Aliexpress

What is AliExpress? Is it safe to buy on this Chinese platform?

AliExpress has become the worlds largest online store. The latest statistics show that the Chinese store is making 3 times more profit than Amazon and eBay together and is consolidating itself as the preferred shopping platform in many countries around the world. Millions and millions of people like you shop in AliExpress. Having said this, we have to clear something out: AliExpress is not a store, it's a platform that connects millions of sellers and consumers. Therefore AliExpress takes on important functions, such as controlling that sellers are adhering to the stipulated rules,  protecting consumers if they encounter any problem with the platform, keeping your money safe until you confirm you received the product and mediate any possible problems between the seller and the consumer. It is worth mentioning that AliExpress is extremely intolerable with vendors that do not follow rules and will punish them closing their store and banishing them from the AliExpress platform.

How to make a purchase / Payment Methods / Buyer protection

Two of the methods we described below offer Buyer protection (YOU CAN FIND EVERYTHING DESCRIBED CLEARLY HERE). This means that you are protected by AliExpress if anything happens with your order. When you order something, AliExpress retains the money until you have received the product and you are completely satisfied with it. Only then will they release the money to the seller. It basically uses an escrow system, in which AliExpress acts as an intermediary retaining the money, and only gives the money when we have confirmed the reception or when the protection time of the order has passed.

• Escrow / AliPay  – Risk for buyer: None

The Escrow / AliPay method is very similar to PayPal. When you use Escrow the money is retained by a third party and will only release it once the buyer confirms his / her satisfaction with the product. Escrow is a very popular payment method in AliExpress as well as in general online purchases as it is a system that protects both the consumer and the seller. The only thing you need to do if you want to use this payment method is to open an AliPay account and top the virtual card with the amount of money you want in the account. As mentioned, it's a system created by AliExpress, thus you will have lots of guarantees.

• Card  – Risk for buyer: None

When paying with card AliExpress will also use Escrow, so your money will be completely protected until we confirm we have received the product. It is a very easy way to pay. AliExpress accepts Visa credit and debit cards, Mastercard credit cards and Maestro debit cards. And if you are afraid to pay with a card, you can also ask your bank about the famous “virtual cards” or “prepaid cards”, which are specially designed for online shopping: they have a limited amount of money that we will recharge ourselves, but do check if they are Visa or Maestro.

• Bank transfer  – Risk for buyer: Medium

It is a less used payment method, and in addition, orders can only be paid with an amount larger than $20 (and only in USD), so we do not recommend unless you have no other way to pay, as banks usually charge a fee for making transfers, even more, if it is in a foreign currency and an international transfer. Even so, if you choose this form of payment, your money is also protected because AliExpress keeps it until you confirm it.

Other methods of payment

AliExpress also accepts WebMoney, Western Union, Yandex. Money, QIWI, DOKU, MercadoPago, Ticket, American Express… But above all, and most importantly, never pay outside AliExpress because if you have a problem with the seller, they will not be able to help you. If you want more information about the payment methods offered by AliExpressclick on the link and you will be taken directly.