First of all, to make sure what kind of shipping applies to you, it is important to make sure you have your shipping address set up correctly on AliExpress. You can check this by clicking on this link.
It is also worth taking a look at the customs and import section on the official AliExpress website here, they have information that may be of interest to you.
At AliExpress there are several different shipping methods, which we can differentiate according to their delivery time and the possibility of tracking orders. Although we almost always think of China Post and Hong Kong Post, for some time now “AliExpress Standard Shipping” has become more popular, from which variations such as “AliExpress Saver Shipping” or “AliExpress Premium Shipping” have also emerged.
Although the names are very similar, each has very different characteristics, so in today's article, we will explain what they are and what advantages these shipments have over China Post or similar.
Shipments processed by AliExpress and their advantages
What all these new shipping methods have in common is that they are all handled indirectly by AliExpress.
The seller uses a shipping method offered by AliExpress that provides more security and advantages than other shipping methods. These are shipments that have agreements with international transport companies to arrive faster. We explain their differences.
AliExpress Standard Shipping
This shipping method is one of the most popular of AliExpress at this time, as it was one of the first to appear.
If you choose this shipping method, the provider will send your order to AliExpress' logistics center, and from there it will be sent to your home, under the control of the sales page itself. To reach your home, AliExpress may use a shipping system that has collaborated with local transportation companies to speed up the shipping time. Although this is not available for all countries, there are more and more: Spain, Russia, Ukraine… And in general, in most Latin American countries, if we choose AliExpress Standard Shipping our order will arrive sooner since MailAmericas will be used instead of other companies.
This shipping method is used for products with a value of more than $5 (approximately) so a certified shipment is used, with a tracking number that can be easily traced from the order page itself or from an external page such as 17track.net. The package will be delivered through the state postal service (the same one that delivers the letters) and the chances of the package being stopped by customs are the same as any other order sent by China Post. So if we have the option to choose between China Post, Singapore Post, or AliExpress Standard Shipping, the latter will give us more guarantees.
AliExpress Saver Shipping
This is another of the shipping alternatives handled by AliExpress that is becoming more frequent as an alternative to Cainiao, China Post and other economical shipments. This shipping method is used for products of lesser value (less than $5, approximately). We will obtain a tracking number and although it would be the equivalent to an ordinary China Post shipment (which does not need a signature for reception) it does allow tracking. So it has great advantages over the equivalent in China Post: the seller will be able to control that the product has been delivered, avoiding false disputes, and the buyer will have the advantage of being able to track his order.
AliExpress Premium Shipping
This last method of shipping is very difficult to find since only a few vendors use it and it is not available in all countries. It is used for products that have a high price or if they are very bulky and heavy. It is another of the shipping methods handled by AliExpress, but in this case, it is sent through a private courier such as DHL, FedEx, Seur, UPS… So although the delivery time is reduced to between 7 and 15 days, as we always remind you through our articles, using these private couriers increases the risk of receiving our package with customs surcharges. In addition, the cost of this shipment is much higher, and in some countries, and thanks to agreements with local transport companies, the delivery time could be faster with AliExpress Standard Shipping.
Fast Shipping: receive your orders in less than 10 days
This platform works constantly to improve conditions for its buyers. One of its latest developments is the possibility of receiving your orders in less than 10 days from China thanks to AliExpress' agreement with different transport companies for express deliveries. You will be able to receive your orders in 3, 5, or 10 working days thanks to this. You only have to filter your search with the option “Fast Shipping”.
Another alternative is to look for sellers with a warehouse outside of China with delivery compatible with our country. This has a great advantage over the fast shipments we have just discussed since it will help us avoid customs problems.
Are the shipments processed by AliExpress more reliable?
Obviously, if AliExpress processes the shipment it is much more difficult for the seller to scam us or give us an incorrect tracking number, so shipments handled by AliExpress have fewer disputes and are much more reliable. This does not mean that there cannot be errors: there is always a seller who avoids processing it through AliExpress or there can also be problems with the shipping by the carrier, but the number of incidents in the shipments has decreased significantly since this shipping system has been incorporated. However, we do not recommend choosing AliExpress Premium Shipping, as you will most likely have to pay customs fees upon arrival.
And if the seller does not use the promised shipping method, can I claim?
This is one of the questions we have received quite often in the blog comments. For example, you have bought a product that you thought would arrive through a certified shipping method and the seller has decided to send it as an ordinary package, can you complain about it? If you haven't paid for any shipping, the seller can actually use another shipping method without being penalized, the important thing is that it arrives at your home. If you have paid for something, you could claim the cost of shipping. We recommend that you talk to the seller before opening a dispute, and if for some reason you need your order to be shipped with a certain type of shipping, we recommend that you talk to the seller before you buy to make sure there will be no surprises.
More tips and tricks in our tutorials
At AlixBlog, in addition to analyzing the best products available on AliExpress, we also have tips and tricks for safe shopping on AliExpress, like the one you just read about. You can find them all in our tutorial section.
Have you already received products through AliExpress shipping methods? We'd love to hear about your shopping experience, so feel free to leave us a comment below.