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It’s 2019 and I begrudge paying over the top prices for things I know I can get cheaper online. I love sites like eBay and Ali Express as they allow you to purchase things at a fraction of the price. There is one catch with these seemingly too cheap items, they’re from China so can take a little time to arrive. Oh, and by a little, I mean a few months. I’ve had some items arrive in a matter of weeks and others take 2 months or longer. But with that said for all the things I purchase from Ali Express, I don’t really mind how long they take to arrive. I tend to buy phone cases, figures and some stationery. With phone cases costing as little as £0.99, even those which are stocked in stores for £10 or more, it’s madness to be able to buy them for such a cheap price. So here are my top tips from an avid Ali Express user for over 3 years now.
Price compare:
If you want to purchase an item, it is worth giving it a quick Google just to make sure that the price is as good as it looks. It is possible the item is a dupe or a copy of the original which would explain the price difference in most cases. However, it’s a great way to bag bargains. I’ve always bought the film for my Instax on Ali Express as you can get them massively reduced in price. The last time I purchased I got 40 sheets for the price of 10, that’s how good it is!
Postage is dirt cheap:
Although you can pay for quick postage (it is really expensive) if you can wait for your item, the postage costs under £1 normally which is crazy. Dependant on the item will vary the postage, but you can get really reasonable postage for most items on site.
You can buy almost anything on Ali Express:
If you’re not looking for anything in particular but fancy a browse you may end down a rabbit hole, with millions of items on the site from underwear to gift boxes, Ali Express has you covered.
Be vigilant:
Similar to eBay you have to be wary of who you buy from, like eBay it is easy enough to be refunded if your item doesn’t turn up. But reaching out to the seller in most cases will get the issue resolved quickly.
Learn what to search for:
Once you know how to find things which are hidden on the site you are able to find some real gems, finding keywords from other listings of similar items can allow you to narrow it down to find the best sellers.
Purchase cheap items only:
For electronics, car parts and expensive jewellery it doesn’t seem worth the risk to me, so I only tend to buy smaller items in case something does end up being wrong with the item or worse it not turning up.
