A popular dropshipping FAQ we often hear is, “How can I sell products from AliExpress if shipping takes two or three weeks or longer?” To find out the answer, I decided to run my own investigation and ordered several popular items with various shipping times to my home country: Canada.
The experiment enabled me to learn how fast or slow the shipping times really are for AliExpress products. It also motivated me to write this AliExpress Standard Shipping guide, where I’ll walk you through all of the platform’s shipping methods and their speeds.
When it comes to AliExpress shipping, most sellers are based in China. However, non-Chinese seller registration is available on AliExpress. This means you may find retailers who offer to ship items from a local warehouse or store in your home country. To get AliExpress products from your desired location, select the country in the “Ship from” field.
How long does AliExpress take to deliver?
For this case study, we experimented with a mix of AliExpress free shipping and AliExpress Premium Shipping services. Specifically, we tried the following shipping methods:
AliExpress Standard Shipping
EMS
SunYou Economic Air Mail
FedEx
And these are the products we ordered:
AliExpress Standard Shipping
AliExpress Standard Shipping is an affordable shipping method. It’s usually one of the cheapest. In some cases, it can be a free shipping option on AliExpress.
The Buddha figurines, one of the products ordered, were delivered via AliExpress Standard Shipping. They arrived in 26 days, which beat the maximum time listed on their product page by four days. In this case, the AliExpress Standard Shipping was changed to ePacket, another shipping method. Cost: Free
The heart necklace was also delivered with AliExpress Standard Shipping. The product arrived in 16 days. The estimated AliExpress delivery time listed per the product page was 15 to 30 days. Cost: $4.05
AliExpress Standard Shipping was the seller’s shipping method for the fake lashes ordered. They were delivered in just 13 days. The estimated AliExpress delivery time was 15 to 30 days, which means it beat the earliest estimate by two days. Cost: $4.63
AliExpress Standard Shipping was the shipping method of choice for the bowtie shoes. They were delivered in 22 days. The AliExpress delivery time range for the product was 15 to 30 days, proving that they were delivered within that range. Cost: Free
EMS
EMS is one of the most affordable AliExpress shipping methods and reaches customers faster than traditional shipping methods of the same price range. It’s similar to ePacket shipping, which AliExpress discontinued earlier in 2022. EMS uses airmail to deliver customers’ packages and offers shipment tracking for most deliveries.
EMS was used for the women’s watch. The watch was delivered in 18 days. The AliExpress delivery time listed was estimated at 16 to 28 days. Cost: $4.
The bracelet set was also shipped by ePacket. It was delivered in 15 days. According to the product page, that’s one day earlier than it’s minimum guideline of 16-26 days. Cost: $2.94
The bracelet set was also shipped by EMS. It arrived in 15 days. That’s one day earlier than the expected delivery time of 16 to 26 days. Cost: $2.94
SunYou Economic Air Mail
The calendar keychain was shipped with SunYou Economic Air Mail. It was delivered in 50 days. The estimated range for AliExpress free shipping was between 40 to 70 days. This was one of the slowest delivery times during this study. Cost: Free
FedEx
FedEx is one of the premium shipping options on AliExpress. Boasting one of the largest fulfillment networks, FedEx offers one of the shortest ecommerce shipping times. Unfortunately, it also has one of the highest costs.
The beads stone bracelet was shipped via FedEx. It had the fastest delivery time of only three days. The estimated delivery time on the website was between 7 and 15 days. Cost: $23.84.
Which AliExpress shipping method is best?
The best shipping method will depend on the purpose of the order. If you’re shipping to yourself to perform a quality check, you might order via FedEex to get your products quickly. However, if you’re shipping to customers, your best options are AliExpress Standard Shipping and EMS, which consistently offer fast shipping. SunYou may be another good alternative, but the estimated delivery times are a bit lengthy.
What packaging do AliExpress products come in?
Despite using various AliExpress shipping companies, all packages came in a similar durable plastic packaging. Of the 11 packages ordered, only one came in a yellow envelope. Reputable shipping companies like FedEx and UPS had their brand name on the packaging. However, smaller shipping methods like ePacket, AliExpress Standard Shipping, and China Post tend to ship in discreet, unbranded packaging.
In all but one package, there were two layers of packaging protection. For fragile products such as figurines, watches, or shoes, bubble wrap or foam was used. The supplier did this to protect the product from damage during shipping. The other products were wrapped in a plastic bag or envelope.
After unwrapping the final packaging from the AliExpress shipments, I got to see the actual appearance of the products. And to my surprise, they matched the photos on AliExpress for the most part. Overall, the products received were in excellent condition.
Here are a few closeup pictures I took so you can see for yourself how they arrived:
These are the small Buddha figurines. They look exactly the same as in the photo. I ordered these with separate shipping details, as I made four separate orders, but they all arrived in the same package, which is likely what a customer would prefer.
This is the photo from the actual product page:
I also ordered shoes, which came with a little bit of foam inside the bow to give it some volume, so they didn’t ship flat. The picture doesn’t show it, but there is a bit of space between both sides of the bow so it looks more voluminous.
And below is the picture I took of the purse. It was a bit bigger than I expected, but that’s good. The inside of the purse had a striped pattern design, which nicely complemented the outer purse.
The navy t-shirt below is actually a men’s XXL shirt. Unfortunately, it doesn’t fit my husband, who wears large clothes, so it’s a bit too small. We had heard that clothing from China is smaller than American sizes, so we ordered a few sizes up. Although it still wasn’t the right size, I got lucky because it was a bit loose on me.
Is AliExpress Standard Shipping worth the wait?
AliExpress Standard Shipping is the most recommended shipping method for getting products. Here are a few reasons why:
1. It offers the best pricing
The best product prices aren’t on Amazon; they’re usually on AliExpress. Since the products are made in China, and most AliExpress suppliers are Chinese, it makes sense that they’d offer the best prices on the most popular ecommerce platform in their country. Entrepreneurs are then able to offer affordable prices to their customers who are looking for a great deal.
With lower shipping costs, customers are more likely to wait for the product patiently. All you need to do is set realistic expectations for them. You can include AliExpress shipping times on your product page or ad to help set the right expectations for your customer.
2. You can track the package
Ordinary shipments do not offer package tracking outside mainland China. But AliExpress Standard Shipping offers an international tracking number, which gives you an idea of how and when the shipment will be delivered. Improve your post-purchase customer experience by providing an estimated delivery time based on the current status of the package.
3. Profits are good
AliExpress Standard Shipping is good for business. It doesn’t eat into your margins like Premium Shipping, and you don’t have to increase your product price to absorb shipping costs. With non-standard shipping, costs are so high that you’ll be forced to price above retail value, which means you might get fewer sales.
Choose the right AliExpress shipping method
Sourcing through AliExpress allows you to build a profitable business over time, since the shipping costs don’t eat away at your margins. As you can see from some of the findings above, many shipping methods allow you to receive or dropship products for free.
However, free shipping is often associated with longer delivery times, though the customer may receive the package well before the estimated delivery date in some cases. The best way to know about the product quality and shipping times is to order some products for yourself. On average, you’ll find that suppliers meet or beat their estimated timelines listed on their product page.
The shipping method you choose will determine the time it takes for AliExpress sellers to deliver the products. Options include:
AliExpress Standard Shipping: 15–45 days
EMS: 7–30 days
SunYou Economic Air Mail: 40–70 days
Cainiao Super Economy: 30–50 days
China Post Ordinary Small Packet Plus: 20–90 days
FedEx: 7–15 days
UPS: 0–14 days
DHL Express: 15–45 days
Does AliExpress notify you when your order is delivered?
AliExpress doesn’t send alerts about order status changes, so merchants will need to check the current status of their order manually.
Can I cancel the order if AliExpress takes too long?
AliExpress lets you cancel an order only when the seller has not shipped your package. If you have cleared the payment and the package has been shipped, order cancellation is only possible with the acceptance of the seller.
Want to Learn More?
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How long does it take for my package to arrive if I use AliExpress Shipping? It depends on which option you choose. Packages that are sent with AliExpress Standard Shipping usually take 15 to 45 working days, whereas Aliexpress Premium Shipping will provide an estimated delivery time from 7 to 15 working days.
Why does Aliexpress shipping take so long? Because many suppliers have goods waitting to ship out with those same shipping companies. Low shipping fee sometimes linked with long shipping time. If you use express, such as DHL, Fedex to ship, only take few days to arrive, but it is with high shipping fee.
Delivery in 2-7 days Domestic Delivery means that the products you ordered are sent from a warehouse located in your country, and have an estimated delivery time of 2-7 days. Easy Returns All Domestic Delivery orders can be returned to the warehouse located in your country, as long as they are in perfect condition.
AliExpress Standard Shipping delivers packages by ePacket, EMS, DHL, TNT, or UPS. Delivery times vary depending on the shipping method and destination, but AliExpress gives you an estimated delivery time for each shipping option at checkout.
AliExpress Standard Shipping is an affordable shipping method that offers delivery times between 15 to 45 days and is among the cheapest ways to ship from China. Compared to Cainiao Super Economy, AliExpress Standard Shipping is significantly faster with full end to end tracking information.
Mail in 1–5 Business Days; Small Packages in 2–5 Business Days. First-Class Mail® is an affordable mail service for standard-sized, single-piece envelopes weighing up to 3.5 oz and large envelopes and small packages weighing up to 13 oz.
How to Reduce AliExpress Shipping Time to The Minimum. Most products are shipped out from China because the majority of suppliers on AliExpress are Chinese. Therefore it is quite apparent that shipping time will be somewhere between 10-20 days.
What can I do if my order doesn't arrive within the seller's guaranteed delivery time? You can submit refund requests up to 15 days after your order has been completed. You can do this by opening a dispute in the order details page. Please note that you can only open one dispute per order.
Does out for delivery mean I get the package today? Usually, yes, out for delivery means the last mile carrier or delivery provider will arrive with the package that day.
With these adjustments, AliExpress can now offer 10 working days delivery for orders made in Spain and France, 12 working days for Brazil and five working days for South Korea. AliExpress will also introduce an 'On-time Guarantee' in Spain and France ahead of the 11.11 Global Shopping Festival.
For tracking AliExpress Standard Shipping, enter the tracking number and click Track! button. Track24.net provide real-time details of your AliExpress Standard Shipping package.
Out of all of the available shipping options and after extensive research, we have a winner on the best shipping services to use on AliExpress. The two winners are AliExpress Standard Shipping and ePacket. They are both relatively cheap (sometimes free), fast delivery times, and available tracking information.
The standard delivery usually comes with reasonable shipping time and a complete tracking so that both the sender and the recipient can see when the package has been delivered. In general, if you are buying online, you can do it to save money.
It's a legitimate e-commerce marketplace that connects third-party sellers to consumers. However, there are several reported incidents of sellers scamming buyers by sending counterfeit or unsatisfactory products. For those instances, AliExpress has a Buyer Protection program that can help you get your money back.
Contrary to popular belief, buying from AliExpress is 100% safe. To protect customers, AliExpress offers a buyer protection program that covers every purchase end to end. AliExpress guarantees that if your product doesn't arrive on time or as described in the listing, you can get a full refund.
We ship your order via AliExpress Direct to your door (6-10 days). Knock knock! If you're not home, we will make a second attempt. If you don't receive your order in 30 days or are not happy with your order, you may request a refund (within 15 days of receiving).
USPS Flat Rate shipping generally takes between one and three days, excluding Sunday, depending on package origin and its final destination. Packages shipped via flat rate are sent via USPS Priority Mail.
Standard air freight between China and the US generally takes around 8-10 days. It's not that planes are slower; it comes down to the fact that air freight processes are more complicated than for express freight. Express air freight services typically shaves 2-3 days off standard air freight transit times.
If you're selling physical products, shipping is the only means through which your products reach your customer's doorstep. However, each customer wants their orders delivered at a pace that suits them. ... Shipping cost.
Shein delivers within 14 days, in most cases. This is much faster than AliExpress which can take up to 45 days. In a nutshell, Shein is more reliable and effective when it comes to shipping.
Click the Show shipping time toggle button to see the shipping time information based on your search filters. You will now be able to see the shipping method, time, and fees for every product displayed on your AliExpress search page.
Since the products bought through AliExpress are already manufactured, the lead time is much shorter for AliExpress orders than Alibaba orders. AliExpress orders are generally shipped right away, though they are usually shipped from overseas.
Is AliExpress Legit? AliExpress is a legit company and a reliable marketplace to buy from. While some of the sellers on the platform offer poor quality merchandise, AliExpress does a great job of providing a safe purchasing environment.
To buy from AliExpress, just log into your account at www.aliexpress.com, find some items that you want to buy and add them to your shopping cart, check out by selecting your shipping and payment options, track the delivery, and then confirm that your order made it to you (and in good condition) when it arrives.
The shipments from China usually took 3-8 days. The first three days are the process from China's warehouse to your location. Then, it needs extra 2 days for some paperwork once it arrives in your country. It includes custom clearance, VAT, and other taxes fee.
You can contact AliExpress by emailing them, starting a chat with a live agent on their website or by leaving them a message on one of the social media platforms.
When your order status is "The seller has shipped your order": You cannot cancel your order after it is shipped. However, You can reject/return the goods after it is delivered to you). When your order status is "Awaiting Shipment”: You can cancel your order with the seller's approval.
If the shipment is not completed in the required time on the order page, AliExpress will close the order and return all the received funds to you. And you will receive the refund in 3-20 business days.
AliExpress sells straight to the customer, cutting out the middleman.As a dropshipper, you buy from the manufacturer, which keeps prices low. So, when you put together China's supplier-friendly environment and the D2C (Direct to Customer) model of AliExpress, you can see why their products are so cheap.
AliExpress (Chinese: 全球速卖通) is an online retail service based in China and owned by the Alibaba Group. Launched in 2010, it is made up of small businesses in China and other locations, such as Singapore, that offer products to international online buyers.
It really depends on the item. If it is something conventional that custom officers come across on a regular basis or something they can understand easily then it would take around 2 to 4 days on average. However if it's something unconventional then it can also take 10 days or even more.
“Out for delivery” means that your package has left the final pickup point and is on its way to your doorstep. So, your package will be delivered either that same day or the next day.
It means that the package has been sorted and is now in the hands of a postal carrier. The carrier will attempt to deliver the package today, though delivery may be delayed due to weather or other conditions. If the carrier is unable to deliver the package, it will be returned to the sender.
Shipped is not the same as delivered. When a package is designated as “shipped” the package has been loaded on a truck and departed for the final distribution center. That means the package could be anywhere between the origin location and the destination terminal.
In a 7-Day Day Delivery equipped parcel network, parcel shippers work with parcel carriers to ship and deliver packages seven days out of the week. This means your parcel network is operating and moving throughout the whole week; however, your customer may or may not receive their package during the actual weekend.
The status “In Transit” means the order has been shipped, but not delivered. Means the order is “on the way” to the buyer. You can check the detailed tracking information in order page.
You just need to set the country where you want to ship your goods to (United States) on the top of AliExpress main page and pick the category of products you need. Then, in the “Ship from” field, you should choose “United States” and… Here they are!
If you have purchased anything on AliExpress.com, but didn't receive it within the seller's guaranteed delivery time, you can get a full refund. All products on AliExpress.com are guaranteed to be delivered within 60 days (90 days for deliveries to Russia,120 days for deliveries to Brazil).
The two winners are AliExpress Standard Shipping and ePacket. They are both relatively cheap (sometimes free), fast delivery times, and available tracking information. Therefore, if you have one of those two options available, you're most likely to choose between one of them.
What is the fastest overnight shipping option? The fastest overnight delivery option is FedEx First Overnight. You can expect your package or envelope to be delivered by 8 a.m. the next business day in most areas.
Introduction: My name is Kerri Lueilwitz, I am a courageous, gentle, quaint, thankful, outstanding, brave, vast person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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