Many dropshippers around the world wonder if it is possible to reduce AliExpress shipping times.
It is a well-known fact that fast shipping times attract consumers more than anything. But this is not always the case. Before you roll your eyes, let us explain what we mean. Sometimes, customers are willing to wait for a product they need and want, regardless of the shipping times.
Again, many customers want and expect to receive their orders within a short period of time. Long story short, the speed of shipping plays an important role in earning online customer loyalty.
And it comes as no surprise that in the hyper-competitive e-commerce world, dropshippers try to provide faster, on-time delivery in order to remain competitive and increase their conversion rates.
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How To Reduce Aliexpress Shipping Times?
If you are sourcing products for your dropshipping business from AliExpress suppliers but want to reduce AliExpress shipping times, you are not alone.
Find out How to Dropship without using AliExpress.
We can help you learn how to speed up delivery times and meet the time-sensitive demands of your customers. But before discussing the ways to reduce AliExpress shipping times, let’s reveal the typical AliExpress shipping times.
How long do orders from AliExpress take to ship?
The average shipping time for standard AliExpress packages is between 15 and 45 days. In some cases, the shipping times take up to 60 days.
Still, the actual time it takes for an AliExpress package to arrive depends on multiple factors. Moreover, these factors include the shipping methods used by AliExpress suppliers, the shipping country (the location of your dropshipping supplier), the country of destination (the location of your customer), etc.
Is it really possible to reduce AliExpress shipping times?
Evidently, AliExpress shipping times are not fixed. And this means that you can do something about it. Simply put, you can find ways to get your customers’ orders delivered faster, i.e., learn how to reduce the shipping time with AliExpress.
For you, as an AliExpress dropshipping store owner, shipment time reduction will not be a simple or straightforward task. Namely, the delivery time depends on warehouse location, carrier efficiency, internal processes and efficiency, and so on.
IDEA: Want to Dropshipping from AliExpress to eBay? We got you.
But despite this, it is actually possible to reduce AliExpress shipping times. Just read on…
5 ways to reduce AliExpress shipping times
As we have already said, it is actually possible to speed up delivery times when dropshipping with AliExpress. Keep reading to find out how to do that.
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Select suppliers who offer fast yet affordable shipping methods
You probably already know that AliExpress dropshipping suppliers offer various shipping methods. And they vary in price and speed. Specifically, some suppliers offer very slow and cheap shipping, whereas others offer fast and expensive deliveries.
As you do not have control over the fulfillment and shipping process, you cannot select the shipping method yourself. So, you need to select an AliExpress dropshipping supplier that offers the right shipping method, depending on the type of your customers and your business goals.
You do not want your customers to get their orders as soon as possible at the expense of losing money on each order, right? So, it would be wise to choose a supplier that offers fast yet affordable shipping methods. This is a good way to reduce AliExpress shipping times.
For instance, ePacket delivery is one of the most popular AliExpress shipping methods. In addition, it is affordable and allows your customers to receive their packages faster than traditional shipping methods of the same price range.
With this shipping method, AliExpress dropshipping suppliers typically deliver orders within 7-15 days depending on the destination country. What’s more, it also allows for easy package tracking across the globe.
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Pay attention to processing times
Another way to reduce AliExpress shipping times is to pay attention to the processing times offered by dropshipping suppliers. Just to clarify, there is a difference between shipping and processing times.
Processing time is the turnaround time for a supplier to process an order. In other words, it is the time period when you place the order with your dropshipping supplier and they prepare that order for shipment.
However, shipping time is the time it takes a shipped order to reach its final destination (your customer).
Now let’s get back to the point. Different AliExpress dropshipping suppliers offer different processing times. The average processing time is anywhere between 2-3 days.
But sometimes it takes, let’s say, 7 days for a supplier to process an order. And this is considered to be a long processing time in dropshipping, which can result in longer shipping times.
Total delivery time = Processing time + Shipping time
Let us give an example. If the estimated shipping time of a product is about 15 days and the processing time is 3 days, your customer will receive that product within about 18 days.
As you can see, the shorter the processing time, the faster the total delivery time. This means you can speed up the total delivery time if you buy from a supplier that has shorter processing times.
Therefore, you should check the processing times to figure out how long it takes for AliExpress suppliers to process orders.
But how can you do that? You can do so by installing the Oberlo Google Chrome Extension. Once you have installed it, you can get access to processing times and shipping information. That way, you can easily compare AliExpress dropshipping suppliers based on their processing times and shipping methods.
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Partner with suppliers that have warehouses in your target country
Yes, you read it right! Even with AliExpress dropshipping, you can work with suppliers that have warehouses in your target country.
The majority of AliExpress dropshipping suppliers are based in China. But some suppliers store their products in warehouses outside of China, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, France, Canada, etc.
In case you want to provide faster shipping times, it is a good idea to filter products by a warehouse location that’s closer to your customers.
And this is probably the best way to reduce AliExpress shipping times. Essentially, working with AliExpress dropshipping suppliers that have warehouses in your target country can help you make sure your customers get their orders on time.
This means that the suppliers can fulfill and ship your orders from the closest warehouses. And your products will not come all the way from China. That way, you can avoid delivery delays and significantly shorten the shipping times.
To illustrate, if your target audience is based in the United Kingdom, try to find an AliExpress dropshipping supplier with a warehouse located in the United Kingdom. To find a supplier with a warehouse in a specific country, you need to sort by “ship from a country”.
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Order test products
So, you have done your research on different AliExpress dropshipping suppliers’ processing times and shipping estimates. But it would be very helpful if you could order a test product from several suppliers.
The 10 Best Winning Dropshipping Product Research Tools In 2021.
This is a great way to validate the shipping and processing times, ensure the product matches its description, and, of course, reduce AliExpress shipping times.
One more thing that we want to mention here is that it is advisable to order the same product from several AliExpress suppliers to identify the one with the fastest shipping times. Partner with that supplier because this way, you will make sure that your products get to your customers on time.
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Try to find “VIP” listings for your dropshipping products
AliExpress dropshipping suppliers tend to make VIP listings for successful customers or dropshippers and give their orders a higher priority.
As a result, you can get shorter processing times and your customers will receive their orders faster. In some cases, suppliers will also ship your products directly to your customers using special shipping methods like 4PX or YunExpress.
But faster shipping is not the only benefit of these VIP listings. VIP listings also allow you to buy AliExpress products at lower prices. Also, it is important to know that if you have been working with an AliExpress dropshipping supplier for a long time, you can ask them to create a VIP page for you.
Here are 10 Places To Find Products for Dropshipping In 2021.
A few extra tips regarding AliExpress shipping times
Now that you know how to reduce the shipping time with AliExpress, it is time to put a few additional tips into practice.
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Let your customers know how long shipping takes
Transparency in the shipping process enhances the overall satisfaction of your customers. So, it is vital to show delivery prices without any hidden extra costs at checkout, give your customers order tracking information, and let them know when they will receive their package.
In short, give your customers clear information about the shipping time. You can do so by creating a Shipping Policy and adding shipping info to every product page at the bottom of the product description. This can help them estimate their wait time and decrease their anxiety level triggered by the uncertainty of the situation.
And sometimes, it is better to implement a strategy called “underpromise and overdeliver”. That way, you will do more than you originally said you would do, thus exceeding the expectations of your customers.
Let’s suppose your customer expects to receive their order within about 10 days and their package arrives a day earlier. If they end up waiting just 9 days rather than 10, they will feel happier as they expected to wait longer.
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Provide great customer service and keep your customers updated on the shipping process
If you have a clear Shipping Policy, your customers will be less likely to get nervous and ask you where their product is. However, it could still happen.
That’s why you need to provide great customer service for dropshipping and keep your customers updated on the shipping process. You can’t provide great customer service regarding shipping if there is no good communication.
Good communication is essential and customers do not like to wait. And remember that as you are running a dropshipping business, customer service will be your first line of contact with your customers.
So, make sure you always acknowledge your customers’ shipping concerns. And ensure you always reply politely and in a timely manner.
The bottom line
The power of customers in seller-customer relationships has significantly risen in recent years. So have customer expectations.
This is why it is crucial to take the shipping process seriously and do your best to improve it.
All in all, you can reduce AliExpress shipping times if you listen to our advice. Sure, feel free to do your own research and find more ways to accelerate your delivery times. We know you will do a great job.
