AliExpress Wiki 2021 – Important Questions & Answers

AliExpress is becoming the fastest growing eCommerce platform for many entrepreneurs who don’t have capital investment at the start. Popular among both Shopify and Woo Commerce dropshipping e-stores, AliExpress connects manufacturers to online retailers. The non-existent and inadequate support from AliExpress though is a common problem. E-Store owners find it difficult find an ideal wiki to get answers to basic queries for AliExpress issues. This issue brings us to today’s article, I have put together questions from across the internet in one proper AliExpress Wiki 2018.

My primary purpose of creating this AliExpress Wiki is because no one was there to help me out when I needed it most. I will be routinely updating my AliExpress Wiki with latest user queries and popular questions that all drop-shippers want answered. Visit us routinely to find new interesting issues & solutions.

How to use AliExpress for dropshipping?

You can set up and start an AliExpress Dropshipping business in a matter of hours, it’s that easy. Have a look through our exclusive guides to begin drop shipping from AliExpress now:

1. How to start an AliExpress Dropshipping business,
2. Search for bestselling products,
3. Search for country-specific products for AliExpress dropshipping,
4. Build a 100K revenue store with zero inventory,
5. Create a social media marketing plan for your AliExpress Dropshipping e-store.

Do remmeber to come back to our AliExpress wiki at anytime and drop your questions in the comments section below.

Which essential tools are necessary to manage an AliExpress drop shipping business?

The following tools have been identified to be the most effective to manage an AliExpress Dropshipping e-store:

1. Shopify,
2. Oberlo,
3. Peeksy,
4. Google Analytics,
5. HotJar Analytics

Is AliExpress dropshipping a profitable business?

The short answer is YES, though a detailed response is necessary.

Compared to older eCommerce models (e-store website, Amazon, eBay) AliExpress allows businesses to start without worrying about stocks and managing orders. Therefore, this saves the retailer time and initial capital investment needed for warehousing, ordering, stockpiling, and managing logistics. Similarly, AliExpress also saves time and money on branding as drop shippers can sell non-branded goods.

So, yes, dropshipping from AliExpress can be profitable in the long run.

Do I need to provide an address on Shopify for an AliExpress dropshipping e-store?

Yes, you will be required to provide a legitimate address for your AliExpress dropshipping e-store. This address should preferably be your personal or business address. Since all management is under your name, handling queries and creating rapport with customers is also necessary. A proper address builds trust between you and the buyer, hence necessary.

Are there alternatives to ship faster with AliExpress dropshipping other than epacket?

Yes, there are several shipping services which provide faster services to AliExpress drop shippers. You can choose from several providers including:

1. DHL
2. UPS
3. FedEx
4. TNT

Beware though; the shipping costs will go up ridiculously sometimes more than the value of goods being shipped. You can always try JFBees TaoBao Agent, a China-based dropshipping service. JFBees provides buying & shipping solutions for dropping shipping businesses across the world.

How can I find the best products for AliExpress dropshipping?

You can discover bestselling products almost every week since there is on option available on AliExpress. Here is our exclusive guide to find the best products for AliExpress Dropshipping e-stores:

1. Find Products
2. Find country-specific products

Do people know that the product came from AliExpress Dropshipping when they buy from me?

No, when buyers purchase from your store there is no mention of where the goods are being shipped from. It is however common knowledge that most non-branded e-stores sell through AliExpress.

You can always include a letter of appreciation with your store brand name indicated. You can also suggest that “We Dropship and therefore provide no paper invoices.”

What are some excellent alternatives to AliExpress dropshipping?

AliExpress is a brilliant low-cost drop shipping platform to use. However, there are other excellent dropshipping alternatives you can try:

1. DOBA,
2. Wholesale2B,
3. Mega Goods,
4. Wholesale Central,
5. Inventory Source,
6. Sunrise Wholesale,
7. Worldwide Brand,
8. Dropship Direct,
9. Smart Living Company

What are the best products to Dropship from AliExpress Suppliers?

With thousands of products listed, not all products are profitable or even convenient to sell. Since there is no quality assurance process in between manufacturing packing, shipping, and delivery it can be an issue selling some items. The best products to sell from AliExpress Dropshipping are:

1. Compact – both size and shape,
2. Easy to operate,
3. Operate with batteries with 100W or lower,
4. Sourced from suppliers who ship worldwide?
5. Offer highest margins.

What is the difference between Alibaba and AliExpress?

Alibaba is a Business-to-Business platform, where products are sold in larger quantities. AliExpress, on the other hand, is a Business to Consumer platform that allows sourcing in smaller numbers.

Are AliExpress suppliers Reliable? How can I validate AliExpress Suppliers?

Yes, most suppliers on AliExpress can be trusted, but it requires drop shippers to validate suppliers before sourcing products or negotiating with them. Read our exclusive guide on how to verify suppliers on AliExpress.

What is Ali Express Trade Manager?

Trade Manager is an instant messenger tool primarily meant for Alibaba and not Ali Express. The messenger allows you to:

• Talk to buyers & suppliers in real time
• Translate conversations in real time
• Search for relevant suppliers & buyers
• Get instant trade alerts

Download Trade Manager from the official website here.

Can international suppliers & manufacturers sell on AliExpress?

No, only suppliers located in mainland China can sell on AliExpress. However, the company does plan to move the operation to other countries after which international suppliers can list products on the platform.

How are people dropshipping from AliExpress recording everything for taxes?

Finance & taxation is probably one of the most difficult areas of managing an eCommerce store. The first thing to do is manage all your expenses and revenue. Remember at this point that you have to follow the tax regime of the region your e-store is registered in. If it’s a US bank account then you will follow US tax law.

1. Record all order receipts in one place – Consider using Evernote, an app designed to save notes, receipts and other data online. The great aspect is that Evernote is free to use.
2. Consider using a premium app like Expensify – The app automates the receipts process, plus it integrates perfectly with accounting software including XERO, QuickBooks, SAGE, etc.
3. Maintain proper accounting records – Record income and expenses, it is essential when filing taxes and ensuring all cash flows are maintained at the year end. You can consider either using a paid software like QuickBooks or create records manually on Microsoft excel.
4. Depending on local laws you may also have to adjust product prices for Sales Tax.
5. Mark the date for tax returns on a calendar, it is essential to begin the return process a month before the due date.

Dropshippers using AliExpress doing HIGH VOLUME, do you upload tracking info in PayPal?

Yes, it is recommended to provide tracking information for sales paid for by PayPal. Sellers can instantly add tracking info in their PayPal dashboards. You can add tracking info on PayPal as follows:

• Log in to your PayPal account.
• Then click History > go to the relevant transaction you wish to add tracking info for
• Next, click Details > locate Postage (should be at the bottom of the page)
• Now click Add Tracking Info
• Complete the details in the Enter Tracking Information and Order Status page
• Click Save

The buyer will then receive an email informing them that Tracking Info has been added buy the seller.

When dropshipping from AliExpress how to manage copyrights issues?

Copyright issues can come up in several ways for sellers’ dropshipping from AliExpress. There is no ideal answer for this case to address in an AliExpress Wiki or FAQ.

The most prominent issue is that of “images” being infringed upon. This simply means you are using images of a third party, and were provided by the AliExpress supplier. To maintain transparency you can take the following steps:

1. Create your own photos and images
2. Create your own product titles and descriptions
3. Confirm with your supplier that products are complying with copyright law
4. Mention in your legal & privacy policies where the data or images come from
5. In case an image has a conflict with copyright, take it down immediately. Consider replacing with your own unique image

Then there is the prevailing issues of ‘infringement of goods & intellectual rights’. The products you are selling may be fakes or replicas, hence they qualify in infringement. You can consider the following steps:

1. Verify products by requesting samples
2. Maintain all communication & documentation with the supplier to present to legal counsels and judges
3. Randomly check product quality and order samples as a mystery shopper
4. Consider creating a written contract between yourself and the AliExpress seller
5. In case of copyright infringement cases consider legal counsel

DO remember here that if a product is in direct infringement of product or intellectual rights, you will have to take it down immediately. There is no need challenging copyright infringement claims, since at the end the copyright owner can demand a royalty. Securing rights to sell a copyright item can be difficult, so always consider backing off in these cases.

See You Again Soon!

I hope you found my AliExpress Wiki helpful, and it answered if not all some basic questions regarding AliExpress dropshipping. I will routinely update this AliExpress Wiki to contain the latest and most important questions regarding the platform. If you would like to contribute and add to this AliExpress Wiki simply leave your questions & answers in the comments section below.

If you liked this AliExpress Wiki and feel it can help others then share it now. Hope to see you again soon with more solutions!