While AliExpress has quickly become one of the most popular places to find products for dropshipping, there have always been other options, such as DHgate, for those in the business.
Learn the differences between AliExpress and DHgate, as well as the benefits and drawbacks of each, so that you can make an informed decision about which platform is best for your dropshipping business.
First, let’s take a moment to familiarize ourselves with both platforms. As you read on, you’ll find a ton of commentary and advice concerning both platforms. Consequently, do not move!
What Is DHgate?
Global B2B and B2C businesses alike can benefit from DHgate, a Chinese-based e-commerce platform.
This website went live in 2005 and has since become a conduit for acquiring and having shipped to you inexpensive goods originating primarily in China and a few other countries.
DHgate is undoubtedly a major e-commerce solution for the world, with over 2 million Chinese and global sellers, over 25 million cross-border buyers from multiple countries, and a selection of over 20 million products.
It can be used in any one of nine available languages. Online retailers and dropshippers use DHgate to source products due to the site’s low prices in comparison to other established international platforms like Amazon and eBay.
What Is AliExpress?
AliExpress is an affiliate of Alibaba that operates primarily as a global e-commerce marketplace. Since its debut in 2010, it has been a major hub for international online shoppers.
There are more than 100 million products available on AliExpress, from a wide variety of genres, and the site includes over 5 million Chinese and international sellers. There are a total of 12 language options for use.
Due to the competitive prices and convenient international shipping options, it has become one of the most popular dropshipping platforms among online merchants.
DHgate vs AliExpress: Which Is Cheaper?
One of the primary considerations while deciding on your sources to arrange products is the cost.
Because of the enormous profit margins, savvy online retailers have begun promoting products via their online storefronts by sourcing from places like DHgate and AliExpress.
In light of the fact that both DHgate and AliExpress are supported by Chinese producers, distributors, and retailers, we feel it is vital to inform you as to which one offers better pricing.
There are a number of factors that can affect the final price, such as the cost to produce the good or service, the quality, and any special deals that the manufacturer or wholesaler may be offering in an effort to increase sales volume at a lower cost or to increase profits at the expense of the customer.
It’s clear that these two methods of corporate management are very different from one another. Although these considerations may be factored into our costs, we do everything we can to keep things straightforward and uncomplicated for you.
If you’re a dropshipper or have ever shopped on a large e-commerce site like AliExpress or Amazon, you know that pricing isn’t everything.
You’d agree that when there are many vendors of a certain product on the same platform, prices might be deceptive, despite the fact that the lowest price is always the most desirable criterion for a consumer.
For this reason, we have compared the costs of five popular dropshipping products. For greater openness, we’ve applied filters for a broad term and ranked the resulting list by the total number of orders.
In the following, we examine the five dropshipping products.
Posture Corrector
When all social media platforms suddenly became inundated with marketing of posture correctors, we noticed a shift in the dropshipping trend away from the well-known “Muscle Stimulators” and toward these.
This is why we have looked into the product on both DHgate and AliExpress.
After searching for a certain keyword on both platforms, we selected the products that had the lowest pricing and a respectable amount of orders.
The image above shows that the Back Support Posture Corrector can be purchased from DHgate for for $9.69 a unit.
You can get all your purchases from China without paying any additional shipping costs with this offer. The product is identical in every other respect to the AliExpress version.
You can purchase this item on AliExpress for $9.62, which is quite close to the pricing on DHgate; but, if you purchase 5 units on DHgate, the price drops significantly to around $6.72 each unit.
There, DHgate appears to be concentrating its efforts.
Therefore, AliExpress is the clear winner when it comes to the lowest Posture Corrector prices.
LED Moon Lamp
If you’ve done any kind of product research in the last two to three years for a dropshipping business, you’ve undoubtedly come across LED Moon Lamps.
Although these lights have been sold in a wide variety of shapes and hues, we’ve used the most popular LED Moon Lamps from online retailers like DHgate and AliExpress as an illustration.
The pricing of a single LED Moon Lamp from DHgate is $9.9 + $5.71 for shipping, as can be seen in the image below. Including shipping, the total for this item from DHgate is $15.6.
The wholesale price of these LED Moon Lamps is about $29.95, leaving a small profit margin of about $15 for dropshippers.
The exact 8cm LED Moon Lamp can be purchased from AliExpress for $10.12, shipping included. You can look at the number of orders and reviews for the same product in the screenshot below.
The average cost of a single day of Facebook advertising for a newbie in the dropshipping industry is around $5.48, which is roughly the price difference between the two.
So, it’s clear that AliExpress beats DHgate in terms of cost when shopping for an 8cm LED Moon Lamp.
Bulb Humidifiers
The selection of well-known bulb humidifiers on DHgate was not as robust as on AliExpress.
The Bulb Humidifier shown on DHgate goes for $22.86 per unit, however shipping to the United States via ePacket would set you back a staggering $67.39.
As a result, it would not be practical to choose such an expensive product as a dropshipping product.
Even after considering the wholesale pricing, the case does not appear to be viable.
On AliExpress, you can buy one for a maximum of $8.55 plus shipping of $1.52.
As a result, AliExpress is a better option than DHgate when comparing prices.
Acupuncture Yoga Mat
In recent years, acupuncture yoga mats have become a popular item for online retailers to offer as dropshipped goods. We discovered a large price gap between DHgate and AliExpress when we compared the costs of Yoga Mats on their respective websites.
A single Yoga Mat can be purchased for $34.93 at DHgate. When we increase production, we don’t see much of a price drop for this item.
The most you’ll pay for one of these Yoga Mats on AliExpress is $18.28. As a result, AliExpress offers cheaper Yoga Mats overall, including their largest size, than DHgate does.
Mini LED Projector
The Mini LED Projector is the last item on the list for this cost analysis. We figured it would be fair to include something of a higher price point for comparison’s sake.
There is no option to buy a single YG300 LED Mini Projector from DHgate. DHgate requires a minimum order of 10 units before offering this item’s $41.67 price per unit plus free DHL shipping to the United States.
Exactly the same YG300 LED Mini Projector can be purchased from AliExpress for for $32.99 plus free shipping to the United States.
With a price difference of only $8.68, AliExpress emerges as a preferable marketplace to acquire this LED Mini Projector.
Because of its lower prices, AliExpress appears to have more customers than DHgate.
DHgate vs AliExpress: Which Has Better Shipping Options?
When packages will arrive at their destinations is determined by a number of factors, including which sellers you purchase from and which shipping option you select on both sites.
Therefore, there is no rule of thumb that can be used to determine whether DHgate or AliExpress has better delivery alternatives.
Still, based on a number of criteria, we can get a good notion of which dropshipping service offers the most reliable delivery options. Here, we’ll talk about these aspects:
Order Processing Time:
Typically, AliExpress vendors will have orders out the door within three to five working days. When you place an order with a vendor on AliExpress, you should expect it to ship no later than 7 business days later.
While DHgate’s processing time is comparable to AliExpress’, it’s typically faster.
It’s possible that fewer orders per seller means DHgate orders get processed faster than AliExpress orders because DHgate merchants have less work to do.
Free Shipping:
You’ll find that the price of products on AliExpress and DHgate that include free shipping is typically greater than the price of products that do not include free shipping.
In the majority of cases, when delivery is free, the expense of doing so is already built into the price of the products. It follows that the so-called term “free shipping” may serve as a hook in some instances.
General Shipping Costs:
Since AliExpress sellers typically have multiple items to ship, they can usually do so at a reduced rate. When compared to other dropshipping marketplaces, such as DHgate, AliExpress’s established sellers have a larger margin to offer cheaper shipping prices due to the large quantities they ship.
ePacket:
Online marketplaces AliExpress and DHgate both support ePacket delivery. If an item can be shipped with ePacket, AliExpress will note it in the product description.
To see if an item is eligible for ePacket shipping on DHgate, you either have to click on the item and read its details or resort to a fake order.
Tracking of Shipment:
You can track your order on both AliExpress and DHgate, but it will depend on the type of shipping you selected.
If tracking is available for a given shipping option, it will typically be specified next to the carrier used. On AliExpress and DHgate, you can track your package with almost every shipping option, including ePacket and more expensive shipping options.
As both AiExpress and DHgate use third-party shipping carriers, their tracking services are essentially identical during the transit of your package.
Variation in Estimated Time of Arrival:
In the realm of electronic commerce, this presents an exceptionally challenging problem. It is impossible to know with any degree of certainty when the merchandise will arrive at the designated address.
This is because many different variables contribute to the merchandise arriving early or late.
Products are delivered as quickly as possible despite encountering various obstacles along the way, such as the mode of shipment and customs clearance issues.
This is why online marketplaces will always provide a delivery estimate. While DHgate provides a range of days in which to expect your delivery, AliExpress provides a specific Estimated Time of Arrival.
To guarantee the safety of their consumers’ purchases, both marketplaces permit refund requests and uncharged returns.
In a fun twist, your package may arrive much sooner than the website promised due to an impromptu upgrade in shipping speed.
DHgate vs AliExpress: Which Has Better Buyer Protection?
While DHgate and AliExpress both provide some level of buyer protection, AliExpress’ policy is more transparent and comprehensive. Let’s take a quick look at the different levels of protection that DHgate and AliExpress give their customers.
The AliExpress buyer is guaranteed protection in the following areas, as detailed on the site’s dedicated buyer protection page:
AliExpress takes the security of its customers’ personal information very seriously.
AliExpress holds your payment until you verify the shipment was successfully received and is to your satisfaction.
In the event that you have not received your orders within 60 days of placing them, you are entitled to a full refund.
As long as you don’t count the shipping cost, AliExpress will reimburse you the whole purchase price. If a vendor claims their goods are authentic but then sends copies instead, that’s called “counterfeiting.”
But if a vendor doesn’t specify that he only deals in authentic goods, he is free to peddle knockoffs and forgeries without fear of repercussions.
If the goods you receive are not what you expected, AliExpress will act as an intermediary and issue a partial or whole refund.
Conversely, DHgate’s treatment of sellers appears a touch lax. Buyers do not appear to be encouraged to repeatedly request a complete refund. In the event of a dispute, DHgate requests that the buyer first try to resolve the issue directly with the vendor.
If a dispute cannot be resolved between a buyer and a seller, DHgate will step in as a mediator.
Even if the seller advertised the products as authentic, DHgate has no clear policy on whether or not to issue a refund if the products turn out to be fake.
As a result, AliExpress is also a leading option in this respect. Given the prevalence of fraudulent online transactions, ensuring the safety of your financial information while making purchases is paramount.
DHgate vs AliExpress: Which Has Better Customer Service?
In terms of assisting customers, there is no discernible difference between the two websites. Considering the majority of DHgate and AliExpress sellers are Chinese, you should know that communication may be difficult.
You can negotiate with vendors directly on either platform and negotiate prices, discounts, and modifications. Apart from the language barrier, the customer service on both sites is comparable.
Some of the ways to contact DHgate and AliExpress’ customer service departments are:
Conversational Live-Help Available Around-the-Clock
In the context of Facebook, the term “page”
Exchange of Messages via DHgate
Mailings With Direct Vendors
The Ultimate Frequently Asked Questions Compendium
During the Chinese New Year holidays, both sites’ response times tend to slow down because most staff members are away.
Both platforms have responsive customer service departments, but AliExpress vendors tend to respond more slowly. This could be because of an increase in the volume of inquiries they must process daily.
DHgate vs AliExpress: Which Has Better Payment Methods?
When making large purchases or payments for a business, the convenience of doing so can make or break a transaction.
In terms of payment options, both AliExpress and DHgate accept the most popular ones like Visa and MasterCard, however neither supports the widely utilized one that is PayPal.
Here are some of the payment methods that are accepted by DHgate. All of the following ways of payment are accepted by DHgate, allowing shoppers from around the world to make purchases with ease.
Acceptance of Visa and MasterCard credit cards
Express Scripts
Moneybookers Skrill (Ewallet)
The Diners Club
UnionPay (SecurePlus) (SecurePlus)
Mastercard Mastercard Maestro Card (Ewallet)
Please be aware that DHgate has disabled the Bank Transfer and Visa Checkout payment options.
Other forms of money transfer are restricted to use within particular territories. Apple Pay, for instance, is only compatible with mobile applications, but it is available in various countries including the United States.
The following payment options are supported by AliExpress:
PayPal (It is tolerated by a few AliExpress sellers)
Credit Cards Visa and MasterCard
Express Scripts
QIWI
Discover
JCB
MNP
Troy
Union de l’Ouest
Cash Deposits
Interesting Fact: Long-standing drop shippers build strong partnerships with their suppliers on marketplaces like AliExpress and DHgate. Therefore, they do not place separate purchases for products when they begin getting large quantities of orders through their online store.
Instead, all of the information about the orders that need to be transported to various parts of the world is compiled in a single Excel page. In order to save time, they make a single payment to the vendor.
Payments made in this way, however, are not covered by AliExpress’s policies because they are made outside of the site.
While both DHgate and AliExpress accept a variety of payment methods, PayPal fans may prefer AliExpress because they are more accustomed to the service.
To maintain a healthy level of exclusivity, DHgate now accepts ApplePay, a much-anticipated payment option.
DHgate vs AliExpress: Which Is Better for Product Sourcing?
The success of a dropshipping business, or any other kind of online retail business, hinges on its ability to successfully source products.
Because sourcing a product requires familiarity with working on a product sourcing platform as a whole, answering this question requires an understanding of the differences and similarities between these two websites.
While there are many ways in which these two dropshipping companies are similar, there are also some key distinctions. Below, we emphasize these distinctions:
The primary features of both websites are briefly discussed here.
Type of Business
While AliExpress caters solely to consumers, DHgate serves both businesses and consumers.
The B2B model on AliExpress is handled by its parent company, Alibaba, while DHgate offers both B2C and B2B services under one roof. DHgate is similar to both Alibaba and AliExpress.
Consequently, DHgate may be preferable if your company has a mix of single-item and bulk orders.
Both sites can be used in tandem to meet your shopping requirements.
Minimum Order Quantity
Due to its B2C business model, AliExpress does not require a minimum order quantity. A product that must be purchased in bulk doesn’t need to worry its customers any more than usual.
When compared, DHgate only has a small selection of items that require a minimum order quantity. Because of the MOQ, the prices listed for some items on DHgate can be misleading. If your minimum order quantity is 12 units, you should divide the price by 12 to get the true cost of a single unit.
Discounts on Bulk Orders
Wholesalers, stockists, and large dropshippers can save a lot of money by shopping on DHgate because the site is also designed for business-to-business transactions.
Some AliExpress vendors offer volume discounts, but in most cases, you’ll need to negotiate with them directly to get a price cut.
Mobile Experience of Websites
Both sites are optimized for use on smartphones running either Android or iOS. The mobile applications of both sites are quick and simple to use. There are “Mobile-only” sales on some products.
Dedicated Dropshipping Centers
In their respective dropshipping hubs, AliExpress and DHgate present shoppers with suggestions for products that would do well in this business model.
There are two sections of DHgate’s online store dedicated solely to dropshipping. The following screenshot has been annotated to draw attention to these ps.
A product’s thorough breakdown and ordering trend may be found on AliExpress, allowing you to better evaluate whether or not to select that product for regular orders in your dropshipping endeavors.
Discounts and Coupons
Throughout the year, both AliExpress and DHgate host seasonal sales that offer deep discounts on a wide variety of products.
It is established fact that products are actually on sale if we keep a record of pricing for selected items, despite the fact that some observers may suggest that most of these sale prices are intentionally made only to lure new buyers.
Both sites also provide promotional codes in an effort to win new users and keep existing ones.
To receive the discounted price, simply present the coupon during checkout. DHgate provides the identical discount code.
In addition, during the worldwide shopping festival known as “11.11 Sale,” AliExpress provides insane discounts. Also known as “Single’s Day,” it is observed annually on November 11th.
The 11.11 shopping festival in 2021 brought in an estimated $84.5 billion for the Alibaba group over the course of eleven days.
Shopify and Woocommerce Integrations:
While both DHgate and AliExpress connect to popular e-commerce platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce, AliExpress offers more tools for the dropshipping process, such as automated reordering and inventory management.
AliExpress has an advantage over DHgate due to its access to unique integrations and apps such as Oberlo, Alidropship, Ali Reviews, etc.
Summary
When it comes to both online and offline international trade, China is the epicenter. Because DHgate and AliExpress are so popular among international shoppers, they facilitate a large portion of China’s total exports via the Internet.
All the major benefits and drawbacks of both platforms have been covered. Products on both sites can be had at discount prices thanks to the prevalence of Chinese retailers and manufacturers.
Which wholesale marketplace, then, is preferable for a dropshipper: AliExpress or DHgate? Whichever website you choose to use for your company’s internet presence is entirely up to you.
In a nutshell, AliExpress continues to dominate the market in terms of everything from prices and selection to shipping speeds and quality control to the flexibility with which it can be integrated into different kinds of online shops.
Leave a comment if you have any other questions or thoughts to share on the subject, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
