How to order on AliExpress: our tips for finding the best deals
What are the tips to know when ordering on AliExpress? We explain how to master the interface of this e-commerce site and how to make good deals.
AliExpress is a separate online sales site on the French web. It is a huge marketplace where sellers worldwide offer many imported products at very attractive prices. The first visit can, however, be disconcerting. Here are some tips for finding your way around and ordering smartphones or items at a good price.
First step: find the right product at the right price
- Sorting by note and free delivery or return.
- Classification by number of orders, rating, or relevance.
- Sponsored ads often appear during searches by relevance.
- The first “real” result is here for Redmi Note 8 Pro research.
Some remarks on this search engine to make your life easier:
- Use the mobile version or the mobile app of AliExpress as much as possible, where the interface is easier to use
- Once the search has started, always sort by “Orders” or “number of orders”, which displays the best sellers and the most sold products
- Do not hesitate to activate the sorting by ratings higher than four stars in order to avoid bad sellers.
On mobile, the AliExpress interface is clearer. It is also possible to refine your searches by the number of orders or by rating with the tab at the top of the page.
If you followed these recommendations, you should see a Redmi Note 8 Pro series at very attractive prices. For our part, we spotted this Redmi Note 8 Pro, displayed in a price range from 199 to 268 euros, at the seller Hong Kong Goldway.
Second step: dissect the product sheet
Here is a product page on AliExpress.
- The price range goes from the base price of the smartphone without options to the highest price of the smartphone with accessories.
- The Package defines the price of the smartphone. You can add accessories in addition or not
- The Color, which also varies the price, allows you to choose the color and version of the smartphone.
- The price and delivery time are displayed here
- The guaranteed refund makes it possible to ensure that one can be reimbursed in full in the event of a dispute with the buyer.
The product sheet should be consulted carefully. It allows us to consult the opinions on the product, but also the sellers, the delivery time, the delivery price, and finally, the description.
Here are the main elements to spot on mobile product sheets:
- The price range depends on the “Package” and the “Color.”
- The price and delivery time
- The selection of “Package” and “Color” will modify the final price.
- The notices. When they are available, by clicking on the French flag, it is possible to see the opinions of French buyers, a good way of knowing how the delivery is going.
Another special feature of AliExpress is the price range. In our case, it varies from 199 to 268 euros. Why such a price difference? To find out, just click (on mobile) on the “Package” and “Color” buttons. A list of options will then appear.
The packet :
The Package contains (or not) additional options offered directly by the seller. In our case, this is a screen protection film (+ 5 euros), a protective shell (+14 euros), a Xiaomi Mi Band 4 (+ 24 euros) or even a pair of headphones (+ 8 euros).
The color:
The color does not bear its name very well since it covers both the color of the phone, but also the different versions in storage and RAM. By putting the Package on standard, the prices then vary from 199.33 euros (version 6 + 64 GB, in black color) to 244 euros (in version 6 + 128 GB, in blue color).
Here’s why AliExpress displays price ranges on smartphones. Depending on the “Package” (the accessories that are associated with the smartphone) and the “Color” (the color and version of the phone), the price varies by several tens of euros.
To get to the lowest rate, you must therefore take the standard package with the basic version of the phone in black. Take care to check the delivery price – free in our case – as well as the delivery time.
Third step: payment and delivery
Once you have selected your product in the price range and in the color you like, it’s time to move on to the payment and delivery method.
The delivery :
If AliExpress offers such low prices, it is because the sellers who offer the products are often based in Asia, where the prices are much lower than in France. As such, delivery can take approximately one to four weeks. However, it is often free. However, it is possible to speed up the delivery time by selecting faster-paid delivery.
Once the smartphone has been chosen, it’s time to place the order (left). It is possible to change the delivery method (center) but also to lower the price thanks to the coupon system of AliExpress (right).
Coupons in the form of promo codes:
Coupons are one of the reasons why buying products on AliExpress is very attractive. Coupons are available to reduce the price of an item. They can be issued by AliExpress – for new customers, for example – as well as by the sellers themselves to make temporary discounts on some of their products.
To use a coupon, nothing could be simpler; when paying, select a coupon from the list that appears in the “Discount” section or enter a reduction code given by a seller. These coupons can then lower the price by a few euros up to – 50% for the most generous.
Payment:
AliExpress supports the vast majority of current payment methods, from the traditional bank card to the PayPal account. Registering your card to speed up your next purchases is also possible.
Note that not all sellers on AliExpress offer the same means of payment. In the case of our Redmi Note 8 Pro, it was not possible to go through PayPal. AliExpress does, however, offer refund guarantees in the event of a dispute with the seller.
Fourth step: Wait for your package
It is ultimately the simplest step: once you have ordered your product, you just have to wait for it to arrive. The follow-up of the delivery then depends on the seller. In any case, you will have a tracking number for the package that will let you know where it is at any given time. The best sellers automatically send emails to notify you of the progress of the package.
In the event of a problem (if the product purchased does not correspond to the description or if it did not arrive on the scheduled date), AliExpress then undertakes to guarantee you the refund of the article in question if the seller or the product has the words “Guaranteed refund”.
In AliExpress, litigation takes place in three stages:
- First, contact the seller of the product to notify him that there is a problem with the product or the delivery of the product. The seller will then make a proposal to the buyer.
- If the buyer does not accept the seller’s proposal, then mediation with AliExpress must be opened a maximum of 15 days after receiving the product. The commercial site often favors the buyer when there is a dispute.
- Finally, reimbursement takes place within 15 days of the opening of the dispute.
