There is no name that could grasp the essence of Aliexpress better than “the shopping mall of the internet”. Its features make it feel closer to eBay than Amazon (even if people usually compare it to the latter): it doesn’t have its own products for sale but merely offers merchants a platform through which they can deliver their goods overseas (it doesn’t offer the Chinese the possibility to buy any of them). Besides, it has a safe and handy online payment service called AliPay, that’s focused on personal payments, so much so that it even famed online gaming venues like alljackpotscasino.com are discouraged from using it. But does it have alternatives?
Well, if you ask about an online retailer with similar prices and practices to Aliexpress, the answer is a big yes. There are quite a few internet marketplaces selling products of all types produced in China to choose from.
One of them is LightInTheBox, a global online retail company based in Beijing, China. While its product range may not reach the amazing variety of Aliexpress, its specials and promotions will surely make you look twice. While it focuses mainly on fashion and accessories, it does carry a variety of other products, like electronics, gadgets, toys, sports and outdoors products, and more.
KMALL is another online retail outlet filled with Chinese products, ranging from local brands to major international manufacturers. Its product range is a bit eclectic but it seems to focus more on affordable gadgets and accessories than major brands, and it does have quite a few items that seem to be overstock – like its brand new “Bumper Case for iPhone 4” offer (at $1.99, it’s a bargain). Unlike other similar stores, it is a company that’s clearly identified, and it also has a regional office in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Everbuying is another major Chinese online retailer focused on technology, based in Shenzen, China. Its offer covers everything from electronics components to the electronics themselves and everything in between. It has hundreds of thousands of items in its digital warehouse, covering toys, beauty products, jewelry and cosmetics, and more. While it may take quite a while for you to receive the items you order – usually weeks if you choose the most affordable shipping option – the opinions of the users so far seem convincing enough to give it a chance.
How can these products be this cheap, you might ask? Well, consider this: the majority of electronics are made in China today, using components sources there. If you buy directly from the manufacturer, the price you pay will be far lower than if you choose a retailer that has added its own costs to the total. Thus, buying directly from the source is a better – cheaper – options. When it comes to post-sales services, though… that’s another question altogether.
