If you use the internet, you’ve probably heard of AliExpress, one of the biggest selling sites in the world. Based in China, the service belongs to the company Alibaba and presents an astronomical sales volume not only in the Asian country but also in several other parts of the world, placing it above names like Amazon and eBay.
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To give a basic explanation of what AliExpress is, it can be said that the service works as a large virtual mall, where each seller has its own store. Thus, you do not buy anything directly from AliExpress, but from those who use the platform to sell their products.
However, if buying over the internet from someone who is here in South Africa requires a lot of care, doing so to purchase products that will be shipped literally from the other side of the world can seem quite risky. In the end, things are simpler (and safer) than they appear.
In doubt about how to buy on AliExpress? Read this basic tutorial and learn to know if a seller has a good reputation, if he charges shipping and also how long, on average, the product must take to get to your home.
How to Buy on AliExpress
Finding a product
The most basic of all is to find what you are looking for. As the volume of sales to Brazil is large, the site has a Portuguese version, something that facilitates navigation (but, remember, the translation of the ads is usually done by automatic tools, such as Google Translate, so it is important be very attentive to them).
- Go to aliexpress.com and type what you are looking for in the search field.
- To filter the results well, you can define a search category. Thus, the search results are limited to it and, with that, the chance of you finding what you are looking for increases.
- When you start typing, the site already offers some suggestions, so click on the one that best fits your expectations and wait until the results appear on the screen.
How to tell if a seller is trustworthy on AliExpress
- When viewing the results, keeping an eye on the seller’s reputation is much more worthwhile than sticking to prices alone. So, scroll down the page and always pay attention to the qualification of the store, always represented by gold medals or diamond stones.
- Positioning the mouse cursor over this indication displays a small window with more information. There, you can see if the seller is trustworthy through the “Positive feedback” function. If the percentage of positive qualifications is large, it means that the seller is highly rated by the majority of people who have already bought something from him.
Therefore, this seller can be considered trustworthy and buying from him is a safe action.
Placing an order
- You searched for what you are looking for and now you know how to assess whether the seller is trustworthy. So, the next step is to make the purchase itself. The screen of a product can bring varied information according to the type of item that is for sale. However, good salespeople will always give as much data as possible about their products, as this makes life easier for the buyer.
On the item screen, you see how many people have already made the same purchase and, of that amount, how many were satisfied with it. Keeping an eye on this information is also very important to know if something is of quality, if it is true, if it works and so on.
When there are several models of a product, as is the case with items that have several different colors, they will all be displayed in the “Color” option. Click on the one you want before making a purchase.
If you are buying clothes, choosing the size is also necessary.
Check the shipping price and delivery time information.
Finally, define the quantity you want to purchase.
2. If everything is already right and you just want to make this purchase, click on “Buy now” to go to the order closing screen. If you want to add more products to pay for everything at once, click on “Add to cart”.
It is worth remembering that products purchased from different vendors will generate different orders, although it is possible to pay for everything at once. In this case, you will receive different packages and, probably, in different periods, because the delivery time will also depend on the agility of the seller in posting your order.
3. To complete a purchase, you must be logged into AliExpress. If you don’t have an account yet, enter your information to create a new record – the process is free and fast.
4. After logging in, you must confirm your shipping address.
In addition, you can review the order before completing it and even include a message for the seller.
5. If everything is right, click on “Place order”.
You will receive an on-screen confirmation that everything went well, as well as the number of this order. In addition, a message will be sent to your email confirming the order and with all information related to it. Now, just wait for the deadline informed by the seller for the product to arrive at your home.
It is worth remembering that this process can take up to three consecutive months. If the time goes beyond, you can contact the seller and even ask for a refund of the amount paid.
Image Courtesy: www.aliexpress.com