AliExpress Dropshipping Review (2023): Are Online Stores Worth It?

Updated On: November 21, 2023

Welcome to my Aliexpress Dropshipping review. My goal is to answer common questions like: how much it costs, if it's a scam, and if you can actually make money with it. The end goal is to help you understand if it's a good fit for you personally, and if there are any better alternatives out there.
AliExpress Review

This Aliexpress Dropshipping review has been throughly researched with information and testimonials that are available online to anyone in the public. Any conclusions drawn by myself are opinions.

Table of Contents

Program At A Glance

What I liked
It doesn't need much capital.
You won't need a physical store to earn income.
You will be given videos and articles that you can apply to achieve success.
What I Didn’t Like
It's not passive income
Your income might not be that high.
It is a competitive market

Do you want to be the CEO of your own company?

Or maybe you’re just looking for a way to make money online.

This AliExpress Dropshipping Business Model Review might be a starting point for you.

But first…

AliExpress is pretty much your standard dropshipping course.

If you’ve followed my blog for long, you know that I don’t like dropshipping as a business model for a few different reasons.

That being said, it IS possible to make money with it, so I want to give you an honest review of this particular program.

But first, let me clear the air on one important thing:

Dropshipping has never been – and will never be – a passive, recurring business. No matter what the guru might tell you, it requires constant work.

I’m telling you this from my own experience running several dropshipping stores on both Shopify AND Clickfunnels.

If you’re looking for a business that you’ll need to be super active in, dropshipping might be for you.

If you want to make money while you sleep and travel the world, dropshipping just isn’t it.

The main reason?

To succeed with dropshipping, you need a bulletproof system for finding the hottest new products before anyone else.

In the very best-case scenario, you have a relationship with your supplier, where they give you a heads up on products that are about to pop. These relationships don’t typically come around until you’ve done 6-figures in business with the supplier.

In the worst-case scenario, you’re testing a bunch of products with ads, losing money until you find that one winner.

I’m not saying dropshipping is a bad idea based on that alone… most businesses require you to lose money before you actually make money, so it’s somewhat normal.

But let’s assume you DO in fact have the next fidget-spinner craze product, months before anyone else knows about it…

That’s great! But now you’re gonna need to get people to buy it.

Translation?

  • Tens of thousands of dollars in ads
  • Tons of time spent split testing to find the best landing page variations, best product descriptions, best ad copy, best ad videos, etc.

Again, some people thrive on that and love it. So, it might be a good fit if you’re looking for that level of constant testing and gambling.

It’s also worth calling out that Facebook has a track record of banning you FOR LIFE from advertising on their platform for dropshipping.

Think about it: it ruins a user’s experience with Facebook when a product shows up 45 days after they’ve ordered it and is nothing like the product they thought they were buying.

So Facebook would rather ban you from their platform than risk a bad user experience.

Suffice to say, it’s a lot of stress for not much payback.

As someone that actually ran a dropshipping business, I can tell you from personal experience that your time can be better spent with other business models.

If you’d prefer a business model that generates recurring, semi-passive income, you may be interested in using the Digital Rental Method.

This means:

  • No sketchy suppliers
  • No razor-thin margins
  • No banned ad accounts
  • No super angry customers
  • No spending $10K testing an ad campaign

It’s something that you could make anywhere from $2,000 – $10,000 with consistently, month after month.

You can build an income stream as high (or low) as you feel like building it.

If that sounds interesting, you might want to think about using the Digital Rental Method.

For the AliExpress Dropshipping review, let’s keep reading.

ECommerce Store: What Is AliExpress?

Alibaba And AliExpress If You want to Build Your Own Online Store

The Alibaba group owns AliExpress, a dropshipping store located in China. It started in 2010 and has since grown the company in China and other countries such as Singapore.

The target market for AliExpress dropshipping products is international buyers from all around the world. It offers various products, including jewelry, baby supplies, and women’s clothes. AliExpress is the most popular eCommerce site in Russia, whereas, in Brazil, it ranks tenth.

It ran its websites in different languages such as English, Spanish, Dutch, Italian, French, German, Polish, Turkish, Portuguese, Indonesian, and Russian. You can compare AliExpress to eBay, as sellers are independent and use the platform to offer products to buyers.

AliExpress Sellers can be companies or individuals who own small businesses. It’s different from Amazon because it acts as a selling portal for stores and directly connects them to buyers. Most AliExpress suppliers are whole-sellers or overseas manufacturers. The eCommerce platform expanded to business-to-consumer, cloud computing, consumer-to-consumer, and payment services.

What Is AliExpress Dropshipping Store?

What Is AliExpress Dropshipping Store

AliExpress allows you to dropship products all worldwide. You can choose from millions of different items to sell or import your product content directly into your store. You are the one who determines the prices and markups for your products on AliExpress.

You may then purchase your products from AliExpress reliable suppliers and have them shipped directly to your consumer after you’ve sold them. You may also utilize the AliExpress Dropshipping Center to see which products are popular among dropshippers.

Who Is AliExpress Online Store For?

who is AliExpress Online Store for

You can choose from a wide range of suppliers. It contains many online stores from A to Z and can guide you toward the most lucrative marketplace. AliExpress produces a professional website design and assigns personal managers to assist you at every stage. It requires no prior work experience or payment upfront, allowing you to try out their products without making a financial commitment.

How To Find The Right Suppliers For Your AliExpress Dropshipping Store?

Finding The Right Supplier

Dropshipping from AliExpress might be risky because you don’t see the product that will be delivered to your clients. However, some tips may assist you in locating your ideal and best source. Let’s discuss those tips!

Don’t Go for the Lowest Price.

  • Like in most stores, you will buy the quality of your product.
  • Some AliExpress products might be low quality as the materials used are much cheaper and easy to break.

Buy From Suppliers With 90%+ Positive Feedback.

Positive Feedback

  • As an AliExpress seller, you will be free to see and add feedback to a supplier.
  • The higher the positive feedback, the best its quality and price may be.

Be Careful With Branded Products

Watch Out For Fake Brands

  • Authentic branded products on AliExpress.com are very rare.
  • Some items are questionably similar in design or logo or are fake branded products.
  • However, not all branded products are fake.
  • AliExpress often organizes partnership promotions with brands like Lenovo and many other more.

Pay Attention to the Supplier’s Responsiveness 

Pay Attention

  • You can make up an urgent issue and message them to see how the supplier responds.

Look for ePacket Delivery.

ePacket Shipping

  • When using AliExpress for dropshipping, you have to make sure to evaluate your shipping options and the items that offer free shipping vouchers.

How To Pick Your Products?

Picking your products is a critical stage in AliExpress dropshipping, whether you’re just getting started with your eCommerce business. You will come across other stores that sell the same products as yours.

Let me give you some pointers to help you locate the best products to help you build your successful dropshipping business!

Brainstorm

Brainstorm

  • I believe that your mind is already filled with great product ideas.
  • If not, start thinking about your hobbies, trends, and product preferences.
  • You can also observe and brainstorm with your friends as you list your product.

Other Online Stores

Other Online Stores

  • You can check and look for inspirations in other online stores.
  • Look at their vision, advertisement, sale, product quality, and price.

Social Shopping Sites

Social Shopping Sites

  • Look at social shopping sites such as Pinterest to find your ideal product that can be a trend for the generation.

Hot Product Ideas

Hot Products

With a site like AliExpress, which has small businesses from all over the world, it wouldn’t be surprising to find a store that sells the same things as yours.

Let me show you some trendy products I like and sell well on AliExpress!

Phone Grips or Phone Holders

Magnetic Eyelashes

Fitness Bras and Leggings

Watches

Working Desks

Scrunchies

Glasses

Korean Skirts

Are There Alternatives To AliExpress?

Other alternatives

Yes, there are plenty of Dropshipping programs and resources to choose from if you want to pursue this business model.  Here are just a few:

Is Aliexpress A Scam?

Is It A Scam

So, time for the question you’ve been waiting for: is Ali Express Dropshipping Business a scam?

No, not technically speaking. They aren’t going to take your money and ride off into the sunset without delivering you access to their course.

It’s 100% possible to make money with this program, but it’s not nearly as simple as Alibaba Group wants you to think it is.

There is A LOT of upfront work to do, and no guarantee of success.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m all for doing hard work now so that I can collect checks in the future.

But if I’m going to spend 3 months of my life working super hard & spending thousands of dollars, just to break even… it’s just not worth it (in my opinion).

Think about it: what if you worked that same 3 months with just an hour or two per day, and in return you could collect a $500-$2,000 check that continues to come in every month?

Even better, what if you could actually get that first check in as little as a week?

And what if you could double or triple it over the next month or two?

That’s what you get when you use the Digital Rental Method.

All you really need is a laptop and some internet.

Some of my friends are Digital Rental Method that run their 6-figure businesses from:

  • Camping trips at national parks
  • Beachfront in Hawaii
  • On the road in a camper van (with a pet pig!)

They focus on living an enjoyable life first, and focus on income second. All thanks to this program

They can take weeks or months off, and money keeps rolling in.

Living happily is the top priority.

If the thought of living perpetually at your dream vacation spot interests you, using the Digital Rental Method might be for you!

What Is My #1 Recommendation For Making Money Online In 2022?

Make Money Online With Digital Landlord

I’ve personally tried all of the major online business models:

  • I’ve dropshipped a toilet bowl putting green on Shopify.
  • I’ve dropshipped jade rollers via Clickfunnels.
  • I’ve sold fidget spinners through Amazon FBA.
  • I’ve sold women’s health supplements via Clickbank affiliate marketing

And I made money with all of them, so trust me when I say: there is no “perfect” business model.

That being said, my #1 recommendation for making real money online is, hands-down: being a Digital Landlord.

Whether you’re a complete newbie or have been around the block before but have never had that “big win” to propel you forward, using the Digital Rental Method is for you.

Why?

1)Time: If you’ve got a spare hour or two each day, you can do this. You can do this if you want to drop everything and go all-in. More time obviously means faster results, but even putting in a few hours per day is enough to see real success.

And because of that flexibility, you don’t need to trade your time for money. Once the income starts, it’s recurring.

Read Our In Depth Breakdown Of The Top 5 DropshippingOpp Courses For 2024

Did Aliexpress Dropshipping Make The List?

That means you can take a month off, travel the country, pursue a passion project, chill on the beach, or charter a boat across the world.

But you can only do that once you’ve created an income stream that doesn’t require YOU to be there all day, every day.

2) Ownership & Control: With dropshipping, you don’t actually own anything. You can’t control your product quality, or even what the package looks like when it shows up.

Technically you own your Shopify site… but ad platforms could shut you down at a moment’s notice… so you don’t really have much control there.

Why pour your soul into a business that could be taken away from you at the drop of a dime?

With the Digital Rental Method, you literally own all of the assets, which means you have ultimate control.

3) Fulfillment: Alright, so you don’t have any inventory… but that worry has been replaced with the pains of overseas fulfillment.

That means your customer is going to have to wait 3-4 weeks to receive their order.

Then add in the current global supply chain woes… and you’re looking at 5-6-7 weeks!

Then the customer slaps you with a refund, and all that time spent testing and spending money on ads was for nothing.

You don’t have to worry about any of that when you’re renting out digital properties.

4) It’s Effectively Copy-Paste: Here’s my favorite part: once you have your first Digital Rental Property up, you can literally copy-paste another version of it and find another willing “renter” in a few days. DOUBLING your income doesn’t get much easier than that…

If you wanted to double your income with dropshipping, you would need to sell twice as much inventory, or double your profit margins. And I can guarantee you (from my Shopify dropshipping days), that it’s a lot harder than a few clicks & a phone call.

5) Big Margins: With dropshipping, you will often have really slim margins. That means you need to hit a serious scale to make serious money. This usually entails spending A LOT of money on ads and other methods for growing traffic to your product.

using the Digital Rental Method, your profit margin is nearly 100%. Watch here to learn how.

Just a reminder: these Digital Rental Properties are worth (at a minimum) $500/mo in semi-passive income. And each time you create another one, your income increases, and the effort to create the next property decreases.

Best case scenario, you have properties bringing in over $3,000+/mo on auto-pilot.

6) You’re Helping REAL People: My biggest gripe with dropshipping is that you usually find some product that’s complete garbage and are tricking people into buying it. It provides no real value to them or the world in general.

It’s cool in the short term to make a quick buck, but in the long term, it gets really old, really fast.

But With the Digital Rental Method, you’re helping solve REAL problems that people are ASKING for help with.

Small local businesses around the world need one thing: customers. Without them, their business would fall apart. If you can provide those customers, they’re going to be really happy – and they’re going to pay you for it.

You’re helping a struggling mother or father put food on the table for their families, put their kids through college, or simply live life a little bit more comfortably.

Having this type of impact on the world is what will help you sleep soundly at night.

So, the rest is up to you. You could keep looking at other dropshipping programs like Ali Express, which might make you money 12 months from now.

You could keep researching and researching for the next few months (or few years), never making a concrete decision.

OR, you can look deep inside, think about those dreams, hopes, & desires, and make the decision to ACTUALLY make it happen, just like it has for thousands of other students before you.

Making a fortune while actually helping real people that need it.

If this sounds like you, click here to see how it all works.

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