AliExpress - Price Increases at Least 5 TIMES When Adding to Card

CascadeHush on 10/03/2025 - 14:54
Last edited 11/03/2025 - 09:07 by 1 other user

How am I supposed to make an educated decision of what to buy when the price increases by multiple times when adding to cart.

At the moment I'm just adding everything to cart and then when the price goes from sub $2 to $8 plus, take it out again…. it's getting pretty tedious to do. I have shopped at AliExpress before, not for a couple of years, and I don't remember it being this bad. I remember the price could change a couple of percent here and there, but I'm talking about stuff that is so much more expensive it's not even worth it anymore (compared to stuff I could by locally on sale).

Is this just what people put up with? Are there some secret techniques to avoid all this mess? Or do people have nothing better to do with their time?

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Comments

  • freefall101 on 10/03/2025 - 15:12
    +4

    Are you logged in? And are you adding things that are a discount for new users or something? Are you using app, mobile or desktop?

    I've never had that problem in my life.

    • Wiadro on 10/03/2025 - 15:18
      -1

      I've never had that problem in my life.

      SAME

      • foursaken on 12/03/2025 - 16:15

        What problems have you had?

    • CascadeHush on 10/03/2025 - 15:19

      I am logged in. Using Firefox on WIndows. I haven't ordered for awhile. A lot of things are saying 'welcome discount' but I don't see any way to turn that off. Prices are being displayed in AUD.

      It seems like there are 3 prices for an item. The 'regular price' displayed on the item crossed out, the 'discounted price' shown highlighted, and the actual price when in card, which is usually higher than the 'regular price'.

      • freefall101 on 10/03/2025 - 15:29

        Do you have an example of an item? Tried a different browser? Could even be some kind of adblocker causing issues.

      • LFO on 11/03/2025 - 20:26

        A lot of things are saying 'welcome discount'

        From my experience means you are not logged in or is ignoring your "seniority".
        In my experience usually "welcome deals" become double in price.

        Postage is ok? When buying +$15 (selected items) postage/delivery is free.

        Also "GST tax" at the very end changes everything again …

    • Dr Phil on 11/03/2025 - 09:29
      +1

      Correct

      AliExpress advertises lower prices for new users.
      This happens when you are not signed in OR in thier advertisements appearing randomly OR other web pages OR in thier emails.

      Once you Sign in you get the regular price.

      But my biggest problem with AliExpress is the excessive GST they add and no way to complain about it.
      Regular priced items get charged 10% GST but those bundle deals and specials get whacked with much higher GST
      It appears that AliExpress is charging GST on the regular list price of the item and not the special price

      One item that was a super low special for a new user got whacked with 76% GST.

      Ive tried complaining to AliExpress about the tax overcharge but they keep coming back saying that a 10% GST applies.
      Id say they dont speak english and just sending back standard replies based on key words like 'tax"

      A few examples from many

      Smart watch special price $22 - 10% GST = $2.20. But charged $2.89 (13.1%) in GST
      Smart watch regular price was $28.99 so Ali have charged GST ($2.89) on the regular price, not the sale price
      Car scanner special price $6.89 - 10% GST = 69c But got charged $1.30 (19%) in GST
      Sprinklers special price $4.98 - 10% GST = 50c But got charged $1.02 (20%) in GST
      Sprinkler regular price was $10.10 so Ali have again charged GST (1.02) on the regular price, not the sale
      Cash wash brush special price $1.62 - 10% GST = 16c. But got charged $1.24 (76%) in GST
      2 x HID globes for car special price $5.94 - GST = 59c. But got charged $1.35 (22.7%) in GST

      • LFO on 11/03/2025 - 20:28

        Vaguely recall they charge GST on postage too. So it is 10% of final price.
        Maybe?

  • MS Paint on 10/03/2025 - 15:19
    -5

    Sounds like the problem exists between the seat and the keyboard.

    • CascadeHush on 10/03/2025 - 15:20
      +1

      I've ordered hundreds of things online from many, many websites. How is it something I am doing. I click on a item that says it is $1.50 and it appears in the cart as $12.97. How is that something I am doing because I'd be really curious to know?

      • MS Paint on 10/03/2025 - 15:23
        +6

        Are you selecting the specific item before adding to card cart. Often listings have a cheap item as the default item but once you select your specific item in the selection the price changes.

        Edit:

        Nevermind, it's pretty clear I"m not going to get a sensible answer. Mods please delete.

        Nevermind, I worked out what I was doing wrong. I feel like a peanut. Mods please delete.

        FTFY

      • Dr Phil on 11/03/2025 - 10:18

        You are not SIGNED IN!

        The "advertised" price you see is the "new user welcome deal"

        Sign in first before shopping on AliExpress

    • LFO on 11/03/2025 - 20:33

      Sounds like the problem exists between the seat and the keyboard.

      How could a humble desk do that? ? ?

      :-|

  • Porker on 10/03/2025 - 16:40
    +4

    Same thing happens to me.

    I believe I'm quite diligent with this kind of detail and I'll notice a price creep at various stages through the process.

    Eg. Interested at something at $11 and then after a few clicks here and there, the price will be $14 from the same seller for the same item. I'll search and/or try replicate the clicks to get the first price. Sometimes i do and sometimes I can't.

    • reactor-au on 11/03/2025 - 09:26

      The same listing can have different discounts under regular search, super deals, big save, coin discount finder, bundle deals, buy now deals (this last one is most annoying because they discount disappears if you try add anything else for free shipping).

      Also the same seller can have duplicates of a listing with different prices and discounts to make it even more confusing.

      In some cases I've had a price go up or down by leaving it in cart then coming back later, so don't wait too long.

    • Dr Phil on 11/03/2025 - 10:20

      Yes, sometimes the price does shift up and you cannot get it back.

  • JimmyF on 10/03/2025 - 16:52
    +6

    Its not you, its them.

    Don't ever trust a search results item price shown.

    Don't ever trust a price shown when not logged in

    Don't forget to check the 'free' shipping min limit is met.

    Don't forget prices are ex ALI GST (can be over 10% if they are in the mood).

    Only trust the check out page price.

    • Dr Phil on 11/03/2025 - 10:23

      In relation to GST its always OVER 10% ON ALL SPECIAL PRICES.
      Thats because AliExpress appear to be charging GST on the item list/regular price, rather than the actual price charged, from what I have gathered.
      And I've got no idea how to address the issue
      Complaining to Ali always gets the same answer - that 10% GST applies to all sales for Australia

    • Dr Phil on 11/03/2025 - 10:25

      In relation to prices, AliExpress always advertises Special prices fior new users
      So yes, these are not correct for existing customers.
      You must log in to the the regular user price.
      Its very frustating indeed!

      And sometimes you cannot even find that item that was advertised at a super cheap price.
      Oh The pain with Aliexpress

    • Dr Phil on 11/03/2025 - 10:28
      +1

      You forgot to mention how many times items go missing in transit when not part of their FRE SHIPPING - FAST DELIVERY offer.
      I had 2 separate orders placed on different days go missing last month.
      I eventually got a refund for both but not without several complaints

    • MS Paint on 10/03/2025 - 17:12
      -1

      GST miscalculation is a known error.

  • SBOB on 10/03/2025 - 18:17
    +5

    Nevermind, it's pretty clear I"m not going to get a sensible answer. Mods please delete.

    Or perhaps, as part of adding knowledge to the online ozb community, you could post what your issue was and what the eventual solution was for the next person that might suffer the same pebkac issue.

  • Clear on 10/03/2025 - 19:46

    If you haven't ordered in a long period of time, AliExpress will deem you to be a new customer returning and offer the Welcome Deal that all new users receive. Due to the horrible GST bug you'll find that a lot of 99c offers or similar will get a massive increase due to tax. For new users shipping is free and it's possible that it's still being applied? For regular members Choice products require a minimum US$10 spend for free shipping.

    Ignore the crossed out price too. That's just an old school marketing "trick" and means nothing.

  • Empharand on 10/03/2025 - 19:52
    -1

    Something doesn't sound right here. Screenshots or it didn't happen

    [Original Post] Is this just what people put up with? Are there some secret techniques to avoid all this mess? Or do people have nothing better to do with their time?

    How pretentious of you!

    Mods please delete.

    NO

  • Roney on 11/03/2025 - 19:34

    Harvey is behind the scene, pushing the GST number to try save his business.

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