How to order on AliExpress: our tips for finding the bargains

What are some tips for ordering from AliExpress? We explain how to master the interface of this e-commerce site and how to make good deals there.

AliExpress is a separate online sales site on the French web. It is a huge marketplace where sellers from all over the world offer many import products at very attractive prices. However, the first visit can be disconcerting. Here are some tips for finding your way around and for ordering smartphones or items at a good price.

First step: find the right product at the right price

In order to make the explanations as clear as possible, we will take a concrete example. So let's go looking for a Redmi Note 8 Pro on AliExpress. So we start by entering the name of the smartphone in the search engine. We then come to this page:

A few remarks on this search engine to make your life easier:

If you have followed these recommendations, then you should see a series of Redmi Note 8 Pro displayed at very attractive prices. For our part, we spotted this Redmi Note 8 Pro, displayed in a price range ranging from 199 to 268 euros, at the Hong Kong Goldway seller.

Second step: dissect the product sheet

By clicking on the Redmi Note 8 Pro of the desired seller, we arrive on this page:

The product sheet should be read carefully. It allows you to consult the opinions on the product, but also the sellers, the delivery time, the price of the delivery and finally the description.

The price range is the other particularity of AliExpress. 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 Package:

The Package contains (or does not contain) 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 a pair of headphones (+ 8 euros).

The Color:

The color does not live up to 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 (6 + 64 GB version, in black color) to 244 euros (in 6 + 128 GB version, in blue color).

To get the lowest price, you have to take the standard package with the basic version of the phone in black. Take care to check the price of delivery – 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 payment and delivery method. delivery.

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 may take time, between approximately one and four weeks. However, it is often free. On the other hand, it is possible to speed up the delivery time by selecting a faster paid delivery.

Discount vouchers in the form of coupons:

Coupons are one of the reasons why buying products on AliExpress is very interesting. Coupons are discount vouchers available to reduce the price of an item. They can be issued both by AliExpress – for new customers for example – and 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 discount code given by a seller. These coupons then make it possible to 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 classic credit card to the PayPal account. It is also possible to register your card to speed up your next purchases.

Note that not all sellers on AliExpress offer the same payment methods. In the case of our Redmi Note 8 Pro, it was not possible to go through PayPal. AliExpress does, however, offer money-back guarantees in the event of a dispute with the seller.

Fourth step: Wait for your package

This is ultimately the simplest step: once you have ordered your product, all you have to do is 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 has not arrived on the expected date), AliExpress then undertakes to guarantee you the reimbursement of the article in question, if the seller or the product has the words "Money Back Guaranteed".

On AliExpress, disputes take place in three stages:

Fifth step: find good deals on AliExpress

If you have followed all the previous steps correctly, the AliExpress interface has no more secrets for you. AliExpress is full of good deals when you want to buy a smartphone or a connected accessory. Here are some products at very interesting prices. Here are some practical exercises to train you to master the interface.

The OnePlus 7T at 441 euros:

AliExpress offers one of the lowest prices seen for the OnePlus 7T. At less than 450 euros, you have a typical high-end smartphone of 2020: a 90 Hz screen, a muscular technical sheet (Snapdragon 855+, 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage space) and an irreproachable interface.

Now that you know how to master the interface, you will be able to easily obtain this price of 440 euros. Just choose the Standard “Bundle” and the blue “color”, in the 8 + 128 GB version.

The Huawei P30 Pro (8 + 256 GB) at 589 euros:

The Huawei P30 Pro is undoubtedly the best photophone of the moment. It is also one of the last Huawei smartphones to benefit from Google applications and services. Add to that a premium design, a spec sheet capable of lasting three or four years, and a nice 4200 mAh battery and you've got a great deal.

The Huawei P30 Pro, in its global version, is available at a price of 589.49 euros on AliExpress by selecting the correct “Package” and “Color”. Delivery is free.

The Realme 5i at 112 euros

The Realme 5i is a version of the excellent Realme 5 with more internal memory (64 GB here) and a little more RAM memory (4 GB, against 3 GB on the Realme 5). But for the rest, it is the same phone with a neat design, a large battery (5000 mAh) and above all an interface in French.

The Realme 5i is currently available on AliExpress for 121 euros with free shipping. A price that can be lowered by just over 9 euros by entering the code REALME10 when paying.

Xiaomi Redmi Airdots at 18.71 euros

Xiaomi's wireless headphones and their charging box can be found for less than 20 euros on AliExpress. Be careful, however, to choose the "Global" version. Note that for a few euros more, you can choose the color of the charging box.

👆 How do I log in to AliExpress?

There are several ways to log in to AliExpress. It is also possible to go through a classic email with a password, but AliExpress also offers to quickly connect to its site using its Google, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram identifiers.

If you are having trouble logging in when you want to access customer service or chat, return to the AliExpress home page and log in, before returning to the chat page. This should solve the problem.

👅 How to change AliExpress language? And put the price in euros?

By default, AliExpress is in French when you connect to the French site (with a url like fr.aliexpress.com). If during a search on a search engine you come across a version in another language, you must then go to the bar located at the very top of the site (what is called the header) then click on l flag icon. You can then change the language of the site, but also the currency (euros, dollars, etc.) in which you pay for your purchases.

🤔 Why two different prices on the same product on AliExpress?

This is one of the peculiarities of AliExpress, sellers often offer additional options on top of the basic product. The lowest price then corresponds to the basic product with the basic options, while the highest price corresponds to the product with all the possible options and the most expensive accessory.

⌚ What is the delivery time on AliExpress?

Delivery time varies between sellers. Some sellers ship their products from Asia, which can take several weeks before you receive your item. Others have warehouses in Europe, which allows for shorter delivery times of just a few days. But usually the delivery on AliExpress is quite slow, around 15-45 days. This is the counterpart of lower prices than on other e-commerce sites.

💸 Can I pay in installments on AliExpress? And go through PayPal?

No, it is not possible to pay in installments on AliExpress. The site doesn't allow it yet.

However, AliExpress offers many payment methods: credit card, WebMoney, but also PayPal. Be careful however, payment via PayPal depends on the goodwill of the seller and not all accept it. To verify that the seller accepts it, you must place an order for the desired product and check if it is possible to pay via PayPal when finalizing the order.