Ali Express - user guide?

[Robert]

Until 3 weeks ago I'd never bought from AliEx. Any users here?

I have an Intel NUC PC that is my media server and runs 24/7. The fan started to get a bit noisy with a bit of a whine. I thought it would last a while but looked at replacements - £34 from Amazon or £10 + delivery from AliEx. I ordered from AliEx but delivery was quoted at 6 weeks from china - total with VAT and 'pick something for 1p' new customer extra item was about £15.

Of course after 10 days the fan decided to scream instead of whine so with 4 weeks + to wait I ordered from Amazon for next day delivery. Fitted fan and alls well. 4 days later the one from China turns up. identical item and 2 weeks not 6.

So first novice Q - is that what normally happens? Deliver before the date given usually? The 1p item came a few days later.

Then there is the email deluge many of which seem to be offering me hair extensions and giant eyelashes. Do I miss some good offers if I unsubscribe? I used a gmail so easy to block if they ignore unsub.

Having viewed some tools on the site the email content is improving now but still too much of it.

So now I'm looking for some spare filters for our robot vac. I place some in the basket and see a message 'spend another £1.97 to save £3.36' . Is it that simple? or do i have to buy from the same store (seller?)?

So any general tips for using Ali Express?

 

[9fingers]

Yes it is not unsualy for aliexpress goods to turn up before the estimated date, they tend to be worst case.

A lot depends on the carrier they use. If the parcel is routed through Belgium post, it can get to Liege relatively quickly but then can languish for ages and often drops off the tracking system.
Some items I've ordered have got lost but aliexpress have refunded me.

General advice would be to go for low price items just in case of loss.

I turn off notifications of email and only skim them when I've order something or asked a question

The annoying thing and care is needed where you want a particular variant which are invariable referred to as "colours" even if the choice is between round, rectangular, oval etc.

Almost impossible to get sensible specifications for items or exact sizes. Vendors usually know nothing about the products they are selling.

Latterly postage prices have been increasing and they are now forced to charge VAT applied at checkout

Checkout Banggood as another source for Chinese stuff. Some of it is excellent quality on the engineering and tool side.

More urgent items - you can often find the same/similar item on ebay sold through an aggregator.
look for claims of UK stock and about 7-10 delivery with the payee being chinese.
These orders are aggregated and sent quite quickly from china as a bulk parcel and split into individual order and posted in UK.


Checkout Steve's Video on the subject

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jkyQuX9zcQ&t=1s

[youtubessl]_jkyQuX9zcQ[/youtubessl]

HTH

Bob

 

[flying haggis]

the trouble with ali express is you end up going off on tangents looking at and buying all sorts of weird stuff...
or is that just me?