Ever wondered how to get amazing deals on AliExpress without getting scammed? It’s no news that a lot of people are still quite wary of the products being sold on Aliexpress and for good reason. I’ll be sharing several tips you can use to shop smartly on the platform and I also included some FAQs and their answers at the end of the post so you can also check that out.
If you didn’t know, AliExpress is a shopping platform of endless range of goods at really good deals and affordable shipping rates. A lot of their products come with free shipping to Nigeria and are mostly of good quality.
HOWEVER, quite a number of people have had bad experiences with shopping on the platform. There are cases of defects in products or not reaching the destination. There are also cases of getting completely opposites of displayed goods.
Watch this video on how to have an amazing shopping experience on Aliexpress.
I’ve never had any major problem with shopping and as a PLATINUM shopper, I’ve gathered enough knowledge on shopping safely. These tips will definitely help you shop the best deals.
GUIDELINES FOR A SMART SHOPPER
1) Configure your account information CORRECTLY
Configuring your account, especially your delivery address details is very important. Take extreme caution in filling out your delivery address. I’d strongly advise to fill in the address of the post office nearest to you. This is where all your orders will be delivered.
It’s also advised to fill in the correct postal code for your region, this ensures that your orders are sent to the correct regions.
Your phone number should also be reachable. This will be used to reach you once your package arrives.
Other Guides:
– How to Grow Your Instagram Account in 2020
– The Beginners Guide To Get Started & Grow on Pinterest
– How to Get More Views & Readers on your Blog
– An eBook Guide on How to Build a Self-Hosted WordPress Blog/Website + Answered FAQs
2) Search with very specific keywords
AliExpress has millions of sellers and vendors, only a fraction of which are actually genuine. It’s very important to search based on specifically what you’re looking for.
A general search of “bags” would pop up several useless and “scammy” sellers while a search of “bohemian circle straw womens bag” will further streamline the search to your preferences.
3) Stick to your budget
One can easily get carried away with the “tempting” products. Having a budget to stick to saves a lot of unnecessary expenses on trivial items.
As a platinum shopper, I’d advise you occasionally visit the platform and add products you’d like to get to a wishlist. The list is very useful for future shopping and helps you prioritize what to buy.
Posts to Help You Through Difficult Times:
– 14 Positive Quotes and Sayings To Strengthen Your Mindset + Improve Daily Life
4) Communicate with the seller
I once forgot to get in touch with a seller and although, it didn’t turn out to be disastrous, it usually is. I’d advise you try to communicate with a seller before making an order for their products. The timeliness of responses gives you a hint on the seller’s efforts on customer satisfaction. Steer clear of sellers that have few orders on their products AND do not respond to inquiries made by customers.
5) Exercise your right to your money
There are cases of buyers not getting refunded by AliExpress, after not receiving any goods. This can be avoided by always checking up on buyer’s protection period and delivery statuses. You can also request for refunds through disputes if goods are not delivered. Engage with/ talk to a customer care rep about any issues you might encounter. Open disputes if you realise your purchase protection time is running out and you still do not have your orders. Ensure to properly and correctly fill out your reasons for dispute, add pictorial evidence to further prove your case.
6) Never buy on impulse
There are millions of goods on AliExpress. About 90% of them look so appealing in pictures and you contemplate immediate purchase. However, shopping smartly teaches you to dig deeper than the fake pictures, read the product’s description and fish out manipulative sellers. Never rush to make a purchase, chances are you’d find a similar product with better quality AND at a cheaper rate. Also, keep in mind that although “cheap” doesn’t mean whack quality, one should steer clear of offers too good to be true.
Skincare Guides:
–Affordable Sunscreens to Buy in Nigeria: Altruist Sunscreen Review
– Morning Skincare Routine with Clean & Clear: Products of Johnson & Johnson
– Pond’s Pimple Clear Face Wash Review: Does It Work For Acne or Not?
– Why You Need to Try Dove Nourishing Secrets Restoring Ritual Body Lotion
Frequently Asked Questions (With Answers!)
Q: How do I make an order on AliExpress?
A: This question encompasses a lot of answers but you’ll find the answers you need in this VIDEO plus take note of the guidelines listed above.
Q: How do I get my orders?
A: All orders are sent to the shipping address you use whenever you make the orders, so ensure you’ve inputted the correct address, postal code and a correct functional phone number. You should use the address of your nearest post office as these are international orders and unless you ship them by DHL or any other express carriers, you have a better chance of receiving those packages if you ship them to the nearest post office.
Q: What mode of payment can I use?
A: There are two modes of payment on Aliexpress I believe but you can only make use of the Debit/Credit Card option here in Nigeria (Do correct me if I’m wrong)! I use a Zenith MasterCard and I’ve had no issues so far. I used to be able to use my GTBank MasterCard but apparently, they disabled the ability to make international transactions with a Naira MasterCard. So you need a Dollar card if you want to use GTBank. I don’t know about others but Wema bank is a pretty shitty bank and I definitely do not recommend them (A story for another day, check my instaStories if you wanna know).
Q: My card is not being accepted, what can I do?
A: I’ve never had this issue but you can try out these steps:
1) Ensure your card is enabled for international transactions.
2) Confirm that you have enough funds in your account.
3) Confirm that you correctly authorised the transaction.
4) You can also contact Aliexpress customer care (the live chat to a real person, not the bot).
UPDATE:
If you’re using a GTBank Mastercard, your card will no longer work because the bank has stopped authorising Aliexpress transactions. The alternative is to get a card from another bank and Zenith bank is a great option. I currently use a Zenith Mastercard for my Aliexpress transactions.
Q: What address do I fill to ensure my goods are always delivered?
A: Please see second Q&A for the answer to this.
Q: My address wasn’t visible to them ( Read as Aliexpress couldn’t locate my address).
A: They probably cannot correctly get your exact location and that’s why I’d advice to use the address of the post office nearest to you. That will solve any issues you might be having with this.
Q: How long does shipping take? Is it free or you have to pay?
A: It always depends on the items you’re buying. Every item usually have stipulated days of delivery, all you have to do is make sure to check (you can find this under the option of choosing the shipping option that suits you.
A lot of items on Aliexpress come with free shipping but others require shipping fees. They will be added to your total once you add the item to your cart. You can click on this link to get a video explanation.
Q: What is the maximum number of days for delivery of items?
A: Like I said above, it depends on the item and the time the seller fixed. Make sure to check under the shipping options, it always includes the time frame for delivery.
Q: How can one pay for goods in dollars?
A: There are different methods of payment on Aliexpress but I mostly use the Debit/Credit card option. You can use your Naira Mastercard, your bank will charge you the equivalent in Naira. See your bank for details on to authorise your card for international transactions.
You can also use a Dollar card, if you have one.
Q: How can I fill in my mailing address?
A: Please see second Q&A for the answer to this.
Q: How do coupons work? How can I use them?
A: Okay so this is a whole lecture on its own lol. There are three types of Coupons on Aliexpress: Aliexpress coupons, Select coupons and Store coupons. Coupons usually have T&Cs for them to be applied.
i) The Aliexpress coupons are the most useful and can be used for all items on Aliexpress. They are awarded by Aliexpress.
ii) Select coupons are coupons that can only be applied in certain stores, they are awarded by Aliexpress but are usually useless due to other T&Cs plus you might not have anything to shop from the store.
iii) Store coupons are given by sellers and store owners on specific items. They usually come with discounts based on buying goods worth or over some specific prices. They’re sometimes useful too.
Generally, there’s usually a minimum worth of items you can purchase for coupons to apply, so you have to check that out.
Sign up with my invite link to get $19 (Over 9,000 Naira) worth of coupons to make your first order!
NOTE
Coupons have expiry dates, from a few hours to months. They are automatically added at checkout and you can decide to choose the coupon you want if you have more than one valid coupon for that cart checkout. If you do not see a coupon applied, that means the items total you have do not meet the requirements for any coupon to be applied.
So that’s all I have for now, I’ve gotten a lot more questions but I currently cannot locate them. I’ll be updating this post frequently whenever new questions come up, so feel free to always come back to check for solutions to any issues you might be having when shopping.
DID YOU FIND THESE TIPS HELPFUL?
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON SHOPPING ON ALIEXPRESS? Leave me a comment and I’ll be sure to respond to them!
Thanks for reading!
JOIN ME ON:
Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest | Quora | LinkedIn | Bloglovin’
