Shopping on AliExpress offers great deals, but figuring out the best shipping method for your needs can be a tricky task.
Whether you’re looking for the most affordable option, need a reliable tracking system, or want your products delivered quickly, there’s a shipping choice for every preference.
In this guide, we’ll break down the most common shipping methods available on AliExpress, compare their costs, delivery times, and tracking options, and help you find the perfect method for your next purchase.
Some of the most common shipping methods found on AliExpress are
- AliExpress Standard Shipping
- AliExpress PremiumShipping
- Cainiao Super Economy
- Cainiao Super Economy Global
- e-Packet
- DHL
- EMS
- China Post Registered Air Mail
- China Post Ordinary Small Packages
- Yanwen Economic Air Mail
To decide what’s best for you, you’ll need to factor in what’s important:
- Shipping costs: Free or paid? If paid, how high is the cost?
- Is tracking necessary?
- How much time can you wait for your AliExpress package?
Technically, all the three are interconnected. Let’s see how:
Yanwen vs Cainiao
Yanwen and Cainiao’s Super Economy Global for special goods are always in the discussion for the best shipping methods from Aliexpress. In a nutshell, Yanwen’s tracking isn’t great, but their delivery is on time 98% of the time. Cainiao offers multiple shipment services. But both Yanwen and Cainiao take 20 to 25 days to ship globally.
China Mail takes about 50 days which is not so great for immediate requirements.
Best Aliexpress Shipping Methods
Costs
If you’re not too keen on spending on the shipping, you have two options, either go for a free shipping option that does not offer tracking, or something with really minimal costs, tracking included, the package might take up to two months to get to you. Cainiao Super Economy and AliExpress Standard Shipping are generally the shipping methods that ship free of cost. With a very minimal amount, you’ll find e-packet, Cainiao Super Economy Global, China Post and Yanwen Economic Air Mail also proving to be quite the deal!
The ones that fall on the steeper side of the wagon are DHL, AliExpress Premium Shipping, and EMS, with DHL being one of the most expensive shipping methods of them all. (While it is reliable, you’ll find just as attractive deals for a much cheaper price.
Best Shipping Method Based on Cost :
| Shipping Method | Tracking | Cost |
| AliExpress Standard Shipping | Yes, but not available in some countries | Free Shipping to Very low cost |
| AliExpress PremiumShipping | Yes | High |
| Cainiao Super Economy | Not Available | Very low |
| Cainiao Super Economy Global | Not Available | Very low |
| e-Packet | Yes | Low |
| DHL | Yes | Very high |
| EMS | Yes | High |
| China Post Registered Air Mail | Yes | Low |
| China Post Ordinary Small Packages | Yes | Very low |
| Yanwen Economic Air Mail | Not Available | Very low |
Tracking Information
Ordering from AliExpress without a tracking ID is cause for needless worry. It is rather needless to say that it is important you opt for a shipping method that provides a clear and trackable tracking ID. The tracking ID helps keep you in the loop, without you having to worry about your package is or whether it will get home.
Tracking info becomes significant in terms of avoiding any delivery problems. If a package is returned, cancelled or stuck at customs you'll know as soon as word gets out. Without tracking, you might even lose your guarantee provided by AliExpress’ buyer’s protection.
Only a small number of the methods don’t provide tracking. Mostly, it is only the Cainiao Super Economy, Cainiao Super Economy Global and Yanwen Economic Air Mail that fall into the category. Occasionally, AliExpress Standard Shipping may not provide the tracking information if the product is being shipped to a remote place, far from the country of origin.
Time Taken
It is safe to say that paying a low cost for shipping comes at (another) cost. The time it takes. While it does not directly correspond, it is safe to say that free shipping and low shipping cost methods will take time to arrive. 4 to 6 weeks minimum.
So if the package that you’re ordering is a gift that is not expensive, you can splurge a little bit on the shipping and get it in time. You can always plan months in advance to make sure your package gets home in time.
Ultimately, nothing is set in stone. You can also ask the seller for recommendations if you're unable to decide between the two. Make sure to check relevant reviews on the product page. You can sort the reviews by country.
Seller’sShipping Method: The Lesser Known
Some sellers list ‘Seller’s Shipping Method’ as one of the shipping methods for their products. This just means that the seller, at their own discretion, can ship by whatever means they wish to.
The disadvantage of this kind of shipping is a huge one. If you’re big on tracking, do not choose this. This package can only be tracked within China because as soon as it crosses the Chinese border, a new tracking ID is assigned to it. This tracking ID cannot be verified or even tracked until the point where the recipient receives the AliExpress package.
Filtering AliExpress Products Based On Shipping Methods
The best way to find the best shipping method that would work out for you is to start right at the top. If you feed in your address when you’re entering the count information, you’ll find the AliExpress will automatically calculate your shipping costs for you, without you having to choose a “Ship To” country every time.
You can fine tune that even more with your search bar results. Filtering your search can help you save time and money. As soon as you search, you will find a drop-down menu that helps you pick the country you want your AliExpress parcel to be shipped from. China and the United States remain the most popular option because of the availability of warehouses in these countries. For a few products, you’ll find that Russia and Turkey are also viable options.
Going further, after this particular step, you can also filter by ‘Free Shipping’. Upon checking that box, you’ll find the list of sellers that offer free shipping on that particular search result. This can help you avoid the hysterically enormous shipping costs on very low priced products. So much so that the shipping is 15 times the original cost. This trick comes in handy for those situations where sellers try to make up for their low priced product with high shipping costs.
In fact, you can also change the ‘Ship To’ location anytime you want, just for the sake of research, or if you’re ordering for a friend or relative. Filtering it down in this manner will help you get the results that will state which is the best shipping method on ALiExpress for you, economically and time-wise. In addition to that, you can also change the language to one that is your native language, if that is more comfortable for you.
Geographical considerations.
Whatever country you’re getting your package shipped to, make sure your first item on the checklist is to find out whether there are national postal services listed on the shipping methods list. If there is, opting for that is the safest because of the number of packages that arrive through the service every day and their know-how of the geography. One of the other benefits is the ability to avoid customs in the country.
Another cool tip is to check the “Ships From” section. There is a possibility that the item you want to order is available in your very country! You won’t have to bear any extra customs costs and you won’t have to wait too long.
Shipping Methods on AliExpress to avoid
As a general rule, I’d recommend not opting for a shipping method for your product that does not provide tracking. The ones that fall into this category are Cainiao Super Economy, Cainiao Super Economy Global and Yanwen Economic Air Mail. Sometimes, AliExpress Standard Shipping also doesn’t provide tracking if the country is far away from the point of origin. Always check the specifications listed each time. If you’re confused, you could always contact the seller.
Besides, sometimes, you might not have the option but to choose one of these options. That time evaluate whether it is worth the risk of rendering from the particular seller. Take note that it is possible to find another seller that sells the same exact product. They might have options of different shipping methods that might suit you better. Always evaluate and do a comparison before finalizing your order.
Additionally, if you’re rendering something expensive or of high value, know that even reliable methods like e-packet do not provide insurance on lost or damaged goods. You’ll have to talk to the seller and open up a dispute in order to get your money back.
Reviewing the Shipping methods at a glance, according to your preferences:
Keep in mind that these are subject to change, depending on the country you live in, the order quantity and proximity to the country it ships from.
How to get AliExpress to ship faster?
All items sold on AliExpress would take the standard time to get delivered. But there are ways you can get your products shipped faster. Some of the ways include searching for local sellers, searching for products with a VIP listing, contacting the seller before placing an order and finally you can cross check the shipping reviews of various products and determine which is the fastest based on past data.
How long does shipping take on AliExpress?
This depends on the mode of shipping you select. Any package sent through AliExpress standard shipping would reach the destination in approximately 45 days whereas, any product shipped using a premium shipping service such as USPS, FedEx or UPS would reach the desired destination in under 14 days. But you have to remember that premium shipping services are expensive but your shipment is guaranteed to arrive on time.
Where does AliExpress ship from?
AliExpress has multiple warehouses around the world but their largest and most functional warehouse is in China. Majority of the products bought on AliExpress are available in multiple locations and you can choose the nearest to you for faster delivery.
What is AliExpress 10-day delivery?
The AliExpress 10-day delivery method is a recent addition to their shipping methods. This is a joint agreement between Cainiao and AliExpress where you will be able to receive your order in a superfast period of 10 days. It’s good to note, not all sellers use this method by default and you will have to manually select this shipping method during checkout or you will have to wait for 45 days to get your products.
