AliExpress vs. Temu: Which Online Shopping Platform is Best for You?

AliExpress and Temu are among the most popular online shopping platforms. They offer a wide range of products at competitive prices. However, it can be confusing to choose among the two.

Smart consumers are keen to do their due diligence to find out if these marketplaces are reliable. And, which among them is the best?

This article is an in-depth online shopping platform comparison of AliExpress vs. Temu. We research customer reviews left on PissedConsumer.com to help you determine which is the best online shopping platform for you.

Key Insights

• AliExpress has a selection of over 100 million products and stands out for its free delivery option.
• Temu reviews show that their customer support is the easiest to contact and the most responsive compared to AliExpress.
• Comparatively, Temu’s buyer protection offers the longest return period and free return shipping. 

AliExpress vs. Temu: In-depth Comparison 

Let’s compare AliExpress vs. Temu based on the range of products, prices, policies, customer service, and quality of services. The comparison also includes real-life examples from customer reviews on PissedConsumer.com.

Product selection

If you look at AliExpress vs. Temu, they have a similar product range. Assortment types include:

• Fashion
• Automotive accessories
• Pet supplies
• Beauty accessories
• Home improvement accessories
• Electronic gadgets and accessories
• Toys and games
• Art and craft supplies
• Jewelry; 
• And more

AliExpress has over 100 million products listed while Temu has fewer products listed as they are still expanding their selection.

Notably, AliExpress and Temu are China-based companies. AliExpress varies from the other marketplaces in that they sell to both customers and business, while Temu only sells to customers.

Product prices 

When you compare AliExpress and Temu, generally, products are cheaper on Temu compared to AliExpress. That said, AliExpress prices are fairly competitive due to their business model of sourcing directly from suppliers in China. 

For example, both marketplaces offer budget-friendly portable vacuum cleaners options. We selected two options which visually appealed the same. However, the prices without discounts for the items are $81.90 vs $30.20 on AliExpress and Temu. 

According to the information on the websites, the vacuum cleaner on Temu operates on USB charging with a 5V voltage, offers a suction power of 5 kPa, and features a dust cup volume of 0.2-0.3L. In contrast, the item from AliExpress operates at a higher voltage of 7.4V, provides stronger suction power at 5000 Pa. However, both models have a similar 2000 mAh rechargeable battery. While features might slightly differ, the price difference is significant.

While both platforms are popular for their low prices and frequent deals, customer reviews on PissedConsumer indicate they are not always worth it. Sometimes, the products are of low quality. Other times there is a minimum order requirement to qualify for a discount or free shipping or the discount is not applied at checkout.

In one of AliExpress complaints, their customer shared that they bought an item that was indicated to be discounted, but at the checkout "it wasn't deducted." So, the buyer was charged the full price:

I bought the item which was a discount I had and over purchase price and got additional which come along it will only cost $30 something, but when check out it wasn't deducted and cost me original price $38 something.

Return policies 

When shopping online, smart consumers always look out for buyer protection policies to ensure that they do not lose money in case the items are undelivered or are faulty. They are also keen to find out how the various online marketplaces resolve order issues.

Temu offers a 90-day return policy on eligible items. Items such as underwear, free gifts, customized products, food and grocery products, health and personal care items, as well as worn, washed, and damaged clothes are not returnable. Temu offers free return shipping on “first return of one or multiple returnable items for EVERY order within the return window.”

Source: Temu return policy

AliExpress offers a buyer protection policy that allows you to get a refund if your item is not delivered, arrives damaged, or arrives not as described. Items eligible for buyer protection are indicated as so on the product detail page. The buyer protection period is typically 15 days from the date of confirming receipt of your item.

Source: AliExpress buyer protection policy

Shipping and delivery

One of the top customer concerns regarding online shipping marketplaces is the reliability of their shipping and delivery services. As a smart customer, you should be keen to find out the shipping options offered, timelines, and whether the packages get delivered.

Temu offers two shipping options. The first alternative is free standard shipping for all orders with a delivery timeline of 6-22 days. The second choice is express shipping for orders starting at $12.90 with a delivery timeline of 4-11 days.

AliExpress offers a free delivery service. However, if your product does not qualify or you prefer not to use the free delivery service, you bear the cost of shipping.

Some customers reported dissatisfaction with the shipping and delivery services of various online marketplaces. For example, in AliExpress review, the customer was told that their order will be shipped in the USA, however:

When it was all said and done it was around $675.00 with their "Free Shipping"... But after I ordered it, the seller reached out to me and said it was going to be another $240.00 to ship it out to me...

Customer service

Another factor to consider when choosing the best online shopping platform is customer service. Refer to each platform’s help center and contact us page to determine the avenues available for customer support. Also, read online reviews to find out if the customer support is reliable.

While there are customer service complaints across the board for the 2 online marketplaces, some companies are better rated for ease of contacting customer support and issue resolution.

28% of customers who contacted Temu customer service through the PissedConsumer platform said that their issues were resolved compared to 3% for AliExpress. It can be one of the reasons why AliExpress customer service has only 1.4 stars. Temu customer service is rated at 2.7 stars and customers say it is neither easy nor difficult for them. 

In AliExpress review #6015265, the customer said:

The phone number provided to contact AliExpress does not connect you with a live agent, and always goes to a default saying "we are sorry you are experiencing issues" it then disconnects the call every time. Essentially impossible to speak with a live agent.

AliExpress vs Temu: Choose the Best

Below is a summary of how AliExpress vs. Temu compares the various categories.

• Product selection. Both online marketplaces have similar product categories. AliExpress has the widest product selection.
• Product price. While both online marketplaces offer competitive prices and numerous deals, Temu has the lowest prices.
• Buyer protection. Temu buyer protection is the most favorable – a 90-day return period and free return shipping. Whereas AliExpress offers 15 days. 
• Shipping and delivery. AliExpress stands out for its free delivery service. Temu also offers free standard shipping but customers have an option to pay for expedited shipping. 
• Customer service. Temu is the easiest to contact and most responsive compared to AliExpress.

AliExpress vs Temu: Which Is Better for You?

AliExpress and Temu offer a wide range of products at affordable prices. As part of your due diligence, compare product selection, prices, and policies across the two online marketplaces.

What has been your experience with online shopping on AliExpress or Temu? Write a review on PissedConsumer.com and share your insights