With a platform full of dropshipping suppliers, many e-commerce brands use AliExpress to start their dropshipping business with no money. AliExpress is very popular, but also increasingly criticized. What makes AliExpress such a good fit for those starting with dropshipping? And what are the disadvantages of using this platform?
The advantages of an AliExpress supplier
With thousands of dropshipping suppliers listed on the platform, it is easy to fill your e-commerce business with the products you find on AliExpress. There are suppliers in almost every segment of the market. Because of the large range of products, many business owners who are looking to start dropshipping turn to AliExpress.
Products on the platform are usually a lot cheaper than the ones from European suppliers. Most suppliers on AliExpress do not charge any shipping costs, making the processing costs of your orders very low.
Disadvantages of using AliExpress suppliers
The fact that AliExpress is accessible to so many resellers, means that you’re not the only one dropshipping through AliExpress. You will have to deal with a lot of competitors, which can be difficult.
Additionally, because of its popularity, many consumers are now also buying products on AliExpress. This makes it harder to build a client base with products coming from AliExpress, as your customers can directly buy them themselves.
Another disadvantage is the long shipping time. Most customers want their orders to arrive within a couple of days, but shipments from China usually take at least a couple of weeks to arrive. Clearly stating that shipping will take a couple of weeks, can help prevent negative customer reviews.
Selecting a trustworthy supplier
When you’re choosing a supplier, there are several factors to keep in mind. The quality of the products and shipping time of your supplier is of course very important factor. But before you start selling their products, you should also gain information about their level of service.
Ask them about how much of their products they keep in storage. How large is their inventory? If you receive a large number of orders, will they be able to keep up with the demand? Ask the supplier whether there are periods in the year when they don’t process orders (with Chinese New Year for example).
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