AliExpress Shopping App 12+

I love shopping and compare prices from Ali Express, mostly the prices are cheaper. But since the pandemic, the China post shipping opinion has stopped and only using the other international shippers ( DHL, UPS, ...) which has increased the shipping price considerably. While we would get free or very little shipping cost from China post, these other shippers doesn’t offer anymore competitive prices if shipping is included. For little items, the shipping may be 2 or 3 time the cost of the item which is not worth.

The problem with AliExpress is that they are on the seller side no matter how much evidence you provide or show either video or photo to show that you got the short stick. A
1. dispute will always be in the seller’s favor.

2. The reviews are always fake so you won’t take anything from it. For the past 5 years and purchased more than 100 items, I’ve opened 2 - 3 disputes only. But unfortunately I’ve never got approved for the dispute. The only time I received a refund is when the item doesn’t arrive which happens from time to time especially with the fake reviews and new sellers. I suggest you always do your research outside the platform if you want to buy something expensive or the shipping is expensive.

3. Sometimes for an item of $3 the shipping cost is $100, I don’t understand how things like that is there but I always can’t afford to check when the shipping cost is 1000% over the price. This wasn’t the case before COVID though but unfortunately it stayed until now

Other than that the platform is great and cheap but they should take care of their customers to avoid a backlash. And they should fight fake sellers and fake reviewers. A review that shows 5 star for an item arrived doesn’t tell me anything about the usability of the item.

Since the pandemic started, all standard shipping methods (usually mail companies) got removed for Oman leaving only premium/express shipping methods which are more than often few times the price of any item you want to buy. I understand that the pandemic has affected supply/shipping, but standard shipping methods are back in neighboring countries like UAE & Saudi Arabia for example.
AliExpress is not a viable online service for us anymore after it was the reigning #1 online store in Oman, as it lacks value with it’s available shipping methods.
I tried to contact the company directly but I could only do it through the app and I did not get any reply from for months now.
Lets hope they reconsider their position on this issue soon enough.