Choosing the perfect platform that will provide your business with the products you need is essential. This article will focus on AliExpress, a marketplace owned by one leading companies in eCommerce.
Contents of the article:
- What is AliExpress?
- How does AliExpress work?
- What is the difference between Alibaba and AliExpress?
- What are the similarities between Alibaba and AliExpress?
- Why AliExpress?
What is AliExpress?
AliExpress is a famous platform where buyers can purchase products that are relatively cheaper than other online commercial marketplaces. Owned by Alibaba, the majority of the sellers on this site originate from China.
How does AliExpress work?
Like the other online stores, all you need to do is type AliExpress on the search bar to access the website. Once you land on the home page, you can already browse through the store's products. But of course, you are required to either sign up or log in before you proceed with purchasing.
What is the difference between Alibaba and AliExpress?
Difference:
It was mentioned earlier that Alibaba owns AliExpress. To avoid confusion, we listed the difference and similarities between both companies.
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Platforms:
The primary difference between Alibaba and AliExpress is their respective platforms; Alibaba is a B2B eCommerce platform, while the latter is a B2C eCommerce platform. Let's define both.
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B2B Ecommerce Platforms:
Business-to-business eCommerce basically involves transactions between two businesses. For instance, a wholesaler and a company. This platform shifts away from typical business transactions among retailers and consumers.
Alibaba is a platform where wholesalers, manufacturers, exporters, and trading companies can sell their products to businesses thus explains the low prices since items are sold in bulk and at wholesale values.
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B2C Ecommerce Platforms:
Meanwhile, business-to-consumer eCommerce involves transactions between retailers and individual consumers. This allows sellers to attend more to their customers’ needs and wants.
Moreover, AliExpress was not developed for bulk orders. So, customers are not given a minimum order quantity. And because of the lesser purchase volume, orders take faster to ship compared to B2B businesses.
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Customizable products:
As mentioned earlier, Alibaba focuses on selling products to various companies. This allows businesses to customize their orders to match their brands. AliExpress, on the other hand, does not offer such products.
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Dropshipping:
Dropshipping is when retailers operate without stock or inventory. Instead, they acquire the items from their respective suppliers once they receive orders through their online stores. Deliveries will then be made by the manufacturers or wholesalers and then brought directly to the customers.
In this scenario, AliExpress is the only platform out of the two that offers such support.
Similarities:
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Affordable
Although prices in Alibaba are negotiable and AliExpress only offers products at a fixed price, both platforms still provide affordable and high-quality items.
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Safe
Alibaba and AliExpress both have secure payment portals, assuring safe transactions between the buyers and sellers on the platforms. Moreover, both provide order protections as well as dispute resolutions.
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Convenient
Not only do both have user-friendly interfaces, but it is simple and easy to navigate through them.
Why AliExpress?
With everything stated above, your decision should rely on your business' overall nature. If you do not plan on selling large quantities of your products, AliExpress may be perfect for you. Additionally, choose this platform if you wish to venture into dropshipping.
Reference:
Alibaba vs Aliexpress: What's the Difference? | Easyship BlogWhat Is AliExpress and Is It Legit? (lifewire.com)
Alibaba vs Aliexpress: What's the Difference? | Easyship Blog
B2B Ecommerce Platforms + Important Features (bigcommerce.com)
Business-to-Business (B2B) Definition (investopedia.com)
B2B vs B2C eCommerce Platform: Here's Why You Need a Hybrid Solution (coredna.com)
B2B Ecommerce Platforms + Important Features (bigcommerce.com)
Alibaba vs AliExpress: What's the Difference for Buyer & Seller