Aliexpress vs Amazon: Which is better for international buyers?

When it comes to online shopping websites, 2 major websites I normally like to recommend are Aliexpress and Amazon but it can be hard pointing out which one of them is better because that will depend on a lot of factors.

Things to consider

Variety of products: From my experience, it seems that Amazon has a wider variety of goods than Aliexpress. Aliexpress also has a wide variety of products but I've purchased more things on Amazon than Aliexpress.

Quality of products: In terms of quality, I have to say that I give it to Amazon because they sell goods that are mostly produced in/for the USA and they are of better quality than the ones available on Aliexpress which are mostly produced for China and third world countries with lower standards.

Pricing: Prices are much lower on Aliexpress than Amazon and this is because you can always find an alternative to most products sold on Amazon but probably with lower quality and price. Also, when buying on Aliexpress as an international buyer, there are no additional charges such as sales tax unlike at Amazon. You only pay for the product price and shipping cost(if any) when buying from Aliexpress. An Android phone on Aliexpress may cost 30% less what you can get one on Amazon. Shopping on Aliexpress is a good way to save money if you are an international buyer.

Shipping costs: If you are in the USA or other countries where Amazon has a presence, Amazon definitely beats Aliexpress in terms of shipping costs but if you are an international buyer outside Amazon covered countries such as in Africa and some other Asian or European countries, Aliexpress is better because they offer lower delivery costs and this is already included when buying the item from outside China. Amazon's international shipping costs are more than what Aliexpress charges in most cases. Aliexpress delivers not only with courier companies but also through postal mail which makes it cheaper. Also, buying single items from Aliexpress is much cheaper than buying them from Amazon because Aliexpress can deliver them through postal mail.

Delivery Speed: In terms of delivery speed, as an international buyer, I have to say that Amazon delivered faster in most cases than Aliexpress after my purchases. Purchases on Aliexpress which go through postal mail tends to take up to 3 weeks or more to reach the destination of the buyer.

Tracking: Amazon's tracking system is much better than Aliexpress as it's more organized and reliable. Aliexpress' tracking takes more time and is not as accurate based on my personal experience.

Which of them is better? Well, for international buyers outside the USA or Amazon present countries, I'd go for Aliexpress since it saves you more money but if you are not, then stick to Amazon. For those who want high quality products that last really long, it's best to go to Amazon. I defnitely won't buy a laptop or clothes on Aliexpress when I can buy them from Amazon.

It all really depends on what you are buying, where you are buying from and how much budget you have.

Shop on Aliexpress
Shop on Amazon