The Risk Of Buying Items From Alibaba

In recent years, buying goods online has become the norm for most consumers. People are now looking for fun ways to shop on e-commerce giant Amazon, and sifting through the sites of their favorite brick-and-mortar stores for deals on the things they love (ideally using some of the best browser extensions to save money while doing so). While these platforms and others have relatively solid track records with buyers, there are plenty out there on less stable footing. Take, for instance, Alibaba.com, which has risen through the ranks to become a well-known and affordable online marketplace with a range of sellers and products. Despite its recognition, though, there are risks to consider when buying from it.

First and foremost are the general issues that most Alibaba shoppers in the United States will encounter when buying from the site. Seeing as most products arrive from overseas, not only can it take a considerable amount of time to receive your order, but with longer shipping times, buyers can encounter trouble along the way, from delays to packages getting lost in the mail. There's also the matter of ensuring that the buyer you're purchasing from is reliable –  otherwise, a whole litany of issues can arise resulting in the start of tedious return and refund processes.

As for those seeking tech and automotive products on Alibaba, you'll want to be even more mindful of what you're getting into.

One of the most frustrating things about modern technology is that it isn't cheap. This can make it difficult for those interested in computers, gaming consoles, and more to pursue their hobbies. At the same time, for the most part, you end up getting what you pay for when it comes to such products. Generally speaking, if you pay up for new tech and accessories, you'll receive a solid, worthwhile product. That means that if you opt for a cheaper alternative, like many of those on Alibaba, for example, the quality is likely to equate to the price you paid.

Though Alibaba boasts a wide variety of tech products, not all are of high quality, which can pose some major issues beyond wasting your money on cheap goods. Poorly-made batteries can fail to hold a charge, overheat while charging, cause fires, or even explode over time, and certain products require the use of fake apps — one of the most common ways malware is spread — to operate. Not to mention, it's not uncommon for the storage on SD cards and USB drives to be falsely advertised as much higher than they actually are. Supposedly brand new phones, even iPhones, look drastically different, operate far less efficiently, and are overall worse manufactured than their legitimate counterparts. The list goes on.

Automotive parts and accessories can be just as expensive as gadgets, especially if you frequently find yourself working under the hood. To save money on parts, buying from a site like Alibaba could seem like a great idea at first. After all, its sellers have everything from internal components big and small to cosmetic pieces, so odds are you're bound to find what you're looking for. At the same time, much like its tech offerings, Alibaba's auto parts aren't relatively cheap for no reason. In many cases, the quality simply isn't there.

From poorly-made oil filters to wheel bolts made from low-grade metals, it's quite a gamble to purchase car parts from Alibaba. Using such parts can lead to a loss of performance in your vehicle or even an unexpected accident. All it takes is the loosening of one nut or bolt for disaster to strike. Worse yet, many Alibaba sellers claim to be selling entire cars for well below their MSRP. Chances are the manufacturers severely cut corners on the product, making it unsafe to operate in some way, or the listing is entirely fraudulent, designed to scam naive buyers out of thousands of dollars.

With so many places to buy products of all kinds, Alibaba is among the riskier and lower-quality of the bunch. If you're into cars or tech and need more gear on a tight budget, it might be wise to steer clear of the online marketplace altogether.