When I started out with online shopping, I could not understand the difference between Aliexpress and Alibaba. Why do both exist? Today I’m going to bust some myths, tell you if Alibaba is cheaper or Aliexpress is cheaper and do a price comparison between Alibaba and Aliexpress.
So who’s the winner in Alibaba Vs Aliexpress?
Let’s find out!
Aliexpress vs Alibaba - Which is cheaper?
They are fundamentally different. Here's what each of them does!
Aliexpress is primarily a portal for consumers and individual buyers. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not China’s main ecommerce portal and Chinese people don’t buy from Aliexpress. Aliexpress is meant as an e-commerce portal from China that sells to the rest of the world.
On the other hand, we have Alibaba, which is a B2B (Business to business) portal. So if you are a wholesaler or retailer looking for products in bulk, then you’ll shop around Alibaba for the right suppliers and manufacturers. They have completely different roles and perform different functions.
But there are probably many questions in your head, like I had.
- Can an individual buyer buy from Alibaba?
- Can an individual buyer buy in bulk from Aliexpress?
- Which is cheaper? Alibaba or Aliexpress?
Is it safe to buy from Alibaba? About Alibaba
Alibaba is perfect for small and big businesses who want to import in bulk. Alibaba is filled with suppliers who offer a wide range of products from many categories such as consumer electronics, beauty and personal care, electrical equipment and supplies, apparel, machinery, watches, jewelry and more.
Alibaba Promo Code 2022
The best part about Alibaba is the clear cut information that you receive. A typical Alibaba page gives you the following information
- Supplier rating
- Time to ship the product
- Time it will take to receive the product after being shipped
- Cost for a sample of the product
- The average cost for bulk orders based on various units
- Payment options
- Trade Assurance
So can an individual buyer, buy from Alibaba? Sure, you could. You could purchase a sample and pay the minimum price. If you are looking to buy 5 to 6 units of the same item, then you could get a good rate on Alibaba.
Alibaba does not have a standard buying process. There is no “Buy Now” button where you can just purchase and place your order. It’s a bit different compared to Aliexpress.
Is Aliexpress owned by Alibaba? About Aliexpress
Aliexpress and Alibaba are owned by the same company.
Aliexpress needs no introduction and it’s one of the most popular ecommerce platforms in the world from China. This is a B2C portal, where most of the buyers are end users. It’s one of the cheapest ecommerce sites in the world and you get everything under the sun. The information you get on an Aliexpress listing is as follows
- Price of the product
- Location it ships from
- Reviews and Ratings of the product and seller
- Product description
As you can see, most of the information is basic and restricted to just a single piece. There is more prominence on reviews and ratings.
So let’s compare both the platforms
Alibaba vs Aliexpress - Which is Cheaper?
So let’s do a simple comparison. Although it’s comparing apples to oranges, we’ll still give this a shot.
Product Comparison 1 : i500 TWS Earphones
The first product we compare is the super popular i500 TWS earphones.
Price On Alibaba
You can buy this product for a price of $21.58, but you need to order at least 10 pieces.
Price on Aliexpress
The same product on Aliexpress costs about $20 for a minimum quantity of one piece.
As you can see, in this instance, Alibaba is the clear loser because you need to buy multiple units and at a higher cost.
Product Comparison 2 : SKMEI Chrono Mens Watch
The second product we compare is the SKMEI Chrono Mens Watch.
Price on Alibaba
You can get this beautiful watch on Alibaba for $4.40 and the minimum quantity is about 2 pieces.
Price on Aliexpress
The very same watch on Aliexpress costs about $11.42 and this is for a single unit.
Verdict - It’s a tie!
In some cases, Alibaba sellers offer samples at much discounted prices and their minimum order quantity is also very less. In other cases, Aliexpress products are very cheap as well. The answer is, it depends on the product you are looking for. As you can see above, there are two different examples and there’s no clear winner!
Alibaba vs Aliexpress - Which has the better payment options?
Both Aliexpress and Alibaba offer various payment options. Let’s see the payment options provided by each e-commerce platform.
Aliexpress Payment Options
- Debit Card / Credit Card
- Web Money
- Wire Transfer (For orders more than $20)
- Western Union Money Transfer (For orders more than $20 )
Aliexpress does not directly accept Paypal. But some sellers do accept Paypal when you contact them directly, but then you won’t be eligible for the Aliexpress 60 day guarantee. But you will be entitled to Paypal’ buyer safety features.
Alibaba Payment Options
- Debit Card / Credit Card
- Online bank payment
- Telegraphic Transfer (Wire Transfer)
- Pay Later (Financing your purchase)
- Western Union Money Transfer
- Boleto (Brazilian payment Method)
Verdict : Alibaba
Alibaba vs Aliexpress - Which is easier for purchasing immediately?
There is a very clear answer here. Alibaba does not actually have a ‘Buy Button’. You can Start your Order or you can Contact the Supplier. This is basically an initiation that gets you into the process of making a purchase with the supplier.
Aliexpress on the other hand has a buy button and you can finish the process within a minute.
Verdict : Aliexpress
Alibaba vs Aliexpress - Which has better buyer protection?
The most important aspect of online shopping. How are you protected from fraudulent sellers?
Let’s compare
Alibaba Trade Assurance
Alibaba has Trade Assurance. This basically means Alibaba will protect you from poor quality products and shipments that are not on time. If you have paid through the platform and the product isn’t good or you haven’t received your shipment on time, you are eligible for a full refund. Alibaba will mediate between you and the supplier to resolve any dispute. You are completely protected in this case.
Aliexpress Money Back Guarantee
Aliexpress has the 60 day money back guarantee. In this case, if you aren’t satisfied with the product, you can within 15 days of receipt of the product file for an issue with the seller who will issue you a refund. If that does not go through, you can contact Aliexpress directly for a refund.
Verdict - It’s a tie!
Alibaba vs Aliexpress - Which has the better product offerings?
Alibaba and Aliexpress have the same products on offer.
Verdict - It’s a tie!
Alibaba vs Aliexpress - Which has faster shipping options?
Shipping options are super important and honestly it depends on your location and the service provider they use. But generally, Alibaba has bulk orders and they use a premium service like Fedex or DHL and you can expect to receive your shipment within a week’s time.
When it comes to Aliexpress, it really depends on the shipment option you choose. Sometimes you can receive the product in a week or in some cases, even a month. The lead time of the seller isn’t clear on Aliexpress. Whereas it’s very clear on Alibaba.
Lead time is the time taken to ready the product after your place your order to make it ready for shipping.
Verdict - Alibaba
Is Aliexpress cheaper than Alibaba?
It mostly depends on the products bought but Aliexpress is a little cheaper than Alibaba for most products. It’s cheaper because consumers and items can be bought individually.
Is Alibaba the same as AliExpress?
Aliexpress and Alibaba are not the same but both are Chinese ecommerce websites to buy products. They’re owned by the same person and are sister companies.
Why is AliExpress cheaper?
Aliexpress is cheaper because all the vendors and merchants are from China and source all the products from China itself. Their products are cheap and even the shipping rate isn’t that high.
Which is safer: Aliexpress or Alibaba?
Aliexpress and Alibaba are both safe and provide security while paying for your orders. They also provide product guarantee and your products will be protected if you’re directly buying from the websites.
Is Alibaba trustworthy?
Alibaba is extremely safe and reliable. They have strict rules that monitor transactions and connect suppliers to the buyer.
Is AliExpress bigger than Amazon?
Amazon is bigger than Aliexpress with a market cap of about $427 billion. Although both the e-commerce websites provide a huge range of products and services. Yet, Amazon has it’s sale in more countries than Aliexpress.
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