How to make money on Aliexpress: nuances and tricks. Secrets of savings and profitable purchases on Aliexpress Aliexpress nuances

China, where you can find almost any product - from paper clips to large TVs. Considering that many brands are designed or manufactured in China, this is not surprising. Let's figure out not only how to order on aliexpress, but also how to receive quality goods for their money.

Review of the aliexpress site - pros and cons

Let's first see what they can offer us here. There are not very many product categories, but they can include up to 100,000 items. The main categories of requests are:

  • Clothes and accessories
  • Automotive products
  • Electronics
  • Bags and shoes
  • Everything for children
  • Jewelry and watches
  • beauty and health
  • Sports and entertainment
  • For home and garden

Most likely, the product you need will be found in one of them. Before ordering on aliexpress, calculate the pros and cons.

The undoubted advantages of ordering on Aliexpress, in addition to the wide variety of products offered, include:

  • Quite low prices. You buy the product directly, bypassing intermediaries, so you avoid mind-boggling markups.
  • Ability to keep track of discounts and promotions. Once you add the product you like to your cart, you will constantly receive email notifications about price changes.
  • Possibility of free delivery. Of course, everyone understands that it is initially included in the price, but when you see the attractive price, the “Free shipping” mark is very pleasing to the eye.
  • Protection of the transaction. The risk of losing money is reduced to almost zero. In the process of ordering on aliexpress, you pay not directly to the seller, but through the Escrow system. The seller receives money only after you receive the goods and confirm the completion of the transaction.

Of course, with all the positive aspects, ordering on aliexpress is not without its drawbacks. Although there are not so many of them:

  • This is an English-language site. No, the Russian version, of course, is present, but it is “Chinese Russian”, which is often simply impossible to understand. And if you need to contact the seller, you can only do this in English.
  • Free shipping means long transit times. On average, delivery takes up to 3 weeks, although there are delays. However, if you need it faster, you can choose courier delivery, which will cost more.

Ordering on Aliexpress - searching for a product and the nuances associated with it

The easiest way to search for some electronics on the website is to enter specific model and select what you need. Although the search will also show a lot of accessories for it, which will get in the way.

Finding clothes is both simple and difficult at the same time. The selection criteria here are quite extensive, you can make a precise filter. There are only a few "buts":

  • Not all suppliers have a size table with measurements. Therefore, it is quite difficult to focus on the indicated size.
  • Even the measurements given are often incorrect or only approximate. Keep in mind that Chinese clothes run ungodly small. Therefore, if you need sizes larger than our 48, you can fly by. It is recommended to contact the seller and clarify the details.
  • The price of the same product from different sellers can vary dramatically. This does not always mean that others are marking up the price. This can often indicate quality. The picture will be the same, but the quality of a very cheap product will correspond to its price. Reviews will help you.

Another nuance when ordering on Aliexpress: pay attention to the number of items in the lot. Sometimes small items are sold only in lots - 10, 12 or more pieces. And the attractive price will be only if you purchase the entire quantity. Convenient for those who buy in bulk for resale, but not always suitable for those who need a unit. So, look for another seller from whom you can purchase this product one at a time.

Ordering on Aliexpress - basic steps

An order for Aliexpress begins with registration and creating your account. The procedure is standard and will not cause any problems for anyone.

Enter the desired product in the search bar. If you don’t know the name of this or that thing (some device that is not widely used here, for example), look for the desired category, and then focus on the pictures. If necessary, turn on the filter, selecting the necessary parameters.

Having found a suitable product, carefully read the description and terms of sale. If there are several sellers, choose the one with the maximum rating.

Be sure to read reviews of both the seller and the product. Don't go for the lowest price. Although sometimes the quality is the same everywhere.

If you have any additional questions, be sure to contact the seller. It’s better to find out all the details before purchasing.

After adding the item to your cart, proceed to payment. The simple interface will prevent any confusion. Make sure your card is open for online payments.

After payment, the seller must send the goods within two to three days and provide you with a tracking number. All you have to do is wait for it to arrive and confirm its receipt by closing the deal.

Ordering on Aliexpress - receiving a defective or wrong product

As mentioned above, the seller receives money only after confirmation of receipt of the goods. If you opened the parcel and discovered that due to poor-quality packaging the product was damaged or it was initially defective, or that the product was not sent what you ordered, you can open a dispute.

This must be done within 5 days. The seller is obliged to accept or reject the dispute within the same time frame. If he did not do this, the dispute is resolved in favor of the buyer, and the money is returned to him.

How to order on aliexpress - hint

Once the seller has acknowledged your claim, when ordering on AliExpress, you agree on a method of compensation - a refund or sending a new product.

If no agreement is reached, there are several options:

  • Within three days, the buyer can transfer the Dispute to the status of a Claim, then the case is reviewed by AliExpress employees.
  • If the Dispute is not resolved within 15 days, it automatically becomes a Claim, which is considered by the site staff.

Have you decided to return the item to the seller? Then you are required to notify him of the shipment by providing the tracking number. You didn't do this? The money goes to the seller. The seller, in turn, must mark the receipt of the return within 10 days. Otherwise, the money is automatically returned to you. The seller can also open a dispute if it turns out that you sent him the wrong product that was sent to you.

Aliexpress order in “frozen” status - what does this mean?

If you suddenly find that your order has this status, don’t panic. Please read the status comment carefully. Typically it will be: “This supplier has recently been identified as engaging in unsafe trading practices. To protect your trading activities, we have decided to review this order. Please be patient and await our further instructions."

As it becomes clear from the comment, when ordering on AliExpress, the site administration tries to protect the buyer from unscrupulous sellers. As soon as suspicious activity of the seller is noticed, they begin to check it. This may take up to a week.

If everything is in order with the seller, he himself tries to provide evidence of the “purity” of his actions. All you have to do is wait a little. If the verification fails, you can always find another seller.

As you can see, there are no particular difficulties when ordering from AliExpress. But there are a lot of positive aspects. Of course, we should not forget that online shopping is a lottery, and the picture does not always correspond to reality. When you see a thing on a model, think carefully about whether it will fit you the same way, so as not to be disappointed. We wish you pleasant and varied shopping.

1. Fast free, arrived after one day. The phone is in excellent condition. perfect. Sudden delivery, good smartphone.
2. The smartphone was ordered on Thursday, shipped on Friday and arrived the following Monday. from Rome to Bari. The seller responds to messages promptly and is always very polite and helpful. Smartphone works very well, great value for money. The phone is fast, has good external cameras, the display brightness is very, very high. The battery used in a moderate manner comes to last another four days on a single charge. The real disadvantage is front-camera, really bad quality. the reception is not great. I attach cat photos and jeans with THL 2015A Smartphone and recommended sellers!
3. A month later the phone does not give any problems. One month after using the phone continuously no problem.
4. This is the first very fast delivery to the Urals, less than 3 weeks. I'm happy with everything, the delivery, the product and the seller! I advise everyone. Minimum price for good quality!!!

buying a phone on aliexpress nuances
5. The phone arrived a month before Yakutia. I was lost somewhere for 3 weeks, but I got from Moscow to Yakutia in 4 days. Packed perfectly, in two boxes + bubble wrap. It feels pleasant to the touch, thin, does not creak. Doesn't slip in your hand. Good case, shows the clock in the window. There are small mistakes in the tailoring with translation, but they are not noticeable. Camera normal 13 MP + 18 MP with interpolation. Body frame metal + film already glued. Headphones suck. Charging 500 mAh is weak. Scrolls through everything quickly and does not lag, WIFI BLUUPUP GPS works. In general, for 5 rubles the phone is excellent. I bought it for my daughter and will order one for myself too. I recommend the phone and the seller.
6. Everything is perfect. the best seller. 2 days and I received my order.
7. It's incredible how well the q fits and the warm finish is very good phone Price q This is 03 Jun 2017 03:26
8. Big smartphone. delivery within 2 days. recommended!!! 12 Apr 2017 07:24
9. excellent pipe. I take the second one, no problems. Not enough internal memory! and everything is fine 08 Feb 2017 00:31
10. Very Rapido arrived, in principle EVERYTHING works very well. Thanks a lot!!! 15 Dec 2016 22:32
11. The long-awaited phone number arrived in 79 days. I ordered it, it was sent, but they asked me not to worry, it was not tracked. The seller, at my request, extended the protection for 30 days (up to). Thanks a lot. On some turtles, the NL (Netherlands) post office delivered my order to Kyiv, and I already picked it up from the post office. It was worth the wait. A very good smartphone (for me). And it was important for me to have 2 SIM cards + SD cards. I liked the cameras. In general, I have long wanted to buy THL. The seller is responsive, the phone is good, but the carrier in the form of NL mail is sooooo slow. While I was monitoring the parcel, I carried out small statistics through the website for 1 day. 20 people were waiting more than 70 days for delivery via NL Post. My gratitude for the responsiveness, fast shipping and excellent packaging. 08 Feb 2017 00:45
12. I ordered it, it arrived. Russification is not complete. The camera is good, but when approaching it is speckled. The flash and flashlight are bright. I asked the seller to send a white phone and a black case for it, several times I wrote a comment to the order and so on. But they sent everything white. It's a pity that there is no glass. I'm giving it 5 stars only because for the price it's not worth complaining about. If it cost 7-8 thousand, I would give 4 stars. 15 Dec 2016 22:31
13. shipped within 5 days. by Singapore Post. 3 days to Singapore and 10 days to home via Vnukovo. The box contained gifts and a free 64 GB flash drive. and adapters for SIM cards. The smartphone was completely discharged and didn’t even turn on, but when it charged a little, it turned out that it already had global firmware. It immediately offers to update to (sort of) but I have refused for now. .
14. Great seller, great phone. I even put in a bunch of gifts! .
15. delivery 21 days, new Mail, sent in factory film + gifts, flashed to global, the phone is super, I recommend the seller, the phone is original.
16. Came to Krasnoyarsk in 32 days, waited until everyone had played enough at customs, this is the second phone I have already ordered, I bought it for a friend, the first one arrived in 45 days, because... Chinese New Year they didn't work. I'm happy with the phone, the problem with charging has disappeared, it's fast, that's the main thing! Buying a phone on Aliexpress nuances.
17. Everything is fine. A bunch of plops, the phone arrived on global 8.1.
18. I didn’t order the phone for myself, so I can only say that it arrived intact, with all the goodies. The track code was fully tracked. I ordered a phone, the seller sent the order and it came to me. As it turned out later, the phone just likes to turn off and turns on only through fast boot. I contacted the seller, advised me to reflash the phone and sent me a link where to download the firmware. I haven’t tried his advice yet, the phone seems to be working for now.. If anything happens, I’ll add a review later. .
19. I bought it for my mother for her birthday. Excellent phone, mom is happy. Thanks to the seller for the efficiency!)) .
20. The phone arrived in protective packaging. The box itself has not been opened. Not wrinkled, no damage. The seller included a silicone case, an adapter for charging our sockets, a protective film, and adapters for SIM cards as a gift. The phone is in excellent condition. stood Chinese firmware. I upgraded to global without any problems. I am very pleased with the product. I recommend the seller. .
21. I’m happy with the phone, everything works. The battery lasts a long time. I always had the Internet on, except at night. the goods were tracked. .
22. Shipped for a long time due to the holidays) arrived in a month, tracked well! The quality is super! Very pleased! Order for this amount, you won’t regret it.
23. Excellent phone, the seller is not sociable. The order took a week to be sent, the track was tracked to the post office.
24. Order time: 09:38 January 30, 2017 Order completed: 10:08. in Tatarstan they were completely controlled Packed well, 64 GB memory cards ordered, my phone does not see the card inserted into the other phone, it works, my phone has 8 GB inserted, it sees, and does not understand, why not look at 64 GB, flash on globalco nothing has changed since memory cards. the phone was packaged well without hesitation, the seller put the silicone bumper of Xiaomi Redmi 4, not from Xiaomi Redmi 4 Pro glass film put, and extra clip and installed. transition to Euro plugin also have.
25. canfitka. not a phone. I asked again on the global network, deleted and disabled applications that I didn’t need. I downloaded interesting applications and I’m happy as an elephant. I don't play with toys. I ordered a memory card with the phone together. I formatted it to 64 on an ultrabook and then put it in the phone. memory car. I forgot the battery when I was charging it, I was looking for it and found it. .
26. My husband likes it, everything works, the sound on the video is not very good. Nothing was reflashed.
27. Many thanks to the seller! The parcel was delivered to Petrozavodsk within 22 days. The track was tracked throughout the entire journey. After testing the phone, I’m thinking of ordering another phone for my wife from this seller. Buying a phone on Aliexpress nuances.
28. Included back panel, everything corresponds to the description.
29. A month to Dagestan. Packed in an air bag. As a gift, an adapter, silicone, film, and a set for sim cards. I recommend the seller! Buying a phone on Aliexpress nuances.
30. Completely satisfied with the product. Delivery took 20 days via AliExpress Standard Shipping. The phone has a good performance, has a big battery, looks neat and much expensive that it is. For its cost it’s a really good deal. The seller added a bumper, protection screen and sim card adapters. Very kind of them. - Absolutely satisfied with the product. The parcel took 20 days (Standard AliExpress). For some reason from Sweden. The phone is fast, has a powerful battery, looks cool and is more expensive than it is. For such money - very worthy. The seller added a bumper, a protective film, and an adapter for SIM cards. Well done. .
31. Thank you very much! very happy with the purchase:) The phone arrived 20 days before the Kirov region, the track was tracked. Arrived with 50% battery charged. Everything is very neatly packed in a soft container. Included in the kit except the phone protective film on the screen, silicone bumper, micro CD card. We will order more... Thanks again! .

Registration, selection of goods, payment for orders, delivery, disputes and other nuances in this step-by-step guide.

Many people still don’t know how to buy on AliExpress or are afraid to do so. We will show you the purchasing process from start to finish and tell you about all the associated nuances.

Registration and first steps

You can search for products without registering an account, but when you try to buy something you will be asked to create a profile. It is needed to access order history, wish lists, communicate with sellers, and statistics.

How to register

Registration form

The corresponding button is located in the upper right corner of the site. When you click on it, the registration form opens. You need to enter your email address, first and last name, and password. Can be tied Facebook account, in this case you don’t have to enter your email: it will appear automatically.


Personal Area"My AliExpress"

After registration, you can go to your profile. Here are orders, messages, reviews, wish lists, disputes and so on. At this stage, you can only add a delivery address; everything else is not needed yet.

How to add an address

To add delivery addresses, go to the item of the same name side menu. There may be several addresses. This is convenient if you plan to send gifts to friends and family. When paying for your order, simply select the one you need.


Add address form

You only need to fill out the form here in Latin. It is important. Chinese sellers do not have keyboards with Cyrillic and, perhaps, even an encoding that displays it correctly. Everything, from the name to the address, must be written in transliteration.

Sellers don’t care what they put on the parcel. But the postmen will scratch their heads until they understand what you meant by Lenin Avenue or Boulevard of Peace.

  • Receiver name- indicate your full last name, first name and patronymic.
  • Street, house, flat- simply write ulitsa Pobedy or pereulok Mostovoi. The post office will understand.
  • Postcode- an important point. Even if you make a mistake with the address, the postal code will ensure that the shipment reaches the right place. You can find out the index of the nearest branch.
  • Telephone / mobile phone - do not forget that the numbers must be entered in international format, starting with the country code.

Product selection and purchase

Now you can go shopping. Don’t rush to order the first product you come across and chase the lowest price. First of all, a few nuances.

Which language to choose

AliExpress automatically includes Russian language. If you wish, you can choose any other one or switch to English. For convenience, it is better to leave Russian. The only time this will do more harm than good is reading the descriptions. A crooked translation can lead into such a jungle that you won’t immediately understand what it’s all about.

How to search


AliExpress search results

There are millions of products on AliExpress, it's easy to find what you need. It's harder to choose from thousands of search results. You can search in Russian. If there are no results or you are not satisfied with them, try formulating your request in English. To narrow your search, it is useful to use filters and advanced sorting functions.

  • Price- weed out products that are too expensive or look for them in a certain price category.
  • Free shipping- you can immediately filter out cunning sellers. These people include part of the cost in the shipping price to make their products look cheaper.
  • Only by piece- filter out offers for wholesalers.
  • 4 stars or more- do not waste time on low-quality products.
  • Sort by- choose sorting by the number of orders or seller rating - you won’t go wrong.
  • Ships from- for popular products there is an option to ship from local warehouses, choose it if you don’t want to wait a long time.
  • Group similar products- the option should remove similar products from the search results, but it does not work perfectly.

For example, you need a LEGO minifigure of Darth Vader. That's what we write in the search. We choose free delivery, piece goods and sorting by the number of orders. The desired figure appears already in the fifth position in the search.

Which seller to choose


Product page with description and other details

Several sellers have these mini-figures. Which one to choose? In this particular case, you can simply choose at random; the product costs a penny. When buying expensive things, it is better not to do this. Your choice determines the quality of the product, whether it matches the description, and whether you will receive it at all. We open several potential options in new tabs and carefully look at the following:

  • Rating- the same medals, crystals and crowns next to which the points are displayed. The rating is calculated based on positive feedback for the entire existence of the seller. The higher it is, the better. This is an indicator of reliability and reputation.
  • Percentage of positive reviews- the percentage shows the ratio of positive customer ratings to the total number of all reviews over the past six months. Should be as close to 100% as possible.
  • The number of orders- there should be a lot of them. People won't buy bad products. Choose a seller from the best big amount orders for this product.
  • Product rating- product quality on a five-point scale based on customer reviews. Products with hundreds or thousands of orders usually have a rating of 4–4.5 or higher.
  • Reviews- this is the most important thing, you can safely start the comparison with them. Carefully study what people who bought it write about the product, what they say about the seller, how long delivery takes, and so on. Very helpful.

With a mini-figure, everything is simple: it has a minimum price and the first seller has more than two thousand orders with an average rating of 4.7 points. You don’t have to look any further, let’s take this one.

Order and payment

After searching and choosing, you need to place an order and pay for the purchase. In fact, payment does not go through immediately, but this no longer depends on us.

How to order

To order, click the “Buy Now” or “Add to Cart” button. It depends on whether you are going to immediately proceed to payment or whether you want to continue shopping and pay for all the goods together. Please indicate the size, color or model, as well as the quantity of goods. Please note that price may vary depending on color and model.


Confirmation of an order

After clicking the purchase button, you will be taken to the checkout screen. Here you can double-check all the data about the product (color, quantity), select a delivery address if you have several, and also leave a comment for the seller, use a discount coupon and select a delivery method.

The standard shipping method is ordinary shipment without tracking (ordinary). For inexpensive purchases, as in our case, this does not matter. For valuable goods, you should choose a delivery method with a track number (registered). The final price will increase by 1.5–2 dollars, but you will have peace of mind and will be able to track all the movements of your parcel.

What you need to know about payment


Selecting a payment method

Clicking on the “Place Order” button will take you to the payment screen. Here you need to select one of the proposed methods available for your country.

  • Map- credit or debit. The simplest method that most people use.
  • QIWI Wallet- an electronic wallet that is easy to top up through terminals. An option for those who do not want to use cards.
  • WebMoney, Yandex.Money» - electronic payment systems. Convenient option, if you get money from them.

Payment is the most popular method. Don't be afraid of it: it's absolutely reliable. All your data is sent over a secure connection and is visible only to AliExpress, but not to sellers. We advise you to choose this option.

Which card is suitable?

Any Visa and MasterCard cards that support online payments are suitable for payment. AliExpress works with rubles, so Russians pay with a regular ruble card. Residents of other CIS countries cannot avoid automatic conversion to the standard currency of the site - dollars.

To pay for your order, online transactions must be enabled on your card. Many banks have special Internet cards, they are often designed specifically for purchases. The map can be virtual; its maintenance is relatively inexpensive. Before paying for the goods, you need to know the following details:

  • Card number- those same 16 digits.
  • Validity- month and year of expiration. Four numbers on the front of the card, for example 12/19.
  • CVV code- three-digit security code on the back of the card. For virtual cards it can be found in the application or on the Internet banking website.

How to pay

Select the payment method “Card” and proceed to filling out the form. Just enter the card number and expiration date, CVV code and owner's name.


Payment by card

Click on the “Pay now” button, your bank’s page will open, where you will need to enter a transaction confirmation code (it will be sent via SMS or via mobile app). This depends on the type of card you have (you can check with your bank).

If you made no mistakes anywhere, you will receive a notification that the payment was successful. The card number can be saved and linked to your AliPay account. You won't have to enter it in the future. This way you will save time on your next purchases. But this is not necessary; you don’t have to bind anything.

Receiving an order

The product has been selected, ordered and paid for, leaving the most tedious part - waiting for delivery. After a few weeks of waiting, the parcel will be at your office and can be picked up.

How to find out the status

The seller must prepare your order, package it and ship it to you. You will be provided with a tracking number if your chosen shipping method provides this. AliExpress informs you about all changes in the status of your order via notifications by email and in your profile on the website.


History of orders

Go to the “All orders” section and look at the status of the latest products. There may be several of them:

  • Payment expected- you have confirmed, but have not yet paid for the order. After the allotted time for payment has expired (can be found on the product page), the order is cancelled.
  • Payment verification- AliExpress processes and confirms the payment transaction. Usually takes up to 24 hours, but during sales it can take 2-3 days.
  • Expected shipping- the seller processes your order, packs it and prepares it for shipment. Usually 2-4 days depending on conditions, they are indicated on the product page.
  • The order has been sent- your purchase has been transferred to the delivery service and is already on its way to you. This takes from 15 to 60 days.
  • Confirmation received- you confirm receipt of the order.
  • Completed- the deal is closed. Appears after you have confirmed receipt of the item.

On average, delivery takes approximately 1–1.5 months. If you pay the seller extra for a tracking number, you will be able to track where your shipment is at one time or another all this time.


Package tracking

The seller must add a tracking number to the order within three days after shipment. It will appear on the order line. You can view here brief information on it or use it third party services for tracking.

Data on shipments is updated no more than once a day (or even less often). It makes sense to check your order 2-3 times a week. Once sent, it may not be tracked for a week. Do not panic. Often, sellers assign a tracking number to the parcel in advance, while it lies at the post office for several days and awaits dispatch.

How to receive a parcel

So, the package has arrived. It can get to you in two ways: the postman will put it in Mailbox(this often happens with small packages) or will bring you a notification that there is a shipment for you that needs to be received.

More often, a notification comes and you need to go to the nearest post office to pick up the parcel. In this case, you need to take your passport and the same notice with you.

Upon receipt, carefully inspect the parcel and if the integrity of the packaging is damaged, request an inspection report. Even if everything looks fine with the package or box, it’s a good idea to check the contents right here at the post office and record the whole process on video. In case of misunderstandings, you will have evidence for the seller and a chance for a positive outcome when it comes to a dispute.

At home, when you fully test the product, do not forget to leave a review and rate it. This will help other buyers make their choice.

Guarantees and protection

Sometimes you can run into low-quality or damaged goods, or even not receive your order at all. For such cases, AliExpress provides buyer protection. It provides a guarantee of compensation or a full refund in case of an unsuccessful purchase.

How protection works

The protection is valid for a certain period. It depends on the delivery time specified by the seller, and on average is 60 days. If during this time you do not receive the product or it does not correspond to the description, you can open a dispute. After reviewing it, AliExpress will return the money spent or provide compensation.


Order details

You can find out the expiration date of protection in “My Orders”. Just click “Details” next to the desired purchase. If the protection ends and you still haven’t received your order, it can be extended. This is important because disputes can only be opened for orders in the “Sent” status or within 15 days of receipt.

How to open a dispute

Usually, the delivery of goods depends more on our mail than on the seller. If enough time has passed and still no parcel, you can open a dispute and request a refund.


Open a dispute button

The button of the same name is located in the order details in the “My Orders” section. To open a dispute, you need to fill out the form. Indicate the details of the problem and the amount of compensation that suits you, and also attach a photo. In some fields, simply select ready-made options, in others, write details.

After considering the arguments on both sides, AliExpress makes a decision on a refund (if the product did not arrive) or compensation (if the wrong size, model or poor quality product was sent). This takes from two weeks to two months. Most often, the administration of the trading platform takes the side of the buyer.

This article is mainly intended for first-time buyers. In it we will look at the main nuances that you should pay attention to in the process of choosing a product and placing an order on AliExpress.

First of all, we read the reviews left by other buyers who have already ordered from this seller. Read negative reviews especially carefully, they are where you can see all the points in which the seller can let you down.
If you are making your first purchase, then do not chase cheapness. It is better to start by placing an order from a trusted seller with good rating rather than risk being scammed or having a low-quality product the first time you order on AliExpress, until you have the proper experience and understanding of the shopping process.
For your first purchases of appliances and electronics, it is better to choose a seller with a rating of at least 98%, and if you order household and household items, clothes, shoes, bags, then you need a seller with a rating of at least 96%.
After a few purchases, you will already have a good experience, based on which you can, guided by your knowledge, choose less popular sellers on AliExpress who offer lower prices for the goods you are interested in.
Looking through reviews is important look at the number of orders that were automatically closed without reviews. If there are quite a lot of them (over the last 2-3 months), this means that the seller is most likely delaying the delivery of goods, etc. Most likely, he is not very honest and increases his rating in this way. Therefore, for the first purchases, we avoid sellers with a large number of automatically closed orders.

Check the reliability of the seller

Search the seller's data and reviews in the database on the website http://www.alimonitor.ru/ It is better to spend some time before purchasing to find out the reliability of the seller than to spend several months solving problems associated with him.

Feel free to write a personal message to the seller before paying for the order and ask him questions. Check everything that can help you in choosing a product:

inquire about availability at this moment of the product from the seller, check the final cost of your purchase, whether delivery is paid, whether photographs of the product were taken by the customer himself or ask to send real photographs, ask if there are any warranty obligations (relevant for expensive electronics, since the AliExpress website itself does not provide guarantees for the product , and all warranty obligations are based solely on the client’s trust in the seller and the latter’s integrity).
If this concerns clothing, then you can take a screenshot of the product from the seller’s page or somehow graphically explain what exactly you need: model, color, size, etc.
If you are buying shoes or clothes, then to be on the safe side, it is better to send the seller your measurements in centimeters, so that he can determine the size that is suitable for you. This option is more reliable, because in China the size ranges are different from what we are used to and if you choose the size yourself, there is a high chance of making a mistake.

The delivery time for your item should not exceed 7 days. This indicator is taken into account in working days.
After payment, you will see this indicator in days in your personal account. As a result, it turns out that with a period of 7 working days, taking into account weekends, the meter may show 11-12 days. If you happen to be on Chinese holidays, the system will add a couple more days.

Terms of delivery of cheap goods. Availability of tracking number.

When buying cheap goods (costing up to $10), carefully read the product description, labels on the photo and other information. See if there is any mention of the minimum order amount at which the seller sends you a tracking number.
Some sellers save on this and send you a “left” tracking number, which has nothing to do with your parcel and will not be tracked on the websites. The customer writes it simply because this is a required field for processing the shipment of goods.
If your parcel is sent without a track, you will learn about its arrival thanks to a notification from the post office.
Check with the seller for this detail and the tracking number before paying for the order.

Important rule: One product – One order – One payment.

If the required number of items is missing in the parcel, it will be easier for you to prove this during a dispute.

Make trial purchases

If you plan to order a large quantity of goods, please make a trial order with one copy first. So you're on personal experience Evaluate whether you are satisfied with the quality of the product and the work of the seller. If everything went well, then you can start purchasing in bulk.

Do not use third-party payment systems

You always pay only through the AliExpress payment system. Do not use third-party systems if you want to avoid fraud. No matter how much the seller asks you about it.

Payment with Maestro card

When paying with a Maestro plastic card, only cards with a chip and secret code. Payments from other types of Maestro cards are not accepted.

If you have enough time and patience, then it would be nice to talk with customers who left reviews about the product on the AliExpress website. Especially if these are negative reviews. A dissatisfied customer can tell you a lot of interesting things about their interaction with the seller. There is no such opportunity on Aliexpress, but you can still communicate with buyers. How to contact a buyer on AliExpress?

Read about possible scam options

Options for fraud on AliExpress are described in the article Scams and deception on Aliexpress. .
This will help you recognize dishonest sellers and avoid a lot of problems.

Selecting a product and seller on Aliexpress

Have a question? Write it in the comments or chat

Many people still don’t know how to buy on AliExpress or are afraid to do so. We will show you the purchasing process from start to finish and tell you about all the associated nuances.

Registration and first steps

You can search for products without registering an account, but when you try to buy something you will be asked to create a profile. It is needed to access order history, wish lists, communicate with sellers, and statistics.

How to register

Registration form

The corresponding button is located in the upper right corner of the site. When you click on it, the registration form opens. You need to enter your email address, first and last name, and password. You can link your Facebook account; in this case, you don’t have to enter your email: it will be filled in automatically.


Personal account “My AliExpress”

After registration, you can go to your profile. Here are orders, messages, reviews, wish lists, disputes and so on. At this stage, you can only add a delivery address; everything else is not needed yet.

How to add an address

To add delivery addresses, go to the side menu item of the same name. There may be several addresses. This is convenient if you plan to send gifts to friends and family. When paying for your order, simply select the one you need.


Add address form

You only need to fill out the form here in Latin. It is important. Chinese sellers do not have keyboards with Cyrillic and, perhaps, even an encoding that displays it correctly. Everything, from the name to the address, must be written in transliteration.

Sellers don’t care what they put on the parcel. But the postmen will scratch their heads until they understand what you meant by Lenin Avenue or Boulevard of Peace.

  • Receiver name- indicate your full last name, first name and patronymic.
  • Street, house, flat- simply write ulitsa Pobedy or pereulok Mostovoi. The post office will understand.
  • Postcode- an important point. Even if you make a mistake with the address, the postal code will ensure that the shipment reaches the right place. You can find out the index of the nearest branch.
  • Telephone/mobile phone- do not forget that numbers must be entered in international format, starting with the country code.

Product selection and purchase

Now you can go shopping. Don’t rush to order the first product you come across and chase the lowest price. First of all, a few nuances.

Which language to choose

AliExpress automatically includes Russian language. If you wish, you can choose any other one or switch to English. For convenience, it is better to leave Russian. The only time this will do more harm than good is reading the descriptions. A crooked translation can lead into such a jungle that you won’t immediately understand what it’s all about.

How to search


AliExpress search results

There are millions of products on AliExpress, it's easy to find what you need. It's harder to choose from thousands of search results. You can search in Russian. If there are no results or you are not satisfied with them, try formulating your request in English. To narrow your search, it is useful to use filters and advanced sorting functions.

  • Price- weed out products that are too expensive or look for them in a certain price category.
  • Free shipping- you can immediately filter out cunning sellers. These people include part of the cost in the shipping price to make their products look cheaper.
  • Only by piece- filter out offers for wholesalers.
  • 4 stars or more- do not waste time on low-quality products.
  • Sort by- choose sorting by the number of orders or seller rating - you won’t go wrong.
  • Ships from- for popular products there is an option to ship from local warehouses, choose it if you don’t want to wait a long time.
  • Group similar products- the option should remove similar products from the search results, but it does not work perfectly.

For example, you need a LEGO minifigure of Darth Vader. That's what we write in the search. We choose free delivery, piece goods and sorting by the number of orders. The desired figure appears already in the fifth position in the search.

Which seller to choose


Product page with description and other details

Several sellers have these mini-figures. Which one to choose? In this particular case, you can simply choose at random; the product costs a penny. When buying expensive things, it is better not to do this. Your choice determines the quality of the product, whether it matches the description, and whether you will receive it at all. We open several potential options in new tabs and carefully look at the following:

  • Rating- the same medals, crystals and crowns next to which the points are displayed. The rating is calculated based on positive reviews for the entire existence of the seller. The higher it is, the better. This is an indicator of reliability and reputation.
  • Percentage of positive reviews- the percentage shows the ratio of positive customer ratings to the total number of all reviews over the past six months. Should be as close to 100% as possible.
  • The number of orders- there should be a lot of them. People won't buy bad products. Choose the seller with the largest number of orders for this product.
  • Product rating- product quality on a five-point scale based on customer reviews. Products with hundreds or thousands of orders usually have a rating of 4–4.5 or higher.
  • Reviews- this is the most important thing, you can safely start the comparison with them. Carefully study what people who bought it write about the product, what they say about the seller, how long delivery takes, and so on. Very helpful.

With a mini-figure, everything is simple: it has a minimum price and the first seller has more than two thousand orders with an average rating of 4.7 points. You don’t have to look any further, let’s take this one.

Order and payment

After searching and choosing, you need to place an order and pay for the purchase. In fact, payment does not go through immediately, but this no longer depends on us.

How to order

To order, click the “Buy Now” or “Add to Cart” button. It depends on whether you are going to immediately proceed to payment or whether you want to continue shopping and pay for all the goods together. Please indicate the size, color or model, as well as the quantity of goods. Please note that price may vary depending on color and model.


Confirmation of an order

After clicking the purchase button, you will be taken to the checkout screen. Here you can double-check all the data about the product (color, quantity), select a delivery address if you have several, and also leave a comment for the seller, use a discount coupon and select a delivery method.

The standard shipping method is ordinary shipment without tracking (ordinary). For inexpensive purchases, as in our case, this does not matter. For valuable goods, you should choose a delivery method with a track number (registered). The final price will increase by 1.5–2 dollars, but you will have peace of mind and will be able to track all the movements of your parcel.

What you need to know about payment


Selecting a payment method

Clicking on the “Place Order” button will take you to the payment screen. Here you need to select one of the proposed methods available for your country.

  • Map- credit or debit. The simplest method that most people use.
  • QIWI Wallet- an electronic wallet that is easy to top up through terminals. An option for those who do not want to use cards.
  • WebMoney, Yandex.Money» - electronic payment systems. A convenient option if you get money for them.

Payment is the most popular method. Don't be afraid of it: it's absolutely reliable. All your data is sent over a secure connection and is visible only to AliExpress, but not to sellers. We advise you to choose this option.

Which card is suitable?

Any Visa and MasterCard cards that support online payments are suitable for payment. AliExpress works with rubles, so Russians pay with a regular ruble card. Residents of other CIS countries cannot avoid automatic conversion to the standard currency of the site - dollars.

To pay for your order, online transactions must be enabled on your card. Many banks have special Internet cards, they are often designed specifically for purchases. The map can be virtual; its maintenance is relatively inexpensive. Before paying for the goods, you need to know the following details:

  • Card number- those same 16 digits.
  • Validity- month and year of expiration. Four numbers on the front of the card, for example 12/19.
  • CVV code- three-digit security code on the back of the card. For virtual cards, you can find it in the application or on the Internet banking website.

How to pay

Select the payment method “Card” and proceed to filling out the form. Just enter the card number and expiration date, CVV code and owner's name.


Payment by card

Click on the “Pay Now” button, your bank’s page will open, where you will need to enter a transaction confirmation code (it will be sent via SMS or via a mobile application). This depends on the type of card you have (you can check with your bank).

If you made no mistakes anywhere, you will receive a notification that the payment was successful. The card number can be saved and linked to your AliPay account. You won't have to enter it in the future. This way you will save time on your next purchases. But this is not necessary; you don’t have to bind anything.

Receiving an order

The product has been selected, ordered and paid for, leaving the most tedious part - waiting for delivery. After a few weeks of waiting, the parcel will be at your office and can be picked up.

How to find out the status

The seller must prepare your order, package it and ship it to you. You will be provided with a tracking number if your chosen shipping method provides this. AliExpress informs you about all changes in the status of your order via notifications by email and in your profile on the website.


History of orders

Go to the “All orders” section and look at the status of the latest products. There may be several of them:

  • Payment expected- you have confirmed, but have not yet paid for the order. After the allotted time for payment has expired (can be found on the product page), the order is cancelled.
  • Payment verification- AliExpress processes and confirms the payment transaction. Usually takes up to 24 hours, but during sales it can take 2-3 days.
  • Expected shipping- the seller processes your order, packs it and prepares it for shipment. Usually 2-4 days depending on conditions, they are indicated on the product page.
  • The order has been sent- your purchase has been transferred to the delivery service and is already on its way to you. This takes from 15 to 60 days.
  • Confirmation received- you confirm receipt of the order.
  • Completed- the deal is closed. Appears after you have confirmed receipt of the item.

On average, delivery takes approximately 1–1.5 months. If you pay the seller extra for a tracking number, you will be able to track where your shipment is at one time or another all this time.


Package tracking

The seller must add a tracking number to the order within three days after shipment. It will appear on the order line. Here you can view brief information on it or use third-party tracking services.

Data on shipments is updated no more than once a day (or even less often). It makes sense to check your order 2-3 times a week. Once sent, it may not be tracked for a week. Do not panic. Often, sellers assign a tracking number to the parcel in advance, while it lies at the post office for several days and awaits dispatch.

How to receive a parcel

So, the package has arrived. It can get to you in two ways: the postman will put it in your mailbox (this often happens with small packages) or he will bring you a notice that there is a package for you to receive.

More often, a notification comes and you need to go to the nearest post office to pick up the parcel. In this case, you need to take your passport and the same notice with you.

Upon receipt, carefully inspect the parcel and if the integrity of the packaging is damaged, request an inspection report. Even if everything looks fine with the package or box, it’s a good idea to check the contents right here at the post office and record the whole process on video. In case of misunderstandings, you will have evidence for the seller and a chance for a positive outcome when it comes to a dispute.

At home, when you fully test the product, do not forget to leave a review and rate it. This will help other buyers make their choice.

Guarantees and protection

Sometimes you can run into low-quality or damaged goods, or even not receive your order at all. For such cases, AliExpress provides buyer protection. It provides a guarantee of compensation or a full refund in case of an unsuccessful purchase.

How protection works

The protection is valid for a certain period. It depends on the delivery time specified by the seller, and on average is 60 days. If during this time you do not receive the product or it does not correspond to the description, you can open a dispute. After reviewing it, AliExpress will return the money spent or provide compensation.


Order details

You can find out the expiration date of protection in “My Orders”. Just click “Details” next to the desired purchase. If the protection ends and you still haven’t received your order, it can be extended. This is important because disputes can only be opened for orders in the “Sent” status or within 15 days of receipt.

How to open a dispute

Usually, the delivery of goods depends more on our mail than on the seller. If enough time has passed and still no parcel, you can open a dispute and request a refund.


Open a dispute button

The button of the same name is located in the order details in the “My Orders” section. To open a dispute, you need to fill out the form. Indicate the details of the problem and the amount of compensation that suits you, and also attach a photo. In some fields, simply select ready-made options, in others, write details.

After considering the arguments on both sides, AliExpress makes a decision on a refund (if the product did not arrive) or compensation (if the wrong size, model or poor quality product was sent). This takes from two weeks to two months. Most often, the administration of the trading platform takes the side of the buyer.