Reliability of the Chinese websites like alibaba amd aliexpress

[RoGeorge]

Extending protection is a usual thing, for me it's more like reminder that I did not confirm goods received in time.

Quite contrary, on Aliexpress, if you don't open a dispute, the transaction will be closed by default as OK, no matter you received the goods or not.

Only if you open a dispute during protection time, the seller usually extend the protection for a few more days.  It happened to me 4-5 times in total.  Once it was extended 2 times in a row, and 2-3 times it was extended only once, the product still didn't arrive, money were returned, then the product finally arrived after another week or so, and I bought generic voucers just to pay them again the product that was just refunded.  In theory, if it's not in time but arrives later after refund, you can keep it for free, but I never do that.

[thm_w]

You are not doing it the Chinese way. Leave a negative feedback and post some pictures in the review. The seller will come to you and you can blackmail him a chunk of money for changing your words.

Or you can just buy tons of things on Taobao and get your account bumped to a higher VIP level. Taobao will issue you a refund before the buyer, and if the buyer does not, Taobao will apply pressure to him (because otherwise Taobao will have to suck the loss).

If you abuse this mechanism, you might get bumped down to a non-VIP account and blacklisted for future promotion, but if you use it reasonably, Taobao handles the risk, not you.

So one thing I don't understand about Taobao, literally no one leaves reviews for electronics. I will see USB connector with ~200 sales, and there is hundreds of "no response received default positive" and then one "good". Compare this to aliexpress, its never that bad you'll get a few comments and sometimes photos people have taken.

Aliexpress is not great lately.
For many low dollar vendors, I find the item never arrives. They give a fake tracking number that says the item supposedly made it into the country after a couple weeks and it ends there.
Their trick is to "extend buyer purchase protection" several times when the order is near late cutoff, until you forget the new cutoff date. Then it's surprise- "transaction closed".

Do not use sunyou/yanwen/free shipping any more, they never arrive. This is 100% a problem with CBSA or the shipping company and not the sellers fault. I do not believe it is a fake tracking number (most of the time, unless tracking showed say never leaving china), as the issue is within Canada and not as much elsewhere.

You need to switch to paying $1-3 for china post or epacket it will arrive quickly. Another option is to consolidate your items in China, then bulk ship them, but that may cost more than it is worth.

[SiliconWizard]

Aliexpress is safer than eBay, the refund is much easier, and take a long time to expire and can be extended,  I use frequently and never lose a cent. 

Yeah. From a sales POV, I've had better experience with Aliexpress overall than eBay as well.
Now as far as products and sellers go, it's pretty much the same. You're still completely on your own. There's good stuff to be found, and really crappy stuff, counterfeits, etc. Usually the pricing is a good indicator of a given product having a chance of being legit or not...

Regarding pricing, don't let yourself get fooled. At first you may be tempted to think that yeah, this item is a bargain, but hey, it's normal, it's direct from China, and you know, they are so much cheaper...unfortunately, the cheap stuff, even from China, is often crap. Legit and good products on Aliexpress (and there are) are not necessarily that cheap.

[Mechatrommer]

Do not use sunyou/yanwen/free shipping any more, they never arrive. This is 100% a problem with CBSA or the shipping company and not the sellers fault. I do not believe it is a fake tracking number (most of the time, unless tracking showed say never leaving china), as the issue is within Canada and not as much elsewhere.

if item not arriving in due time, i consider that as seller's fault for choosing broken courier (unless if its me who did the choosing then i have to blame myself). i will demand refund from shop management (ali or ebay) and advice the seller not to use that courier again. this happened to me once in ebay.

[wraper]

Extending protection is a usual thing, for me it's more like reminder that I did not confirm goods received in time.

Quite contrary, on Aliexpress, if you don't open a dispute, the transaction will be closed by default as OK, no matter you received the goods or not.

Of course it does. Because otherwise seller won't ever receive the money as it is released only after transaction is closed. Or do you think that buyers confirm all purchases they actually received? I doubt that even half of goods physically received are confirmed.
IMHO you either order something really dodgy or packages simply get lost or stolen in the way to you.
I remember a long time ago someone complained here that ebay banned him from purchase protection. Something like 70-80% of ebay purchases did not arrive to him and he disputed all of those until ebay got full of it. Like "I'me not guilt they get lost/stolen". Maybe, but sellers are not guilty either for being unfortunate you buying something from them.

[thm_w]

if item not arriving in due time, i consider that as seller's fault for choosing broken courier (unless if its me who did the choosing then i have to blame myself). i will demand refund from shop management (ali or ebay) and advice the seller not to use that courier again. this happened to me once in ebay.

You can demand a refund if you want, thats OK. But I don't believe its the sellers fault here that the "courier is broken" its an issue with our country and how mail is processed. If there was a single shipping option I would understand, but, with alix you have the choice of often 5+ shipping methods.
So ultimately what ends up happening: sellers stop offering these methods to ship to Canada, or they completely block Canada from purchasing items (a few sellers have done this already). First option is good, I don't like the second option though.

[wasyoungonce]

Digging up old thread....I usually buy from the proper stores, digikey, RS, E14......sometimes Aliexpress or Bangood, if I must.

But I need some TFT displays, Formike KWH028Q28-F01.   Very specific these and only these.   I can only get these from Alibaba (which is odd unless I purchase large qtys from OEM)  and I have never purchased form them.  Only need 2-3

https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Formike-QVGA-240x320-2-8-inch_1968462774.html?spm=a2700.galleryofferlist.normal_offer.d_title.5387350dj0oepG

I know its a stupid question...is Alibaba safe, similar like Aliexpress

[james_s]

It's similar but less consumer-oriented. I bought some hard to find displays from a seller there several years ago and I received what I ordered. That's only one data point though.

[wasyoungonce]

Thanks James

[Microdoser]

Personally, I tend to go directly to the manufacturer or a reputable parts distributor if I really want a genuine part.

If I don't mind getting 'same-same but different' I will go with AliExpress.

I have not had issues with items not arriving, often they arrive quite early compared to the predicted delivery date.

Now the UK has abolished the lower limit for VAT on imports, I will note how deliveries are affected and adjust my buying habits accordingly.