AliExpress, a global retail platform owned by Alibaba Group, connects Chinese sellers directly with international buyers, appealing to new eCommerce entrepreneurs with its wide product range, low prices, and no upfront inventory costs. However, as the market matures and customer expectations rise by 2025, questions about its legitimacy and reliability for business arise. While AliExpress is a legitimate platform, individual sellers vary in shipping policies, customer service, and product quality, leading to common issues like inconsistent quality, slow shipping, unclear return processes, and white - label complications. Its low prices are due to lower labor and manufacturing costs in China, high seller competition, economies of scale, and simplified logistics models, but hidden costs such as longer delivery times, inconsistent branding, and customer dissatisfaction may offset savings. Modern dropshippers in 2025 face higher customer expectations for fast shipping, reliable communication, branded packaging, and smooth return policies, and relying too much on AliExpress can limit business growth. A real - world example shows the problems store owners may encounter when over - relying on AliExpress. The hidden costs of AliExpress fulfillment include product cost, shipping fee, branding fee, refund risk, and communication cost, which is why many switch to third - party logistics (3PL) providers. Alternatives to AliExpress for growing brands include Alibaba (direct), CJ Dropshipping, 1688, DHgate, Banggood, and using a private agent + 3PL. AliExpress is still useful for beginners, but for long - term brand building in 2025, modern 3PLs that offer a better fulfillment experience are more suitable.