Are you looking for Alibaba vs AliExpress review? I must say- you are lucky! We’re about to have a detailed review of both one of the biggest Southeast Asia eCommerce companies.
Alibaba and AliExpress are the most powerful online marketplaces in Asia. Since the beginning, they both struggled to offer the best suppliers.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re from Thailand, Malaysia, Brunei, or Timor Leste – Both Southeast Asia empires are considered as the best.
Alibaba and AliExpress belong to the same company, but still, they’re different. From the revenue model to shipping costs – almost everything varies.
Do you want to know more of such differences? Keep reading!
Alibaba vs AliExpress Review: Which One is Doing Best in ASEAN?
A Little Overview of Alibaba
Alibaba was established on April 4, 1999.
As a matter of fact, the company is known as Chinese Amazon…
Why won’t they say so?
After all… Alibaba is the biggest Chinese eCommerce marketplace.
Alibaba Has Versatile Product Categories for All Southeast Asian Nations
Have you wondered why Alibaba is famous? The reason is quite simple! You can get products for your business at a reasonable price.
If you look at the category section, you will see a bunch of subcategories. Mostly, people buy electronics, kitchen, fiber, and creative products from here.
One of the Biggest Contributor to Southeast Asia GDP and Wholesale Business
Alibaba isn’t like any other eCommerce marketplace. It’s tough to buy a single unit from here.
If the price of a product is high, you can order 1 or 2 units.
If you want to low price products… you need to order at least 10 to 25 units.
So, it all depends on the seller.
Remember! Every product on Alibaba has a different minimum order quantity. It’s not fixed!
Alibaba Offers A Lot of Support for Southeastern Asia Buyers
Alibaba has 150,000 sellers and 726 million buyers. These numbers show that there’s a good flow of money.
No company can get such a customer base without excellent customer support.
As of March 2020, Alibaba has hired more than 117K employees, which is equivalent to Google.
Alibaba Southeast Asia Strategy is Managed By the Second Wealthiest Person of China
According to April 2020 reports, Jack Ma is the 2nd wealthiest person in China. Currently, his net worth is $42.1 billion.
One thing is clear – Alibaba is in good hands. How can it not be legit?
A Little Overview of AliExpress
AliExpress is the younger sibling of Alibaba, because it was launched 10 years ago.
There’s 11 year of difference between the establishment of both most popular Southeast Asia eCommerce companies.
At present, AliExpress is the most visited eCommerce site in Russia.
It’s known as the 10th most popular eCommerce company in Brazil as well.
AliExpress Has An Impressive Customer Base in Asia Continent
The company has 150 million users in 230 different countries and regions. And you know what? Out of these users, 79 million are yearly active customers.
AliExpress Versatility for ASEAN Users is Same As Alibaba
Nowadays, home appliances, kitchen items, fashion, and electronic products are trending on AliExpress.
Almost 100 million products are available on AliExpress. Within each category, you can find subcategories like Alibaba.
AliExpress is the King of Chinese Products and Branding in Asia
AliExpress used to accept Chinese sellers only. Fortunately, they changed their policy. Now AliExpress is allowing merchants from Spain, Turkey, Russia, and Italy.
If you love Chinese products, it’s made for you. Most sellers on AliExpress are Chinese.
AliExpress is Available in Multiple Languages
AliExpress allows you to have many languages like Russia, Spanish, French, etc, and it doesn’t matter whether you know English or not.
In case, if you’re from Singapore, Cambodia, Thailand, or any other Southeast Asian nation, you don’t need to worry because Google translate is there to help!
Alibaba vs AliExpress Comparison
Benefits of Alibaba
- Directly negotiate with the Asian Alibaba as well as foreign seller of your choice
- Low manufacturing cost for custom orders
- Multiple payment methods are available
- You can order as many units as you want
- One-stop solution for wholesale requirements
Benefits of Aliexpress
- Products are super affordable
- Negotiate with sellers for the best price
- Get consistent discount offers
- Some sellers offer free shipping
- Multiple payment methods are available
Alibaba is Suitable for Big Retailers and AliExpress is Suitable for Small Retailers
Alibaba vs AliExpress Review – A Detailed Overview!
Advantages of Alibaba Over AliExpress
- Get customized products with your brand label or logo. Many Alibaba Southeast Asia businesses order from here.
- The platform is more secure in terms of payments and delivery options.
- Flexibility in price
Advantages of AliExpress Over Alibaba
- Get products at an affordable price
- You can even order 1-5 unit for marketing research
- Lead times are less than Alibaba
- Chances of getting free shipping are higher
Alibaba vs AliExpress Review – What Should You Prefer?
Choose Alibaba If You Prefer:
- to establish a private or white label business
- better product quality
- custom made products
- more secure transactions
- scalability
- better communication with the seller
- Alibaba investments in Southeast Asia are well-planned. You can measure long-term growth from this metric.
Choose Aliexpress If You Prefer:
- Something affordable for your startup
- Market research
- Fast shipping
- Short-term growth
If You’re Intelligent, You’re Alert, The Ordinary Becomes Extraordinary – OSHO
What Should You Consider Before Ordering A Product?
Alright! We have had enough of Alibaba vs AliExpress. It’s time to leverage them. Yes, if you don’t know what to ask a supplier, you will lose money.
Here’s what you need to ask:
- What is the production time?
- How soon will you ship my products?
- What shipping companies in Asia are they using? (Optional, although this brings assurance)
- Is that your final price?
- What’s the minimum order quantity? Can I get a sample first? (a sample will help you analyze the quality)
- What about the shipping cost?