers and review amount. Than looking for the sellers rating and also numbers.
A lot of brands have official AliExpress shops which you can reach via their website.
On the other side, get yourself a limit you’re comfortable to “lose” and buy expensive stuff locally.
The sort option by “orders” is good for this. Far from infallible but still useful.
I do the same by sorting by ‘orders’ and looking for better reviews. Also I usually select ‘choice’ shipping, so I don’t have to play so many games with x seller has a price of $6 with shipping for $3, while y has a price of $4 with shipping for $7.