AliExpress vs Wish.com Comparison

Just like Amazon, AliExpress and Wish are extremely popular platforms for online shopping. Since we’ve already discussed the main advantages and disadvantages of the former, this article is — mostly — dedicated to the other two stores. Without further interruption, let’s proceed to the main topic.

There are a lot of aspects these two websites differ in, but before we’re ready to jump to that part, let’s talk about what makes them similar.

AliExpress and Wish.com Similarities

First, they both are online retail platforms that work with 3rd party sellers. Just like Joom, for example, these two aren’t stores in the full sense — it would be more correct to call them a place connecting the seller and the buyer. They charge a commission for orders but provide both sides of the trade with a lot of benefits in return. For you, the client, they guarantee you’ll get your money back if you’re dissatisfied with the product’s quality. The seller, in turn, uses them as a way to reach a large base of buyers with minimal risk and investment.

Second, both platforms support mobile apps. They have desktop versions, of course, but smartphone users have been getting more and more benefits recently. For instance, some coupons and discounts are easier to get in the mobile applications, even though they usually don’t save that much. You’ll still be fine if you prefer not to install 3rd-party applications on your phone without good reason, but keep in mind that online stores DO want you to do that and they will try to make you change your mind.

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Third, most of their sellers are from Asia. AliExpress belongs to Alibaba Group, a Chinese company, and has become popular with American and European clients relatively recently. Wish, in turn, is closer to eBay in that aspect: the company headquarters is located in the USA, and they mostly focus on Americans and Europeans … which doesn’t seem to stop them from providing their visitors with products from the Chinese factories. There is nothing wrong with that, but you should keep in mind that AliExpress and Wish work with — more or less — the same people, meaning that you’ll see no drastic difference in the quality of products.

Fourth, AliExpress and Wish are big, well-known, and safe platforms with tons of loyal customers. You can find scammers on either of them, but if you do minimal research before making an order, you’ll be fine. They’re certainly more reliable than DHgate, for instance, which is basically Chinese eBay. They don’t have that many negative reviews as well, and their customer base has been steadily increasing within the past years.

Difference between AliExpress and Wish

The main difference between these two is that AliExpress is less expensive. There are two reasons for this:

1. The AliExpress commission rate is only 0.05, meaning that the seller has to pay only 5% for each transaction. Wish.com is a bit less friendly — it charges a 10% commission for every purchase, which is twice as big as the AliExpress’s rate. Some sellers working at both platforms at the same time accept this way of things and don’t raise the price for Wish’s visitors, but most of them are of the opinion that the one who has to pay for the higher commission is the buyer. They share the burden with you on both platforms, but on AliExpress it’s a bit lower.
2. Dropshipping is great when you’re the one to sell, but when you’re a buyer, you just pay more than you could have paid if you spent more time on researching. Wish.com is extremely popular among dropshippers who buy their products on AliExpress and sell them somewhere else. Their purpose in that case, is to earn money, of course, which means they always try to buy something for ten dollars, for instance, and then sell you the same item for twenty. In 2019 they used AliExpress to earn on Wish, and not the other way around. It’s 2020 already, and nothing has changed in that respect.

In other words, AliExpress is generally cheaper than Wish. Both platforms work with dozen and hundreds, and even thousands of sellers, however, so there is no final opinion. We recommend checking both stores from time to time; chances are, you’ll find a lot of cheap products on Wish.com, too.

Another difference between them is that on AliExpress, the visitor has a wider assortment of items to choose from. The Chinese store offers everything for everyone; its American alternative does essentially the same, but the verifying procedure is stricter, meaning that some sellers and products will not make it to Wish.com for various reasons. While many people think that a wider assortment is a clear advantage, some will find the American store’s approach more suitable to their needs and style of shopping.

Also, AliExpress supports most popular payment systems, including regional ones. In that aspect, it’s similar to another Chinese platform — GearBest. Wish supports only world-standard payment methods, including PayPal, WebMoney, credit cards, and debit cards. For the average European buyer, it’s more than enough, but it’s still nice to use SMS payment in some countries.

Affiliate Marketing

If you’re familiar with the Amazon Affiliate Program, you’ll probably feel yourself at home. Both AliExpress and Wish are willing to pay for every customer you bring them. Assuming that you already have a blog and several regular readers, you may earn even more than some dropshippers, and everything you’ll have to do is write a post once in a while.

If you’re more familiar with Chinese e-commerce platforms, you may know how that works with Banggood, for example. You write an article on a certain topic, attach an affiliate link leading to the e-store’s site, and receive money for every purchase made with your link. Give it a try.

Is Aliexpress or Wish Better?

While the answer may vary depending on your preferences, there is no denying the fact that AliExpress is bigger, older, and cheaper. If you don’t have experience in online-shopping at all, then the Chinese store is your safe option — just be sure to check the seller’s rating before making a purchase. Otherwise, Wish.com is worth checking out because it does have some great products and deals you will not find on AliExpress. They tend to overprice shipping though, so don’t rush into the purchasing decision just because the price itself is fine.

Good luck!