How To Shop On AliExpress From Uganda
This is an AliExpress buyer’s guide. The guide will take you through frequently asked questions about AliExpress by Ugandans, steps on how to shop on AliExpress from Uganda and tips to buy safely on AliExpress.
What is AliExpress?
The platform does not directly sell any products but rather connects buyers and sellers and facilitates small businesses to sell their products internationally.
AliExpress was launched in 2010, and it is owned by Alibaba Group, a Chinese multinational conglomerate holding company specializing in e-commerce, retail, Internet and technology.
The Alibaba Group was founded in 1999 by a Chinese businessman, Jack Ma, and it is the biggest internet company by revenue in Asia. The company also owns Alibaba.com, a massive B2B ecommerce platform that connects manufacturers with small business around the world. In fact, recently, I wrote a guide about how to buy goods on Alibaba and ship to Uganda.
How Does AliExpress Work?
AliExpress works in the same fashion as the other generalist ecommerce platforms like Jumia, eBay or Amazon where one simply searches for a product, and the website shows them available product options from multiple sellers.
To use AliExpress, you need to first register for free AliExpress account via the signup link provided on the AliExpress app or website.
Once your account is setup, you will be able to browse AliExpress products via the search feature at the top of their website or app. The products can be can be directly purchased from their individual page by tapping the Buy Now button or add them to cart by tapping the Add to Cart button and checkout later after collecting all the items you want to buy.
The shopping process on AliExpress is very much similar to that of other online shopping stores such as Amazon, Jumia or eBay.
When you order anything on AliExpress, the seller already has a shipping arrangement for you and you would only wait to receive your item in Uganda, saving you the hassle of having to hire the services of a freight forwarder like it is with buying on Alibaba.
Does AliExpress ship to Uganda?
Yes, they do. You can order any product AliExpress and get it in Uganda. You just have to select the shipping method of your choice.
Below are some of the shipping carriers that sellers on AliExpress use to ship items to Uganda:
- AliExpress Standard Shipping
- Singapore Post
- POS Malaysia
- EMS
- UPS
- China Air Post Registered Mail
- DHL
- FedEx
Choosing a shipping method depends on the seller you’re buying from. Some sellers set only one shipping carrier while others put multiple shipping carriers to choose from.
Does AliExpress have free shipping to Uganda?
Yes, some items come with free shipping. But when you hear the term free shipping, it does not exactly mean that. In fact, in reality, there’s nothing like free shipping. The shipping cost is obviously hidden in the final product price. Free shipping is not something you can count in your favor because they secretly charge you for it. While buying on AliExpress, you shouldn’t only look out for free shipping. An item can have paid shipping, but when you add its shipping cost to the product price, the item still remains cheaper, which would make sense to buy such a product. There’s however nothing wrong with going for free shipping, it just depends on how the seller handles your item.