AliExpress finds thread (they accept PayPal)

[RegularGuyGamer | 2,011]

Idk if anyone here orders from AliExpress but recently they updated their payment options to included PayPal. I had used my secondary checking account to order from there in the last and was always hesitant to save my payment info. But now they accept PayPal which always makes me feel better about ordering from even established sites since credit card info seems to get hacked every couple years from even the most credible sites. 

I order a ton of stuff of AliExpress though. It's cheap Amazon with the main drawback is shipping times. However, I've been ordering stuff like toys for the baby and home items at a massive discount. I got a couple toys for him that would've cost around $100 on Amazon, for the same exact toy just different stock photo, for about $30 shipped. 

Obviously I order things I need fast from Amazon but I've really started fuckin with AliExpress more and more over the past couple years and now with them accepting PayPal and not making me store any card info on their site, that's a big win in my book.

Anyone have anything they order off AliExpress I should be wise to?

 

Edit;

Post your AliExpress wares in the thread as well!

Edited March 24, 2022 by RegularGuyGamer

[Tanooki | 4,929]

I never did, until I realized that very fact yesterday as I wasn't going to trust that place with a credit card directly.  Doing a test on a cheap fun looking famicom multicart to see what happens.

Grabbed this for $15 shipped because I liked the game list, seems to be about as quality of a build as these cheap new board/chip games can be.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32761735065.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.0.0.21ef1802Lgm0U7

[drxandy | 3,225]

Aliexpress was great before the shipping thing that happened over the pandemic. You could something like a .30c item shipped free, but not anymore. Still very reasonable - i understand that things have changed, I'm just a cheapskate. Last time I used it was for some xbone/360 controller shells and was pretty pleased that shipping was a little faster, that the us customs has taken to the act of bundling together small parcels so none get lost once they've reached the us (great for not losing a pair of thumb sticks or buttons in the small packages they mail in).

Not sure I would buy clothing on there, but there's a lot of interesting things

 

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mKzhtqg

Wasn't the 1up card a cleaning device somebody came out with like 10yrs ago?

 

Edited March 23, 2022 by drxandy

[a3quit4s | 4,090]

PayPal gonna drop them like a hot potato once all the PayPal buyer protections claims start rolling in against those sketchy Ali sellers lol

[DefaultGen | 5,395]

My debit card expired and I was surprised they let me use Amex now (I don't know how long that's been a thing). I don't think I was even able to use credit cards on AliExpress last I checked my payment details. I get a lot of small electronics components and hardware since it's just ridiculously cheap.

[phart010 | 1,705]

@RegularGuyGamer

can we rename this thread into a AliExpress finds thread. I’m curious to see what people are buying 

[PuppyWaffles | 1,853]

We have an extra bedroom that we have turned into a room for our cats. I bought 5 cat trees, 5 scratching posts, countless toys, and a bunch of other random things for them for the price of a single cat tree on Amazon.

I've also ordered car parts and have had zero issues. The oil filters I bought came in the manufacture packaging. 

People talk crap on Ali and Wish but I've never had issues on either. 

Edited March 24, 2022 by PuppyWaffles
I can't spell

[RegularGuyGamer | 2,011]

18 hours ago, phart010 said:

@RegularGuyGamer

can we rename this thread into a AliExpress finds thread. I’m curious to see what people are buying 

I'm getting a package in today (I think) so I'll be the first to post 

[RegularGuyGamer | 2,011]

16 hours ago, PuppyWaffles said:

People talk crap on Ali and Wish but I've never had issues on either. 

My latest no issue purchase below.

Sponges were 1/4 the cost from Amazon, with shipping

White roll is a magent white board for the fridge 1/3 the cost of eBay.

Case for my current key fob and extra key fob like $2 each.

And thank you stickers for my eBay packages. 

Shipping spread from purchase: 15 days! I'm still waiting one a couple other things as well.

I got the leather key thing from AliExpress too for a couple bucks. I hate keys jingling in my pocket lol. And I needed a way to distinguish my key fob from my wife's since we both have the same car brand. I really like the fit of the little cover so far. 

[LeatherRebel5150 | 1,055]

How do you guys effectively search on Ali? Some of the wording they use seems so left field that it would never come up if I searched it.

[Tanooki | 4,929]

I've never had luck without getting specific, at least when looking for screwball famicom etc type stuff.  There are so many vendors with the same item and they vary the title just enough it throws the entire thing into a mess.

[phart010 | 1,705]

For game stuff you can’t search for Nintendo or SNES, they will not turn up any results. I think Nintendo cracked down on them a while ago so they make a point to not list stuff in a way that it can be easily found by Nintendo.

Instead now you have to search for 8 bit game cartridge or 16 bit game cartridge. Not that I am buying these, I just happen to know because my brother buys this stuff 

[RegularGuyGamer | 2,011]

How bout a Gameboy flashcart for $36 $26.

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mN1QOfU

Edited March 25, 2022 by RegularGuyGamer

[Tanooki | 4,929]

Not bad, it's the newest version of the everdrive gb they've ripped off and put the better firmware on it, solid price at $30.

And phart's right, got to get a little creative with the naming but you can find things.  Sometimes an occasional multicart is fun, but usually it's the more period stuff from like 20 years plus ago that's more amusing.  That one item I tried out on shipped fairly quick, and given I have a nomad I decided to try one more seller to see if they react any differently on a solid genesis cart.

[drxandy | 3,225]

US $9.62  10%OFF | Replacement Part  Silver Plastic Shell Case Front Housing Faceplate  shell  for Xbox 360   Controller
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mshfZIq

Here's a Xbox 360 controller replacement shell that could possibly be new old stock, I got it in January and it had Microsoft tooling inside, they also shipped in a nice sturdy box so if you're looking to fix one up it's not a bad shell, not sure on the silver durability because I haven't assembled it/used but still.  Note that these use the rotating dpad so you'll need one instead of the other style.

Here's what I got

[RH | 4,894]

Pro tip on searching sites with terrible, internal search engines, just google your search phrase and then at the end add "site:aliexpress.com".  This will only search this site.

I don't know why these cheap China goods sites can't get their search engines working because even throwing 2-3 engineers on the process for a week could massively increase their income, but whatever.  I've only used Aliexpress for handheld system shells.  That's about as far as I will go since I don't trust their electronics.  I did think about ordering a CRT off of them just to see what a cheap, recently manufactured CRT would be like.  And yes, CRTs are still in production.  Apparently some of the third world Asian countries still use them and places like Ali can/will ship them internationally.  At least, they were about 1-2 years ago when I last checked.

[LtCasual | 27]

I've used them quite a bit over the years for mechanical keyboard stuff, electronic components and 3D printer parts. I picked up a bunch of these PCB rulers to give out to techy workers I know.

PCB Ruler

Never had any issues, either with payment methods or shipping (other than the speed).

Edited March 30, 2022 by LtCasual

[LeatherRebel5150 | 1,055]

5 hours ago, LtCasual said:

I've used them quite a bit over the years for mechanical keyboard stuff, electronic components and 3D printer parts. I picked up a bunch of these PCB rulers to give out to techy workers I know.

PCB Ruler

Never had any issues, either with payment methods or shipping (other than the speed).

I’d like some of them rulers but that shipping time, Jun 4th. Ooff

[Tanooki | 4,929]

Well given how long it takes to subjugate, re-educate, and break their Uyghur work force are you surprised?

 

I've been told enough times despite the month plus they tend to give, stuff can show up as quick as a couple of weeks.  I decided to test that when I went and got one item, then found something useful for my Nomad and grabbed a second a couple days later.  I was curious to see if they'd arrive 2 days apart, or maybe far, or if the second would best the first.

[CMR | 518]

I've ordered from them in the past and never had any issues.  They also accept google pay and a bunch of other payment options now also.  Just the other day I ordered an SD card reader for my Dreamcast and a DCDigital mod.  Here's hoping my old eyes can install it without screwing up.

[RegularGuyGamer | 2,011]

19 hours ago, LeatherRebel5150 said:

I’d like some of them rulers but that shipping time, Jun 4th. Ooff

Take it with a grain of salt. It's always a gamble. My recent order said may 5th and I got it in like 2 weeks. Although that is the fastest I've ever gotten a package. 

[FireHazard51 | 2,043]

On 3/24/2022 at 9:43 PM, LeatherRebel5150 said:

How do you guys effectively search on Ali? Some of the wording they use seems so left field that it would never come up if I searched it.

Typically I find the item that is clearly made in China on Amazon and then search Ali for that brand making the knockoff/budge version of the item I want.  I'm literally buy the same item (same Chinese company/manufacture) that Amazon has for much cheaper.  Also I'll find something I want and then scroll down the page to see other suggested items as that works better than their damn search engine.  

On 3/30/2022 at 12:35 PM, drxandy said:

US $9.62  10%OFF | Replacement Part  Silver Plastic Shell Case Front Housing Faceplate  shell  for Xbox 360   Controller
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mshfZIq

Here's a Xbox 360 controller replacement shell that could possibly be new old stock, I got it in January and it had Microsoft tooling inside, they also shipped in a nice sturdy box so if you're looking to fix one up it's not a bad shell, not sure on the silver durability because I haven't assembled it/used but still.  Note that these use the rotating dpad so you'll need one instead of the other style.

Here's what I got

That part was made in 2012 so it's either new old stock or salvaged and cleaned with a ultrasonic cleaner.

 

Speaking of ultrasonic cleaner.  I've done a couple cheap test purchases that worked well, just long shipping times.  Now I'm going for a bigger purchase item, a 30L ultrasonic cleaner, https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002766615255.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.0.0.21ef1802KWuR5l Why?  Well I need a much bigger one to clean my PS3 parts/boards and I MAY of got the 22L to work, it wasn't much more to get a bigger one for multiple items cleaned at once or something bigger. 

We'll see how things go, I figured the risk isn't much different from Amazon in that if it fails within  a couple months I'd be fucked either way.  But I do plan on repairing the item instead of buying new.  Half-way do a DIY ultrasonic cleaner with the broken ultrasonic cleaner.  If things go well I may end up with going for a legit company who stuff is made in China and they have company "documents" stating they are an authorized dealer on AliExpress.  These items have already been bought and reviewed by other YouTubers.  

Things to take into consideration, how long has the company been on Ali.  If it's a legit brand they are selling then the company should be on Ali for years and not months.  Otherwise its likely a fake to the real company who is a legit seller of the name brand item.  Also be careful of the shipping cost and selecting the item version.  Same company will ship for free or have a $100+ shipping costs.  I can't understand why they aren't consistent across the board.  Also double check ship dates as some companies will ship from their warehouse that is located within the US so ship times can be STUPID quick as it's already passed costumes and only take a couple of days.

[FireHazard51 | 2,043]

Following up on my purchase.  Fucking USPS flagged the package as being unable to deliver due to "insufficient address".  I talked to the company I made the purchase with and AliExpress translation messaging app worked really well so I was able to describe the issue and understand their response.  Basically I confirmed what address they used, it was as I told them.  Seeing how the package made it all the way to my local post office I visited them at the beginning of the next day to stop the return to sender.  Turns out the address was perfect AND it was written on there twice INCLUDING MY FUCKING PHONE NUMBER!  USPS was just looking for a reason to not have to deliver it to my house since it was a kinda big package.

Box was beat to hell (reused it looks like) but item in side used good packaging to protect the item so there was no damage.  Honestly my direct contact with the company was surprisingly fast and though they couldn't do anything, they did seem legit interested in trying to solve my issue.  I'm sure this is a case by case thing as I talked directly to the company I made the purchase with and not AliExpress.  If you ever had to talk to a 3rd party through Amazon you know how shitty that can be.  This was the exact opposite.