Aliexpress.com, user experiences?

[SiriusHardware]

I've been keeping an eye out for an IC I need from UK sources but they only seem to be consistently available from China / Hong Kong. Of the various suppliers who do have them, Aliexpress.com is one I have at least 'heard of'.

Has anyone (UK) ordered from them before?

[linescan87]

Hi Sirius,

I've had an account with Aliexpress for 5 years, no problems. Set up on my phone with the app. Very handy, shipping time between 3 to 6 weeks.

Only once a package was lost, contacting the supplier I was refunded, no hassle.

John Joe.

[ex seismic]

Bought something from them a while back without problems except that their system requires a mobile phone number.

[merlinmaxwell]

except that their system requires a mobile phone number

That puts me out of the equation.

[SiriusHardware]

I'm not too clear where the system insists on a mobile number (I never ever buy or organise anything important online using a mobile, only ever a PC) so I wouldn't be using the app.

From what I saw earlier the website can be used like any other online sales website and allows Paypal payment which would suit me better (the fewer organisations I hand out card details to, the better).

[John_BS]

I've bought some low-value items from "them" without a problem. As I understand it, it's the Chinese equivalent of Ebay, so your user experience may be in part defined by the particular seller you end up with.



John

[SiriusHardware]

Yes, I wondered if it was like that, or whether they were more like Amazon 'Marketplace' where Amazon at least form some sort of interface between the buyer and seller.

[vidjoman]

Don't think it's like ebay at all. They are a 'handler' who advertise traders products and hold your payment until you have received the goods and acknowledge this via their portal. They will then pay the supplier. They are a very big organisation.

I've had several items and they have arrived within 10 - 14 days. The suppliers have emailed pictures of the goods and the packages so I know what should arrive.

Found them to be a good service. There are other similar organisations available.

[kellys_eye]

'escrow' is the word. They are, as vidjoman says, intermediaries that hold payment until you are satisfied with your order.

I've ordered many times and only ever had one problem that the seller was extremely interested in putting right (I ordered some after market soldering iron tips and they sent the wrong ones and they were so keen to put the order right - presumably to keep on the good side of Ali - that they sent me GENUINE soldering tips that must have cost them a fortune!).

Not much of a recommendation but others I know that use the services report quite positively too.

[Semir_DE]

Hello Everyone,

I have been ordering parts from Ali for about three years now. I have received close to 100 packages from different vendors ranging from valve bases to small transformers, Fibre optical (SFP) adaptors, PIC Programmers, and various ICs. All but one order did not arrive here but when I opened a dispute at Ali I got a refund within a few days.

It does take quite long sometimes for the goods to arrive here despite the fact that I live very close to the Frankfurt airport. I suspect some of the delay is probably due to the customs processing of the goods upon arrival. I usually have to wait for 3-8 weeks until I get the packages. I try to keep the value of each shipment under €22 because up to this value (including shipping) I do not need to pay any import duties. This is the current regulation in Germany anyway.

Semir

[Silvered_Mica]

"except that their system requires a mobile phone number"

I have opened an account with Aliexpress today and you don't have to give it a phone number just put some zeros in the field, it seems to be happy with that and has accepted my order.
For some reason it wouldn't let me use pay-pal had to use a card.

[SiriusHardware]

Originally Posted by Silvered_Mica

For some reason it wouldn't let me use pay-pal had to use a card.

That would have been the end of my interest at that point. Acceptance of Paypal seems to vary from trader to trader - I would not be setting up an account with them, would only participate if there was a 'checkout as guest' option.

Looking through the various Aliexpress listings for the item I want, Paypal is listed as a supported payment method by some of the traders who list it but but not others. I'm still dithering, although it seems that no-one so far has had a bad experience, with occasional losses or non arrivals always being compensated.

[nutteronthebus]

The only thing wrong is they may charge for paypal and not for a card I have used them many times and had no problems

[MrBungle]

I've put over 100 orders in so far. I have had 3 things turn up wrong or not turn up and they were refunded instantly by Aliexpress. On two of those occasions the vendors dispatched a replacement as well free of charge.

I've bought OCXOs, main brand ICs, discrete components, quadcopter parts, cables, heatshrink, battery pack parts, prototype boards, soldering irons, crystals, replacement screens, knobs, laptop parts, phone cases and even shoes via them. All good experiences.

You have to watch out for fakes which are rife but sometimes the fakes are as good as the originals. For example knock off iPhone cases I am sure come from the same factory as the genuine ones as I couldn't tell the difference between them and the genuine ones.

[ThePillenwerfer]

I now buy far more on AliExpress than e-Bay. I've had things not arrive or arrive damaged but, as others have found, there's never any trouble getting recompense. In fact in recent months Sellers seem to have improved the packaging of delicate items meaning there are fewer breakages.

[1100 man]

May I ask if Banggood is a similar sort of thing to Aliexpress? What are peoples' experiences of ordering from Banggood?

Many thanks
Nick

[brunel]

I use Banggood, never had a problem. Prices can be shown in Sterling.

Accepts PayPal.

[linescan87]

Hi Nick,

I am also setup on Banggood as well, though I haven't used it in a long time. It's very similar to Aliexpress, though I find Aliexpress slightly cheaper and easier to navigate.

Regards,
John Joe.

[FrankB]

I have ordered 50-75 items from them, and got all but 1. (Last I checked, after 6 months, it still showed tracking someplace in China).
I looked at feedback data before I ordered. Some items took 3 months to arrive here in the U.S., and some arrived in a week!
Some were shipped out of Russia, and former USSR states also. Some items are apparently shipped from the U.S., as I did get 2 items with a U.S. postage stamp on them, shipped from back east.
All in all, not a bad company to deal with, but check pricing very closely.
I have found up to 10 vendors selling the exact same item (Same picture & description) for up to $75 USD difference in price!!!
Typically, I found that the lowest price ones are in the first 4 pages of sellers for that item. Caveat Emptor, though' Y'all.