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Top 10 AliExpress Alternatives To Take Your Dropshipping Business To The Next Level

Top 10 AliExpress Alternatives To Take Your Dropshipping Business To The Next Level

AliExpress Alternatives - Why even look?

When we talk about dropshipping in general, one of the biggest names that get mentioned again and again is AliExpress. It is battle-tested and there’s no shortage of reviews and praise for the platform. So why even look at alternatives when the platform seems to have everything a dropshipper needs?

Although AliExpress is quite solid as a dropshipping platform, and to be quite honest a lot of people consider it the best by far, it might not be perfect for every seller. There might be concerns about shipping, supplier reliability, payment options, and such.

It might not even be because of concerns but rather just the desire to grow beyond sourcing from just one platform, perhaps even not seeing certain products or product categories in AliExpress.

Whatever the reason might be, you landed on the right page. We’re here to offer you 10 possible AliExpress alternatives. We even include payment and shipping information, recommended products and categories, and additional thoughts for each platform.

But first, some safety tips…

Avoid Scammy and Fraudulent Dropshipping Suppliers - Pro Tips

Dropshipping store owners are continuously searching for ways to improve their current e-commerce setups.

A couple of ways they’re pursuing this is by checking out new services and trying out additional or supplementary suppliers. This makes them probe to scammy or fraudulent options.

It is very important to always be cautious. Keep asking yourself whether something is indeed legit or whether it might be too good to be true.

Here are some ways to separate legitimate options from the questionable ones:

• Positive and reassuring feedback/reviews. What do people who’ve used their service say about them? Are they generally happy? Are the concerns, if any, minimal and manageable?
• Other social signals. Do they have an actual following online? Is their community well managed and taken care of? Are influencers and regular folks raving about them? Do they have likes and activity on their social channels?
• Real people in the company. Get in touch with them and check out their customer service. Are there actual people manning their communication lines? Are they courteous and knowledgeable?
• Robust education/help section. Do they have a help section that covers areas that matter to dropshippers? Does it look current?
• Up-to-date website technology/security. Have they invested in an updated website? Do they have a secure platform?
• Marketplaces vs Real Wholesalers. Marketplaces or dropship platforms aren’t bad in themselves. In fact, they contribute quite a bit to the e-commerce world. But remember that a platform’s reputation doesn’t necessarily carry over to that of the supplier within that platform. Make sure you dig deeper into the actual supplier’s details before committing.

Overview of Contents

Looking for a specific AliExpress alternative? Here’s the list of what we initially recommend below. Keep checking back as we’re actively checking out and reviewing these AliExpress alternatives for you.

• Banggood
• Lightinthebox
• DX
• Yaaku
• Worldwide Brands
• Geek Buying
• Chinabrands
• Salehoo
• DHGate
• Wholesale Survival Kits

Don’t see what you’re looking for? Comment below. But for now, let’s head straight to the alternatives.

Top AliExpress Alternatives - We picked 10

Without further delay, here’s our list of the 10 best AliExpress alternatives to kick off your research.

Banggood

Membership Option(s)

Free - China

Available Payment Options

They have an in-platform payment system called BGPay which essentially allows you to keep and exchange money within their platform. Apart from this, they allow for an extensive number of payment options such as Debit/Credit card, PayPal, direct wire transfer, CoD, and more depending on the actual product/shipper.

Shipping and Fulfillment

Banggood ships to almost all countries with stated exceptions such as Chinese mainland, South Sudan, Yemen, Crimea, and Syria.

Banggood shipping options include Express Shipping, Direct Mail, and Air Parcel Register with maximum delivery guarantee within 60 days.

Recommended Products and Categories

• Women’s Clothing
• Men’s Clothing
• Beauty Products
• Electronics, Drones, and Robots
• Tools, Industrial, Scientific

Banggood Thoughts and Selling Points

• Relatively easy process to register as a Banggood dropshipper
• Offers tiered discounts up to 20% based on sales activity
• Powerful tools such as:
• Free dropship download center - allows you to download images without the Banggood logo
• Free API system - unlocks additional benefits such as additional data on products in stock; quick access to fresh listings or modified products; updates about price changes; tracking information of most orders.
• Listing on eBay? They have an eBay Management Center
• CSV importing available for orders
• Navigation is a bit close to that of AliExpress
• Customer service 24/7
• Has an affiliate program

Also check:Top 10 Sites Like eBay – Find The Best eBay Alternatives For 2020

DX

Membership Option(s)

Free - China

Available Payment Options

There are various payment options available such as credit and debit cards, cash on delivery, wire transfer, and iDeal. If you live in Brazil, they have an installment option.

Shipping and Fulfillment

Free worldwide shipping on certain items with SuperSaver and Standard shipping options available as well as Express shipping. Items are usually shipped within a single day with actual receipt depending on the distance from the manufacturer ranging from a few days to over 15 days.

Recommended Products and Categories

• Phone and Accessories
• Consumer Electronics
• Electrical and Tools
• Toys and Gaming

DX (DealExtreme)Thoughts and Selling Points

• DX has dropshipping aid in their help pages
• Positioned as source for “Smart Tech and Life Fashion”
• Boasts to have one of the largest and diverse catalogs
• Perhaps one of the best return/warranty policies
• DX Affiliate Program available

Worldwide Brands

Membership Option(s)

$224 for lifetime access - USA

Available Payment Options

Credit Card and Paypal as well as other payment options processed directly with suppliers and manufacturers.

Shipping and Fulfillment

Worldwide Brands do now ship items themselves being just a service provider.

Shipping depends on actual suppliers or manufacturers. Fulfillment times range from around a month if coming from China or less than a week if coming from a location within your same region.

Recommended Products and Categories

• Pet Supplies
• Toys, Games, and Hobbies
• Consumer Electronics
• Jewelry and Watches

Worldwide Brands Thoughts and Selling Points

• Mainly a platform where retailers including dropshippers can connect with a massive list of vetted wholesalers from around the globe
• Guaranteed wholesale prices
• Recommended for experienced dropshippers who might want to take advantage of selling new, less saturated products
• iPhone and Android apps available
• They have extensive FAQ and help pages
• Worldwide Brands affiliate program available.

If you haven't already done so, make sure to check out the AliExpress Droshipping Center.

Chinabrands

Membership Option(s)

Free - China

Available Payment Options

The main payment methods available at Chinabrands include PayPal, Payoneer, Wire Transfer, as well as an internal Chinabrands Wallet.

Shipping and Fulfillment

Chinabrands ships worldwide with a promise to dispatch items within 24 hours of the order. For a nominal fee, they also offer shipping insurance.

Flat rate shipping via post is available and takes anywhere from 7 to 25 days.

Recommended Products and Categories

• Phones, Tablets, and Accessories
• Consumer Electronics
• Items for Mothers and Kids
• Clothing Accessories

Chinabrands Thoughts and Selling Points

• Extensive help files for dropshippers and regular members called the CB University
• Reported as the largest dropshipping and distribution platform off of China being a subsidiary of a publicly listed company in the country
• Over 500,000+ SKUs available
• Despite being 100% in China, prides itself in having a reliable customer service program
• Has a quality assurance and control team on-site
• Easy to understand Warranty and Returns Policy

DHGate

Membership Option(s)

Free - China

Available Payment Options

Same as AliExpress, they offer a vast array of payment options such as credit and debit cards, ApplePay, WebMoney and iDeal.

Shipping and Fulfillment

They have shipping and fulfillment down to a T and have detailed information depending on country and shipping service.

Recommended Products and Categories

• Sports and Outdoors
• Electric Bikes and Scooters
• Health and Beauty
• Baby and Kids
• Shoes and Accessories
• Home and Small Appliances

DHGate Thoughts and Selling Points

• Huge variety of products with practically the same navigation as AliExpress
• Very popular in itself and as an alternative to AliExpress
• Extensive FAQs and help files for all types of users on their website
• Virtually has the same products listed as in AliExpress to price comparison is possible between the sites
• Offers a selection of Trending Dropshipping Products in one page, with eBay, Amazon, Facebook sections
• Coupon Center, Flash Deals, and the works
• DHGate Affiliate Program available

Lightinthebox

Membership Option(s)

Free - China

Available Payment Options

A variety of payment options is available including the usual suspects like PayPal, credit and debit cards, Klarna, and iDeal.

Shipping and Fulfillment

Lightinthebox ships to nearly every country through trusted, international carriers. Most products usually ship within 24 hours but highly dependent on individual suppliers. Products fulfilled by Lightinthebox themselves usually takes around 15 to 30 days to receive as their warehouses are located in China.

More information about their shipping options are detailed quite extensively in their knowledge base.

Recommended Products and Categories

• Women’s Clothing
• Men’s Clothing
• Weddings and Events
• Shoes and Bags
• Jewelry and Watches

Lightinthebox Thoughts and Selling Points

• Based on their own positioning, preferred for clothing, accessories, fashion, over electronics but electronics are also available.
• Certain categories especially related to fashion offer lower than usual prices compared to other platforms.
• Helpful knowledge base covering various topics for regular buyers and dropshippers
• Lightinthebox Affiliate Program available

Yaaku

Membership Option(s)

Free - China

Available Payment Options

Several options available like PayPal, Credit and Debit cards, MoneyGram, Western Union, and direct bank/wire transfer.

Shipping and Fulfillment

DHL, EMS, Fedex, as well as regular post are available shipping options with delivery ranging from 15 to 30 days in most cases.

Recommended Products and Categories

• Women dresses, tops, outerwear
• Kid’s tops, pants, and baby wear
• Shoes and Bags
• Sexy lingerie

Yaaku Thoughts and Selling Points

• Yaaku focuses on wholesale fashion and clothing from China so this is a preferred AliExpress alternative for online sellers who wish to focus on selling fashion-related products
• Fairly straightforward and free to join
• They have their own manufacturing facility which allows them to offer significantly lower prices
• 7-day return option is available as long as certain conditions are met

GeekBuying

Membership Option(s)

Free - Multiple locations including Spain, USA, Hong Kong, and China

Available Payment Options

Payment methods include PayPal, Credit and Debit card, Konbini, and Wire Transfer.

Shipping and Fulfillment

Modes of shipment available are Mail, Express, and Priority Mail largely dependent on the destination country.

Order processing usually takes 2 to 7 days with actual receipt ranging from 3 to over 30 days.

Recommended Products and Categories

• Phones and Accessories
• TV Boxes and Mini PCs
• Wearable Devices
• Consumer Electronics
• Security Systems

GeekBuying Thoughts and Selling Points

• As the name suggests, GeekBuying has positioned itself as a go-to source of gadgets, home electronics, and the like
• This specialization caters in turn to those who would like to solely offer tech products and electronics to their dropshipping customers
• Return and warranty policy are quite detailed, note that customer service must be contacted within 7 days of receipt of the purchased product
• GeekBuying offers discount tiers ranging from 2 to 5% based on monthly sales
• Registered dropshippers get to have products shipped without the GeekBuying logo
• GeekBuying Affiliate Program available

Salehoo

Membership Option(s)

$67 for 1-year access or $127 for lifetime access - New Zealand

Available Payment Options

Credit and debit cards as well as PayPal are the top and recommended payment options. This also depends on the actual suppliers you’ll end up picking off of the Salehoo directory.

Shipping and Fulfillment

Shipping and fulfillment highly depend on the wholesale suppliers you work with within the platform. Salehoo itself works as a service provider and directory more than anything else but very valuable at that.

Recommended Products and Categories

• Sports and Fashion
• Baby Products
• Men’s and Women’s Watches
• Drones and other consumer electronics

Salehoo Thoughts and Selling Points

• Suppliers are highly vetted, over 8,500 outright legitimate and verified suppliers in their directory
• Customer service is top-notch, expert levels, and seem to be very available when needed. They even boast unlimited one-on-one support for customers
• Extensive resource and community pages, as well as online lessons, available for eCommerce and dropshipping success

Wholesale Survival Kits

Membership Option(s) and Location

Free - USA

Available Payment Options

Payment options are the usual credit and debit cards as well as check and money orders.

Shipping and Fulfillment

Standard lead time is 2 to 5 days while they work to ship out orders as soon as possible and within 48 hours.

There’s a dropshipping handling fee of $3 for orders below $20 but none for orders above $20.

UPS and Freight shipping charges are also shouldered by dropshippers.

Recommended Products and Categories

• Long Term Food Storage
• Preparedness Seeds
• Paracords
• Backpacks and Bags
• Deluxe First Aid Kits

Wholesale Survival Kits Thoughts and Selling Points

• Wholesale Survival Kits focuses on survival and prepper niche so this is a highly recommended platform for those who, in turn, would like to sell very specific products in this area. So far, they’re the only ones in this niche that supports dropshipping.
• There’s an application process to actually be part of their system
• Quite big and reputable resellers such as Solar Sporting Goods and Cyber Tactical Bunker
• Wholesale Survival Kits is a tight organization which allows for top-notch customer service
• Return and Refund policy is quite straightforward as long as returned within 30 days of order and in the same resellable condition

Top Pick as the Best AliExpress Alternative?

Platform vs platform and all other things being equal, the closest option is DHGate.

If you’re simply looking for a straight-up alternative, then the best option is DHGate. To be honest, the website is even more visually appealing compared to AliExpress.

But at the end of the day, it all depends on your overall strategy. Are you looking to replace AliExpress completely? Or are you simply looking to expand beyond the platform?

If you have time on your hands compared to the average dropshipping entrepreneur and are perhaps doing this full-time, then maybe mixing and matching is the way to go.

If you’re wanting to specialize and focus on certain niches, then your research beyond this article should consider category-specific variables. You can start with Wholesale Survival Kits for the survival niche or Yaaku for clothing and fashion from China.

The ultimate consideration as well is revenue, which platform or combined platforms will net you the most money for your dropshipping business.

We hope this article has helped jump-start your search for an AliExpress alternative. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.