AliEx freight costs - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: jonovid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 06, 2024, 11:22:22 pm
content: AliEx delivery is getting more expensive year by year. IMOa lot of inconstancy nowadays. with delivery cost multiple times more expensive then the items.finding a bargain is getting rare when you add the delivery cost.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 07, 2024, 12:21:05 am
content: I still see lots of cheap options for the stuff I buy.Bu I do have one HUGE issue with the way things are delivered recently. Last 3 packages I've got were delivered by random dudes in cars. They call you on your phone and ask to come out because they obviously have no access to the post box. This also creates issues with delivery to the office, where the dudes end up hitting reception desk instead of shipping/receiving.No idea who those dudes work for or how they get that gig.They over-optimized delivery so much, that it now majorly sucks. I'd rather pay more and get it delivered via the normal postal carrier.

author: johnh
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 07, 2024, 03:11:07 am
content: Yep. i agree when it came via the regular postal service and was delivered to a postal locker (Australia Post) no problems. never had a problem with a missing parcel.Now all you get is take up with the courier Which is a lost causeQuote from: ataradov on January 07, 2024, 12:21:05 am

author: David_AVD
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 07, 2024, 06:12:51 am
content: I've noticed some deliveries from AliExpress and others (Temu ?) being delivered by "Fast Horse" which seem to use casual drivers.

author: MathWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 07, 2024, 06:25:21 am
content: How does Aliexpress compare to ebay or amazon for low cost parts ? Are they all they same hub's of parts makers and factories ? I was on ebay a lot longer than I was on amazon. One thing better about amazon, is there are reviews. So that can help in a few ways. Sometimes they could be fake review tho.If I had the know-how/equipment I would like to compare my cheap resistors, to brandname ones. I would also really like to know much quality spread of average 1% resistors is from big retailers, for about the same spec's. IDK what the price spread is, but I'll check next time.

author: ebastler
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 07, 2024, 09:26:24 am
content: Quote from: jonovid on January 06, 2024, 11:22:22 pmI think it's agoodthing if realistic shipping costs are charged. It used to be that having something shipped from China was significantly cheaper than the local shipping cost within Germany. That essentially meant that the local postal service had to subsidize Chinese sellers due to the way international postage rates and "terminal dues" were set (through the Universal Postal Union). The local postal service incurred the cost for distribution and delivery without adequate compensation, and the competitive situation was distorted in favor of overseas sellers.Not to speak of environmental costs... Again, it's a good thing in my book that the shipping costs make me reconsider whether all these small, individual overseas orders make sense.Wikipedia has a nice short summary of the background:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Postal_Union#2019_Extraordinary_Congress. We are still in the period where shipping rate adjustments are being phased in, it seems (2021 - 2025).

author: magic
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 07, 2024, 09:50:16 am
content: Polish post dealt with it in 2021 by using new VAT rules introduced at the time as an excuse to charge ~$2 for "handling" of each incoming parcel. This made deliveries through the postal system uneconomical and prompted China to develop their own shipping network on their own dime.It's still very cheap for what it is - $1~$2 for small items.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 07, 2024, 10:30:50 pm
content: Quote from: ebastler on January 07, 2024, 09:26:24 amYes, it all comes down to that. And all in all, it's a rather good thing.And shipping fees are still relatively low - just not free anymore. On the plus side, delivery delays tend to be much shorter too. About 10 days is now average for what would take about 3 weeks before, for just a couple bucks more.What has become ridiculous though are prices for shipping via services such as Fedex from China. Excessively expensive. But I bet not many use those services when buying from Aliexpress.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2024, 10:57:47 pm
content: Quote from: MathWizard on January 07, 2024, 06:25:21 amAmazon is just people reselling aliexpress items at a slightly higher cost. Neither is "better" or "worse" inherently, but at least with aliexpress you are generally going straight to the source or as close as you can get. Many factories sell directly from their aliexpress store.You can get quality 1% resistors from LCSC for dirt cheap so there is no point saving a few cents on those, IMO. They even have reasonably priced 0.1%.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2024, 11:58:54 pm
content: Yes, you find the same on eBay too. One reason those sellers sell is that since they have some stock (usually), shipping delays are much shorter, so people pay extra for getting the items faster. And of course, many are probably still not aware that the same can be bought much cheaper directly on Aliexpress.What many of those sellers don't realize though (except probably the bigger ones) is that by reselling imported goods, they become legally responsible for any standards and certifications the goods are subjected to. I bet most buyers are not aware of that though, so the sellers can still sleep.I would personally think twice before reselling dodgy imported gear which is likely not to be compliant with CE directives and also likely to be unsafe on some level.

author: EPAIII
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2024, 08:08:51 pm
content: Amazon Prime sounded like a great idea. Pay a small yearly fee and getfreedelivery. I bit.Then, fewer and fewer items qualified for the free delivery. And the ones that did had inflated prices. You could often get the same thing for less if you shopped other places and choose options like USPS instead of UPS or FedEX or other premium delivery services. Or, in some cases, just used suppliers who had well established relationships with those companies and who got good rates that they actually passed on to the customers. Amazon just raises the prices to include the shipping and you pay twice: first for Prime membership and then for the actual shipping in the inflated price.Now I only buy from Amazon if the total price is actually a good one. I still pay for Amazon Prime because I like their video streaming channel.As far as I can tell, Ali Express is a place for real low quality merchandise, usually from China. Bought some DPDT switches from them a while back. If I don't really rush the soldering, they self destruct. And just try to get your money back. Yea, that's gonna happen. And they are now doing the same thing with the "free" shipping. It is in the price you pay.When I want electronic parts I go to the same places I have for decades now: DigiKey, Mouser, Newark, etc. The REAL electronic supply houses. At least the parts actually work.

author: YurkshireLad
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2024, 08:12:24 pm
content: It drives me nuts when YouTube videos proclaim free or dirt cheap shipping from Amazon or China. It might be free or dirt cheap for them, but someone somewhere is paying for it somehow, and not in a positive way.

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2024, 09:06:45 pm
content: Quote from: EPAIII on January 09, 2024, 08:08:51 pmGot from Ali "700mA 3W" high brightness color LEDs that burned at 200mA. Yeah... Neither Digikey nor Mouser had 300mA ones, so tried my luck with Ali but lost this time

author: floobydust
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2024, 09:47:24 pm
content: Those "bead" LED's need a heatsink, I've bought 1W and 3W LED's and had no troubles. Also look for the "big die" or ones with 2-4 bonding wires.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2024, 10:50:14 pm
content: Quote from: Bud on January 09, 2024, 09:06:45 pmDigikey absolutely has 3W+ LEDs.Ali ones are fine as well if you buy from a decent supplier and know what you are doing.

author: MathWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2024, 06:02:05 pm
content: Quote from: thm_w on January 08, 2024, 10:57:47 pmAges ago I tried to join aliexpress, but my visa-debt card never worked with it. I'll have to try again.I got a nice order from LCSC last year, the shipping and customs on top was not nice tho. I'm living in the wrong place.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2024, 09:43:53 pm
content: 10+ orders from LCSC and no customs fees, unless you choose the more expensive courier options. Shipping is in the $5-12 range.

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2024, 09:56:17 pm
content: Quote from: thm_w on January 09, 2024, 10:50:14 pmSorry forget to mention i needed the LEDs in a specific package.

author: floobydust
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2024, 10:30:58 pm
content: Quote from: Bud on January 10, 2024, 09:56:17 pmUm, what LED package and if the store sent you junk then name them so we know who to avoid. Did they sell pantyhose too lol.Most of my LED purchases from Aliexpress have been disappointing. Dim, rejects etc. I found a couple stores that were OK if you pay more.Past several months, I see multiple Aliexpress orders get combined into one shipment.There is a delay as they magically wait for your ordering to end, seems to be a few days to 1 week, then all then all the little bags get put into one. It seems to work, save money for them.Passenger air travel to china is very expensive and hardly any people, even recently. They used to piggyback parcel shipments that way. This might also be why shipping costs are up.But the scam of pricing something low, then overcharge shipping is alive and well.

author: David_AVD
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2024, 03:01:39 am
content: Is anyone else in Australia having issues with deliveries that come via "Fast Horse" ?I have 2 shipments from AliExpress now where they've tried to deliver to my (obviously) business address way out of normal hours. The last delivery attempt was yesterday - yes, Easter Sunday!The first shipment they tried multiple times - all out of hours and have now told me it's being sent back to China because they couldn't deliver it. Mind you they had no trouble contacting me via email to say they that and even when I replied quickly about the hours, etc they still tried again at crazy times.Contacting them via email seems to get some sort of AI automated response. Phoning them gets you a message with a couple of options, but ultimately says call back later and hangs up on you. Far out!How am I supposed to get my goods when the "last mile carrier" (Fast Horse) doesn't seem to know how to do anything apart from fling parcels at residential addresses and take a snap of it?

author: pcprogrammer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2024, 07:07:12 am
content: Over here it varies. Lately I switched to using "choice" items only due to free shipping over 10 euro of purchases, and overall the delivery is smooth with multiple orders combined into one package. But my fore last order has a hick up. It is at the local delivery facility for a couple of weeks now.A couple of days ago I found out that more information on the shipping status can be found by clicking on the tracking number mentioned under "tracking for worldwide express shipping" on the trace order page.Most of the orders I place get a LP.... tracking number, but when they are combined into a single package the tracking number is changed to a 6A... number and is then handled by French postal services. On former orders Aliexpress had this combine service directly and informed me about it with the new tracking number, but that seems to have changed too.But with the new information I can now go to the local post office and see if they can tell me where my package is.

author: retiredfeline
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2024, 07:39:52 am
content: Quote from: David_AVD on April 01, 2024, 03:01:39 amI don't know what animal delivered my last PCB job to my residential mailbox one afternoon and took a phone picture as PoD. I suspect these days carriers hire gig workers who deliver using their own cars any time of the day or night. Sorry, I don't have any suggestions how to get stuff delivered only during working hours.