China 3PL Dropshipping: How To Make AliExpress Shipping Faster

Typically, AliExpress provides several common shipping methods.
 

Estimated Shipping Time: 15-20 Days
AliExpress Standard Shipping serves as an affordable and relatively efficient shipping method for buyers around the globe. This service is often chosen for its balance between cost and delivery time, offering a middle ground for those who seek a reliable shipping method without the premium cost of expedited services. When a buyer selects AliExpress Standard Shipping, the order is handled through a network of couriers and postal services to optimize the delivery process, aiming to reduce shipping times compared to other standard options.

Estimated Shipping Time: 7-15 Days
AliExpress Premium Shipping is an expedited shipping service offered on the AliExpress platform, designed to provide faster delivery times compared to standard shipping options. This service is a go-to choice for buyers and dropshippers who are looking for a quicker way to receive their items, emphasizing speed without forgoing reliability.

Estimated Shipping Time: 1-2 Weeks
EMS, provided by China Post, offers a fast international shipping solution known as the guaranteed global courier service. Orders shipped via EMS reach major destinations worldwide within 1-2 weeks, complete with online tracking capabilities. This service strikes a balance between affordability and swift delivery, making it an attractive option for those in need of reliable and expedited shipping.

Estimated Shipping Time: 7-30 Days
ePacket is a shipping option offered by merchants in China and Hong Kong, catering specifically to international online orders. It's designed to provide an affordable and faster delivery solution for small packages, making it highly popular among online retailers and consumers, especially for e-commerce platforms like AliExpress. With ePacket, buyers benefit from reduced shipping times compared to traditional international shipping options, with deliveries typically taking 7 to 30 days depending on the destination country.

As mentioned above, if you buy from AliExpress, you must wait a long time. However, here are some tips to make your AliExpress shipping faster:
 

Negotiating with suppliers before placing orders on AliExpress can significantly contribute to faster shipping for a few reasons. Direct communication allows buyers to verify stock availability and confirm the estimated processing time.
Suppliers can provide real-time updates about their inventory levels and how quickly they can dispatch an order once placed. This step is crucial in avoiding delays that occur when an item is out of stock or if there's a high demand causing slower dispatch times. By having this information beforehand, buyers can make informed decisions and choose sellers who can ship their orders promptly.

Measuring the shipping speed before placing orders on AliExpress is also a strategic step towards ensuring faster delivery of your items. This involves analyzing the estimated delivery times provided by different sellers for the same or similar items and selecting those with the shortest shipping times. This pre-purchase evaluation allows buyers to identify sellers who have a track record of fast shipping. Since shipping times can vary significantly based on the seller's location, their chosen courier service, and the efficiency of their processing times, taking the time to compare these factors can lead to a more informed decision, ultimately reducing the wait time for your order.

Opting for premium shipping options, despite the additional cost of $1-5 per order, is a strategic investment for businesses aiming to uphold their promises of quick delivery to their customers. This commitment to faster transit times is not just about meeting a logistical requirement; it's crucial to safeguarding sales and elevating the overall brand experience. In today's fast-paced e-commerce landscape, customers have come to expect swift delivery times. By ensuring products arrive quickly, businesses can significantly reduce the likelihood of cancellations, returns, and customer complaints, directly contributing to maintaining a positive brand reputation and customer loyalty.

Cooperating with reliable suppliers on AliExpress is essential for accelerating shipping times, a critical factor for success in e-commerce and dropshipping as well. Reliable suppliers have established processes and a proven track record of fulfilling orders promptly and accurately. They understand the importance of quick dispatch times and have the logistics in place to ensure that orders are processed and shipped without unnecessary delays. This efficiency is partly due to their experience and scale, which often allows them to negotiate better shipping terms and faster routes through their shipping partners. By selecting suppliers known for their reliability, businesses can reduce the lead time from order placement to dispatch, significantly speeding up the overall delivery process.

Outsourcing fulfillment to a China-based Third-Party Logistics (3PL) provider offers a strategic advantage for businesses utilizing AliExpress, particularly in achieving faster shipping times. One of the primary benefits is the proximity to the source of most goods sold on the platform. Since many AliExpress suppliers are located in China, having a 3PL in the same country can streamline the logistics process, from procurement to packaging to shipping. This minimizes the transit time within China before the products even begin their international journey. By reducing these initial steps' duration, overall shipping times to the end customer are shortened, making the process more efficient.