AliExpress is a marketplace featuring numerous sellers and products from China and other countries. To help you navigate this vast shopping platform and grab the best deals, we’ve put together some useful tips.
General Tips for Choosing Products
Pay attention to product details, not just images. Descriptions often include important details that may not be visible in preview photos, such as dimensions, materials, included accessories, size charts for clothing, and technical specifications for gadgets. This will help you avoid misunderstandings.
Check reviews and ratings. Feedback from real buyers provides valuable insights and often includes actual photos of the product. The store rating and product reviews reflect overall reliability. Choose products with a rating of at least 4.5.
Carefully select product configurations. A single product page may include multiple variations (different sizes, colors, or additional accessories), each with a different price. Double-check before adding an item to your cart.
Look for “Official Store” labels. Many well-known brands have their official stores on AliExpress, ensuring authentic products. These sellers usually maintain a high reputation and offer better customer support and warranties.
Local delivery. Fast and duty-free
One of the most interesting options for EU buyers on AliExpress is products that are already stored in warehouses within the European Union. In this case, the order is shipped within the EU, so the €3 duty per product category does not apply.
The main advantage is speed. Depending on the country and the specific product, delivery from a European warehouse may take only a few days. For many products, AliExpress states a delivery time of 2–5 business days. The exact delivery information is always shown on the product page.
How can you find these products? When searching and placing an order, pay attention to the shipping location, for example “Ship from: Poland / Germany / Spain”, or labels such as Local / Local+.
It is important to check the shipping option for the specific product: the same item may be available both from an EU warehouse and with direct shipping from China.
Free and paid shipping. Many sellers offer free shipping, indicated on the product page and preview (marked as "Free shipping"). If multiple shipping options are available, they can be reviewed on the product page. They may differ in delivery time, cost, and carrier. Sometimes, a slightly cheaper product from one seller may come with a shipping fee, while another seller offers free shipping. Compare total costs before purchasing.
Brand+: Original brands on AliExpress
Brand+ is a special section of AliExpress featuring products from verified brands. Here you can find original products from well-known international and Chinese manufacturers, from electronics and tools to clothing and household products.
The main advantage is the confidence that the products are genuine and not replicas. At the same time, branded products on AliExpress can often be cheaper than in EU stores.
To find Brand+, open the Brand+ section on AliExpress or look for the corresponding label when searching for products. You can also search for the brand you are interested in and visit its official page on AliExpress.
Before making a purchase, we still recommend checking the seller, customer reviews, number of sales, and product specifications.
Choice Products
The Choice category includes products selected by AliExpress that meet specific quality and delivery standards:
Faster shipping. Choice products typically have priority shipping, often significantly faster than standard delivery. Items from different sellers in this category are often grouped into a single shipment, managed directly by AliExpress.
Reliable service. Choice products come with enhanced service benefits, including an easier return process. AliExpress conducts additional checks to avoid counterfeit or low-quality items.
Exclusive discounts and deals. These products often come with special discounts or coupons.
You can find Choice products in a dedicated Choice section or by spotting the “Choice” label on product previews.
Buy now, pay later
How does it work? You can spread the cost of your orders over time by splitting the total amount into smaller, equal payments using the following options:
Pay in 3 interest-free installments with.
Pay in 3 or 6 interest-free installments by selecting "Pay in installments" at checkout.
Add the item to your cart as usual, and at checkout select the desired payment method.
Bundle Deals
This feature, available only in the AliExpress mobile app, lets you buy multiple items together at a lower price. Typically, you can buy between 3 and 10 items in one bundle. Additional discounts are often applied (e.g., $2 off when purchasing at least six items). New discounts are available on the 1st of every month. Items bought through Bundle Deals are shipped in a single package, making it a great way to stock up on essentials or accessories.
To explore these offers, open the AliExpress mobile app and look for the "Bundle Deals" or "Discount Sets" section on the home screen.
AliExpress Coins (My Coins)
Coins are AliExpress’s internal reward currency that you can earn and use for discounts and coupons. The Coins section is available only in the AliExpress mobile app.
How to Earn Coins:
Daily check-ins. Visit the Coins section daily in the app to collect 20-70 coins just for checking in.
Play games. AliExpress includes interactive games in the Coins section where you can earn extra coins.
Complete tasks. Coins can be earned by leaving reviews for purchased items, visiting product pages, subscribing to stores, or making purchases.
How to Use Coins:
Partial Payment for Products In the "Coins" section, you can find product offers and a search feed where various items are listed with a portion of their cost payable using coins. Each product will indicate what percentage of the price can be covered with coins.
Automatic Application of Coins in the Cart If any item in your shopping cart allows partial payment with coins, the applicable amount will be automatically deducted when placing your order.
Exchanging Coins for Coupons During sales events and promotional periods, AliExpress often offers opportunities to exchange coins for coupons or other limited-time offers.
Important Notes About Coins: Coins have an expiration period (usually one year). They are available only in the AliExpress mobile app. They cannot be used to pay 100% of an item's price, only a limited percentage.
Using coins does not affect your Letyshops cashback. Cashback will be calculated on the paid amount after deducting the value of coins and any other discounts.
Coupons and Promo Codes
Coupons and promo codes serve the same purpose—helping you save money—but they function differently.
Coupons are automatically applied at checkout and can often be combined. They may be issued by AliExpress or specific sellers. For example, a coupon might provide a discount like "$2 off every $15 spent."
Types of Coupons:
AliExpress Select Coupons – These apply only to certain items or stores and can be combined with other coupon types. They are often found on sale event pages (like 11.11, Black Friday) and in the AliExpress mobile app.
Store Coupons – Issued by specific sellers and valid only in their stores. For example, "$5 off purchases over $50 at Store X." Some apply only to selected items.
You can find them on product pages (under the price, where coupon offers are listed).
Or on the seller’s store page. Following your favorite stores ensures you receive their latest coupon offers first.
By going to the "My Coupons" – "Coupon Center" section, you can view all available store coupons, categorized by type.AliExpress Coupons – These provide discounts on all items in your cart. They are often given to new users or as part of seasonal promotions. You can find them in the "My Coupons" section.
All collected coupons will be automatically applied at checkout if the order meets the coupon conditions—no need to enter anything manually.
Promo codes, on the other hand, must be entered manually during checkout. They may apply to specific product categories or the entire shopping cart, but only one promo code can be used per order. These are typically available during major sales, special promotions, or on external sites and advertisements.
Where to Find Promo Codes?
On sale pages and the AliExpress homepage (especially before big events).
In AliExpress newsletters.
In Letyshops newsletters before major sales.
On external coupon websites.
How to Use a Promo Code? Add items to your cart, proceed to checkout, and enter the copied promo code in the designated field before completing the purchase.
Important: AliExpress platform coupons and promo codes, as well as promo codes from Letyshops, do not affect cashback eligibility. However, promo codes from other sources, such as bloggers or third-party discount sites, may result in lost cashback.
Taxes and Duties
Since July 1, 2026, the EU rules for low-value goods coming from countries outside the European Union have changed. Previously, goods worth up to €150 could be imported without paying customs duties. Now, such shipments are temporarily subject to a €3 duty for each unique product category.
The €3 duty is not charged for each individual item. The duty is calculated based on product categories according to the customs classification. For example, if a package contains 5 identical T-shirts, the duty will be €3. If it contains T-shirts and a phone case, these are two different product categories, so the duty will be €6.
The duty does not depend on the fact that the purchase was made on AliExpress, but on where the product is physically shipped from. If you purchase a product on AliExpress, but it is already stored in the seller's warehouse in one of the EU countries and is shipped from there, the additional €3 duty does not apply.
VAT is a separate charge. The new €3 duty does not replace VAT, which continues to apply under the current rules. For most purchases on AliExpress, VAT is already included in the price during checkout. The duty is paid as part of the customs clearance process and is usually taken into account by the seller or the platform in the total order amount at checkout.
Free Returns and Buyer Protection
Purchases on AliExpress are covered by reliable buyer protection mechanisms, and free returns are available for many products.
If a product has the Free Return label, you can return it within 15, 30, 60, or 90 calendar days after receiving it, depending on the specific conditions for that product, without having to provide a reason. For such products, the seller covers the return shipping costs and the buyer receives a prepaid return label.
In addition, you can open a dispute on AliExpress if your order has not arrived, the product is damaged, does not match the description, or another problem has occurred. In such cases, you can request a refund in accordance with the platform's buyer protection rules, and AliExpress helps resolve the issue.
Tip: Before making a purchase, check the Free Return label, return conditions, and seller rating. This allows you to shop on AliExpress with greater peace of mind, even if you are using the platform for the first time.
Quick Tips for a Better Shopping Experience
✅ Explore different sections of AliExpress and check special deals regularly, especially before major sales events.
✅ Use the AliExpress mobile app to access exclusive discounts and offers that are not available on the website.
✅ Follow your favorite sellers to receive special coupons and promotions in the future.
✅ Combine coins, coupons, and Choice items for additional savings.
✅ Enable LetyShops notifications to stay updated on cashback boosts, special promotions, and discount codes before big sales.
Happy shopping! 😊