Alibaba and Aliexpress are two eCommerce platforms, both owned by the same company, the Chinese Alibaba group, which is the world’s largest online market for wholesale and retail sales. It is based in Hangzhou, in China and it was founded by the general manager Ma Yun, who has worked in various sectors until he found his realization in Alibaba. In Asia, both platforms are widely used and famous in the eCommerce sector, but since some years they have also been spreading in Europe.
The two platforms have different purposes and consequently are aimed at a different audience.
AliExpress is a B2C platform and it is the second most popular e-commerce platform in the world, suitable for those looking for a variety of similar products, at affordable prices and it doesn’t request a minimum order.
How AliExpress works?
To use AliExpress you can log in through the website or the app. On the site you can create a free account and then, you can search for the desired products.
You can also view the seller’s information, the reviews and ratings that other users have left regarding the products and sellers, as well as the shipping methods.
Free shipping is always explicitly indicated, otherwise it will be possible to view the required shipping costs.
After adding the item to the cart, before proceeding with the payment, you must indicate all the
details necessary to receive the shipment, then select the payment method and finally complete the transaction. After the order can be tracked by entering the tracking number received on email.
Alibaba is a B2B platform, on which companies can buy in bulk from manufacturers and suppliers throughout Asia, especially in China. The platform offers a wide variety of items: manufactured goods, customized products, machinery. Each supplier sets its own minimum order number; it is possible to negotiate the prices and it offers various payment methods: all this makes it a point of reference for companies looking for suppliers.
How is Alibaba.com used?
On www.alibaba.com, if you don’t have an account you can click on the registration page and follow the instructions. Alibaba doesn’t require a commercial license to open the account, but your local authorities may require some legal requirements to resell products from Alibaba, therefore it is important to know them. After setting up the account, you can search for products in the search bar of the main page, but it is recommended to filter the search because the generic terms can produce unlimited results. Alibaba allows you to indicate your requirements, the preferred payment method and shipping destinations and once you receive quotes from different suppliers, you can compare them and choose the most suitable one.
When choosing the supplier it is important to visit his profile page and check the verification badge to verify legitimacy. Also on the profile you can read the reviews left by other buyers. Subsequently it is possible to negotiate the price with the chosen supplier until an agreement is found. If you reach a common agreement, then you make the payment and expect to receive the product.
Aliexpress Vs Alibaba: other differences
In the previous article we have described how the Aliexpress and Alibaba work, here we will deepen in detail the differences and similarities between them, so you can choose which one is best suited to your needs.
Although the two platforms may seem very similar, there are important differences:
- AliExpress is a B2C platform, Alibaba is a B2B platform;
- Aliexpress is for normal consumers, Alibaba is intended for wholesale transactions between companies;
- AliExpress doesn’t have a minimum order, Alibaba instead requires large orders and it has a minimum quantity;
- On AliExpress you can buy products like any other e-commerce platform, on Alibaba, before purchasing, you need to request a quote from the supplier;
- On AliExpress it isn’t possible to buy products with personalized labels, on Alibaba you can do it;
- AliExpress sells already manufactured products, so shipping usually doesn’t take long, instead, on Alibaba sellers have to manufacture the products for each order, therefore shipping takes longer;
- The prices on AliExpress are fixed, while on Alibaba, it is possible to negotiate the price with the seller;
- AliExpress offers dropshipping, Alibaba no.
The two platforms also have elements in common:
- Both are owned by the Alibaba group;
- Both offer quality products at affordable prices;
- Both offer a large variety of payment methods, including bank transfers, credit cards and Alipay;
- Both have user-friendly interfaces and the whole purchasing process is very easy to carry out;
- Both offer buyer protection services for payments made.
After these informations, it is easy to understand that it can be difficult to choose which one to use. To make the right choice it is important to evaluate various factors:
- The order quantity
Alibaba is mainly used for exchanges between businesses, so it isn’t suitable for purchasing individual items, but AliExpress doesn’t have this limitation. So it is better to buy individual items on AliExpress, instead if you are a company looking for wholesale orders, it is more useful to use Alibaba.
2. Prices
Alibaba is mainly used for exchanges between businesses, so it isn’t suitable for purchasing individual items, but AliExpress doesn’t have this limitation. So it is better to buy individual items on AliExpress, instead if you are a company looking for wholesale orders, it is more useful to use Alibaba.
The prices on AleExpress are fixed and bargaining isn’t possible and they can also be slightly higher than Alibaba, because Alibaba has wholesale tariffs while AliExpress has retailtariffs. In addition, the prices on Alibaba are negotiable and it is possible to request quotes from various sellers to find the most suitable price.
3. The shipment
On AliExpress we sell already manufactured items that can be shipped immediately, instead on Alibaba most of the orders are produced or customized at the moment, so shipments take longer.
4. Download the delivery
AliExpress supports dropshipping because it sells in retail, instead Alibaba is for wholesalers and distributors, therefore it doesn’t offer dropshipping.
5. Custom products
Only Alibaba is the platform suitable for those who want customized products for their company.
After that we have compared Alibaba and AliExpress in detail, you will be able to take a more informed decision.
