Last Updated on September 22, 2022
Have you noticed that AliExpress often offers similar items at different prices? That is because it is an intermediary platform without a unified pricing policy, where the sellers are free to decide on the cost of their goods.
Although going for the cheapest deal may seem like an excellent idea, beware of fraud. The AliExpress platform is rather secure, yet the online shopping experience strongly depends on the customers’ ability to choose products and sellers wisely.
Picking the right seller has nothing to do with luck. On the contrary, it is a skill that you can develop. In this detailed guide, we will share tips on how to find reliable sellers on AliExpress and avoid scam-stores.
Why Is It Important to Check a Seller on AliExpress?
Inexperienced buyers may mistakenly assume that AliExpress filters out all dishonest sellers. However, unfortunately, it is practically impossible to determine the suppliers’ intentions during their registration process. Thus, cases of deliberate customer deception may occur.
Choosing a bad supplier may result in unpleasant consequences, such as:
- Item of poor quality
- Order not arriving
- Goods not matching the description
- Time-consuming disputes
Besides, it sometimes happens that even after going through a long dispute process, the client does not receive a full refund and has to settle for partial compensation.
To save your time, money, and effort instead of dealing with fraud cases, invest in picking the reliable seller. Read on to find out the main strategies of identifying bad suppliers on time.
How to Check an AliExpress Seller?
The AliExpress system typically suggests the most popular stores first. However, it is highly recommendable to browse through the list and compare your options. The site contains a lot of data that, if properly analyzed, will prevent you from trusting the wrong suppliers. For instance, when browsing for items, you can see the following characteristics:
- seller’s performance
- seller rating
- customer feedback
- buyer protection period
- price
- photos
- shipping options
- specifications
- store age
- seller guarantees
These features are your main points of interest. To check the seller’s reliability, go to AliExpress and pick the product of interest. Here is a step-by-step instruction of what to do next:
- Check the upper left corner to see the store’s name and age. Sales history of over a year is a good sign.
- Look through the detailed seller rankings. Here you will see how the customers rated the speed of delivery, communication, and product quality when shopping with this supplier. Look for products and sellers with a 4+ score.
- Browse the customer reviews with photos on the specific item.
- Look for affordable yet safe delivery options.
- Assess if the seller provided all the necessary measurements and specifications.
- If you want to ensure adequate communication, try contacting the seller directly with a product-related question.
Following these steps will help you minimize the risks of buying from a dishonest supplier. However, sometimes such analysis is not enough to reveal a fraud.
Tips to Avoid Fraud on AliExpress
It may seem that the logic is simple: the seller with a high user rating, many reviews, and offering a relatively low price is the best pick. However, these factors do not always guarantee safe shopping. Besides, you could be missing out on some great deals.
For instance, new stores often do not have any comments and ratings. On the other hand, some sellers who have been on the platform for a while may have fake reviews and ratings that are deceiving for customers.
If you know the common tricks suppliers use on AliExpress, you will be able to see the difference between truth and fraud
1. Fake Rating
The higher the rating, the stronger the trust in the seller. People are unlikely to buy expensive items from a supplier with a zero-star ranking. They are more likely to choose the one with a 4,5+ rating.
Most sellers are trying to build up a good ranking as fast as possible. However, the approach varies. A common practice is to create multiple accounts and leave fake ratings on the products’ pages. Such activity is against the AliExpress policies and may be a sign of fraud.
To avoid mistakes, look for realistic comments, preferably with photos.
2. Product Substitution
Product names on AliExpress may be confusing. Will you notice if a couple of words change? Some sly sellers are happy to use this opportunity.
Suppliers may substitute an expensive item with its cheaper version while slightly editing the description but keeping the price. For example, what was a watch with a genuine leather strap and Swarovski crystals before, may become a low-cost alternative.
In this case, the item for sale is different, but the URL is the same. It means that the item will be higher in the search results, and most importantly, it will have a lot of positive reviews. It can provoke a rash purchase, as well as have a negative influence on the pending orders.
It is advisable to keep screenshots of the page from which you order an item until the day you receive your order. This way, you will have legitimate proof in case of a dispute.
3. Wrong Tracking Number
Always check whether your shipping method includes tracking. If you do not have access to it for some reason, you can open a dispute with the seller. Ensure that you do it while the buyer protection period is ongoing.
In such cases, some sellers may begin to ask you to close the dispute. However, if you do it, you are unlikely to receive a refund. If the seller honestly sent the goods and delivery problems occurred, he would have extended the buyer protection period.
Being alert and implementing the mentioned methods to analyze the sellers on AliExpress are the essentials of safe online shopping. But how does the platform itself filter the suppliers to protect the customers?
How Does AliExpress Check Sellers work?
Anyone can sell goods on AliExpress. Although age limits for using payment systems exist, the trading platform does not have internal requirements in this regard.
When registering on the portal, the potential supplier must provide a Chinese phone number and mailing address. After filling in the necessary information and submitting the form, the seller receives a confirmation code.
The list of goods permitted for sale is regulated by the trading platform’s rules and aims to comply with local laws. AliExpress moderators continuously check the site for products that do not follow the platform’s policies. Sellers that are guilty of breaking the rules receive penalty points that may lead to a ban.
Also, the site has requirements for the description of the goods, depending on the category. The longer and more accurate the description, the higher the product is in the search results.
Many sellers manage to trick the platform’s algorithm and conduct unsanctioned activities. However, the turnover of goods on AliExpress is so enormous that it is hardly possible for the administration to check and track every product’s quality. So, the clients take part in monitoring the products’ quality as they shop online.
Checking every seller and item, comparing stores, and reading through hundreds of reviews sounds like a lot of pressure, doesn’t it? Worry not, we have a perfect solution waiting for you.
How to Perform Instant Seller Analysis With Zero Effort?
If you are a frequent online shopper, performing the comparison of goods and sellers on AliExpress can be overwhelming — imagine the amount of time you spend doing it! Luckily, with smart software like Alitools, you do not need to conduct this analysis manually.
Alitools is free software available for your browser and Android devices. Its mission is to secure and simplify your AliExpress shopping experience. After installing Alitools, you will see information about all the critical features that make the supplier trustworthy, including:
- check the seller real rating
- price dynamics
- comparison of similar goods from different sellers
- customer reviews with visuals
With all these details displayed on the webpage, you can trace any suspicious activity from the seller in no time and receive a suggestion of a similar item from a reliable store. With Alitools, you will no longer buy items with:
- poor quality
- unreasonably high price
- fake discounts
- forged rating
- unreliable reviews
Another excellent Alitools feature is the availability of video reviews on the item’s page. You will not need to browse YouTube to find detailed visual feedback anymore — Alitools will gather all the critical information in one place!
Browsing through hundreds of similar products in search of the one that will not disappoint is tiring. With Alitools, you eliminate the risks of putting your trust into the wrong seller while sparing yourself hours of research. Install browser extension from Chrome Web store or Android app now to boost your online purchases experience!
FAQs
How do I know if an AliExpress seller is legit?
Examining a seller’s history is the most obvious way to check them. Click the Feedback tab on any seller’s page to see a detailed analysis. Checking seller feedback is crucial when buying cheap tech from Chinese websites. Positive Feedback and a Feedback Score are assigned to each seller.
How do you know who to buy from on AliExpress?
If the seller has thousands of happy customers, you’ll have a much lower chance of having problems. Looking at a seller’s history is the most obvious way to check them out. Click the Feedback tab on any seller’s page for a detailed breakdown.
Can I report a seller on AliExpress?
Yes. Under the product picture in the Overview section of the product, there is a “Report item” button. It will take you to the complaint page if you click it. Then, on the “Send report” page, fill out the form. The form will be sent to AliExpress’s Buyer Protection department.
How do I verify a reliable seller on AliExpress?
There are a few different ways that you can verify AliExpress sellers reliability. The best way to do this is to check the seller’s rating. You can find this by looking at the number of stars next to the seller’s name. The more stars, the better the rating. You can also check how many orders the seller has fulfilled. The more orders they have fulfilled, the more likely it is that they are a reliable seller. Finally, you can read through the feedback that other buyers have left for the seller. If there are mostly positive reviews, then chances are that the seller is reliable.
Can a seller leave negative feedback?
Yes, a seller can leave negative feedback. However, it’s important to remember that shopping online is a two-way street. If you’re unhappy with a purchase, take the time to reach out to the seller and try to resolve the issue. If that doesn’t work, then leaving negative feedback may be your best option. Whatever you do, don’t leave feedback until you’re sure you won’t be able to come to an agreement with the seller. Once feedback is left, it cannot be removed.
