Customers who are looking for great deals on great products usually end up choosing between AliExpress and Amazon.
For those who are new to using AliExpress, you may be unsure what to expect.
One of the most important questions you might have is how long it takes to receive the items that you purchased.
Knowing the expected times can help you determine whether using AliExpress is right for you for that particular moment or not.
Here’s what you need to know about shipping and shipping times with AliExpress.
How Long Does AliExpress Take To Ship?
An item that you order with AliExpress Standard Shipping can arrive anywhere between 15 and 45 working days.
Essentially, there’s a chance that you could wait over a month for the item to arrive.
With AliExpress Premium Shipping, you can wait as little as between seven and 15 business days.
However, this comes with a shipping fee associated with it.
AliExpress offers two different shipping services, and the one you choose determines how long it takes for the item to ship to your door.
The cheapest option is AliExpress Standard Shipping.
The benefit of using this shipping service is that it usually means you get free shipping.
This isn’t always the case, however.
The disadvantage of this shipping service is that it takes the longest.
Clearly, AliExpress shipping takes a bit longer than that of other vendors.
As long as you’re not in a rush to get the item, then you might find their service reasonable.
Can You Track an Order with AliExpress?
In today’s eCommerce, being able to track orders is a no-brainer.
It helps you understand the status of your order and keep tabs on its progress.
If something goes wrong, then the tracking information can be a useful tool to determine where in the pipeline the problem occurred.
It also helps ensure that the buyer is at home or can make arrangements to ensure that someone is there to accept the package.
Because of the convenience that tracking information gives, you may wonder if AliExpress offers tracking information.
The good news is that the marketplace does have tracking information.
When you order something on AliExpress, it will show up in the Orders section of your account.
You can click on your orders and find the item that you want to track.
When you click on the item, you should see a view details option.
Scroll down until you see a logistics information section.
Within this section, you’ll find your tracking information.
If you don’t see it yet, then it’s because the seller hasn’t sent the item to AliExpress’s sorting and processing facility yet.
It can also take time for the company to update the tracking even after the package arrives at the facility.
In most cases, it takes anywhere from five to seven business days for tracking information to appear on your order after the package arrives at the facility.
During this time, the workers are packaging the item and sending it to the appropriate address.
Because AliExpress ships internationally, the company has to ensure that the package goes to the right company and with the right shipping service.
For example, if the buyer chose Premium shipping, then the workers have to ensure it’s put on an airplane.
For those who chose Standard Shipping, then they have to put the package with the others for ground or sea travel.
Once the tracking information becomes live on your account, you’re able to keep your eyes on its progress.
How Do You Choose Which Shipping Service To Use On AliExpress?
If you’ve never used AliExpress before, then you may be unsure where or how to choose your preferred shipping service.
Thankfully, the site makes it easy.
You’ll need to start by choosing an item to purchase.
Once you put it in your cart and begin the checkout process, you’ll eventually arrive at the shipping details part of the order.
Depending on the services available for the item, you should see one or two options.
To choose one, you just click the circle next to its name.
This area will tell you the estimated delivery time and the fee associated with the shipping if there’s any.
Once you’ve selected which service you want, you just need to click Okay to submit it.
After purchasing the product, you can check over your order details again in the Orders section of your account.
Why Does AliExpress Take So Long To Ship?
If you’re used to the shipping times with Amazon, then using AliExpress might feel like it’s extremely slow.
You may wonder why they take so long to ship items.
Here are a few reasons AliExpress takes such a long time to ship items.
1. Seller Delays
One of the reasons AliExpress takes a long time to ship is that delays occur with the seller.
Unlike Amazon, which has several warehouses where sellers can store their goods, AliExpress has to wait for sellers to send their items to them.
They can’t ship out the order until the product actually arrives at their facility.
Unfortunately, this means that if there’s any delay with the seller, then there’s also going to be a delay with the shipping.
There is an abundance of reasons the seller isn’t sending the product out as fast as they should.
One reason is the size of the delivery or product.
If the seller has a large product, then they may need to wait until a carrier who can handle the size of that product becomes available to transport it.
Depending on the demand for that carrier, the seller might be on a waiting list.
They can’t get the product to AliExpress until the carrier becomes available.
Another reason might be the sheer number of deliveries.
The seller might have several products headed to AliExpress.
They might not want to send the product immediately until they reach a certain quota that helps them save money.
For example, they might get a discount if they use a carrier that charges a certain amount for a certain number of boxes.
The seller might also use several different platforms to sell their products.
As such, it may take them some time to process everything on their end before finally being able to work on the orders for AliExpress.
Finally, sellers are usually independent workers rather than large businesses.
They may have another job that they do or have a family that they need to care for.
They may not be able to send the order out until they find time for it in their schedules.
Shipping can take a while because it can’t start until the seller sends the product to AliExpress.
The seller might be facing problems or delays, themselves, which further lengthens the time in which the shipping occurs.
2. Popular Use Of AliExpress
How popular AliExpress is in certain countries can also make the shipping times faster or slower.
For countries that see a lot of AliExpress customers, they tend to have faster shipping times.
That’s because AliExpress packages are common.
They’ve established connections and relationships with the local carriers in those countries.
They’ve encountered problems and come up with solutions to overcome them.
Since they send packages to those countries often, they’ve been able to smooth the process and make it more efficient.
Those who live in countries that use AliExpress often likely receive their packages faster than those who live in countries where AliExpress isn’t used as often.
Countries in which AliExpress isn’t popular don’t have quite as close a relationship with the marketplace.
As a result, there may be problems in the logistics chain that they have to contend with.
That can create delays which can cause the shipping time to extend even further.
It also might mean that AliExpress doesn’t have any partners in the region at all.
That will require them to call and hire a carrier which may take time if all the carriers in the area are busy, too.
Because it isn’t as streamlined, shipping to places that don’t use AliExpress often can take more time.
3. Country’s Postal Service Efficiency
AliExpress practically ships all across the world.
That includes countries that may not have the most efficient postal services.
If you live in an extremely rural area where the postal service is already slow, then your AliExpress package may arrive even slower.
That’s because the slow or inefficient postal service has to make the time and room to carry that package as well.
It might also require them to drive a certain distance to meet up with the carrier who is sending the package to them.
Since scheduling can be difficult among carriers, it may delay the exchange by a few days until they can agree on a date on which to meet.
Depending on your local postal service’s efficiency, your AliExpress package might take even longer.
4. Holidays
The holidays are a major reason why your order may take a long time.
In fact, the holidays could delay your package by another month or even more.
That’s because eCommerce booms during the holiday season.
It’s a lot more convenient for shoppers to buy what they need online rather than going into crowded stores.
The problem is that this usually means that eCommerce businesses are under a lot of strain during the holiday seasons.
Most struggle with labor outside of the holidays.
During the holidays, they’re relying on their employees and workforce to pick up the slack and work overtime to process as many packages as possible.
That’s because, especially during Christmas, everyone wants their packages to arrive before a certain date.
There’s a mad rush to get there on time.
With AliExpress, they suddenly have hundreds if not thousands of more packages to deal with a day.
If they’re unable to hire enough seasonal workers, then it falls to their usual workers to handle all the orders.
Sellers usually feel this strain, too.
They might have more demand for their products, so they find themselves having to ship out more boxes to AliExpress.
If they become overwhelmed with orders, then it might take the seller longer to get those packages to AliExpress.
Then AliExpress has to send their packages to carriers all across the world.
If those carriers are already overwhelmed with domestic packages, then international packages may make the problem even worse.
It may take them even longer to get the package to the appropriate address.
The holidays can make your AliExpress package even later than normal.
5. Type Of Travel For Shipping
Depending on the type of shipping service that you use, it can also make your AliExpress package take longer to arrive.
AliExpress Standard Shipping usually uses sea and ground to get the package to you.
These are the cheapest options for shipping and so they use the cheapest methods of travel.
Sea travel is the slowest type of shipping transport.
Boats can only move so fast, and they often have to stop at ports to remove cargo and take on cargo as they go.
Pulling into port can take several days, in itself, since the cargo they’re unloading usually has to undergo some sort of customs check.
Then they need to check over the cargo they’re taking on to ensure it’s the correct shipment.
The ship also takes on more resources like food and fresh water for the crew.
Depending on how far the ship has to travel, it could have several stops at different ports which further extends the time it takes to arrive at your home.
Ground travel also takes some time.
It moves a bit faster than sea travel because ground travel is able to travel a bit more directly to the final destination.
While they’re subject to speeding laws, it’s their ability to take a mostly direct path that helps ground travel shave off some time.
That said, it still takes some time to arrive at the final destination, especially if that destination is a very long distance.
The fastest method of travel is by plane.
Air travel is the fastest because it offers the most direct path.
A truck may need to drive around a city or lake, but a plane can fly right over them.
Planes also travel extremely quickly.
Depending on if you choose sea, ground, or air travel, your AliExpress package may arrive extremely slowly or relatively quickly.
How To Make Your AliExpress Package Arrive Faster
Since it can take a while for your AliExpress package to arrive, you may wonder what you can do to help speed things along.
Here are a few things you can do to make your AliExpress package arrive sooner.
1. Choose AliExpress Premium Shipping
One of the easiest things that you can do to make your items arrive faster is to choose AliExpress Premium Shipping for your shipping service.
Keep in mind that you’ll need to pay more for this service.
However, you can easily shave off half a month from the shipping time if not almost a month entirely.
If you need the item sooner rather than later, then the Premium Shipping Service can help.
AliExpress charges extra for the Premium service because it means their employees are going to spend extra time and effort on that particular package.
It’s given special treatment so that it arrives at your location faster.
This usually means that it costs AliExpress more to ship your product faster to you.
Air travel is usually part of Premium shipping since it’s the fastest method for transporting goods.
Since air travel isn’t cheap, AliExpress charges the buyers more for this service.
That said, Premium service is one of the best ways to get your item to you faster.
2. Private Carriers
Some sellers offer the option to use a private carrier for the item instead of AliExpress shipping.
For example, they might offer DHL, FedEx, or even UPS shipping.
By choosing a private carrier, you can get the item a lot faster since it uses their logistics system rather than AliExpress.
The problem with a private carrier is that it’s often the most expensive option for shipping.
You’re basically hiring your own UPS truck to bring the package to your door.
If you want your item to arrive fast, however, then using a private carrier may be worth the extra price.
3. ePacket
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, AliExpress offered another shipping service called ePacket.
ePacket offered cheap and fast shipment options.
With ePacket, buyers could expect their items to arrive between 12 and 20 days.
Unfortunately, due to the backlog that occurred because of the pandemic, AliExpress had to stop offering ePacket.
If they ever get through their backlog, then they might offer the service again.
If so, then you can use it to get faster shipping times.
Conclusion
AliExpress is another great marketplace where you can find unique products at cheap prices.
The problem is that their shipping times can be extremely long.
Luckily, with the methods listed above, you can find a way to shorten your shipping time.
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