A three-question test before you choose a route
AliExpress is Alibaba Group's marketplace for buyers outside China: sellers list in English, prices are shown in your currency, and goods are delivered to your door. A shopping agent exists to solve a problem AliExpress does not have. So start with three questions.
- Is the exact product listed on AliExpress and shipped to your country? If yes, the direct route is open.
- Is it also on a Chinese domestic platform at a lower all-in cost? Only then does a KakoBuy row compete.
- Do you want warehouse photos, free storage or one parcel from several sellers? Those are the agent's real advantages.
If every answer is no, the order is a direct purchase. The wider checks on our KakoBuy spreadsheet hub still apply to any row you do take to the agent.
Default to AliExpress; use a KakoBuy row for what AliExpress cannot do.
Landed cost, side by side
Below is a hypothetical, labelled as such. Suppose a product is $20 on AliExpress with delivery included, and ¥100 (about $14 at ¥1 = $0.14) on a domestic platform. KakoBuy's estimator on 12 October 2026 quoted $9.84 for 500 g on its UK HG dedicated line, with no dimensions entered. The declaration cost is generally ¥8.
Goods: ¥100 × $0.14 = $14.00
Declaration: ¥8 × $0.14 = $1.12
UK line, 500 g: $9.84
KakoBuy total: 14.00 + 1.12 + 9.84 = $24.96, before the seller's domestic freight and payment fees
AliExpress hypothetical: $20.00
Here AliExpress is cheaper, even though the domestic price is lower. Shipping on a small parcel is the big line. A second item in the same KakoBuy parcel would change this, as only the goods cost would be added. See the line quotes on the UK page.
For a single small item, direct usually wins; multiple items shift it.
Where each route is stronger
| Need | AliExpress direct | KakoBuy row |
|---|---|---|
| Items only sold on domestic platforms | Not available | Yes, Taobao, Tmall, 1688, JD.com |
| Pre-shipping photos | Not published here | Yes; extras ¥2 each |
| Free storage before shipping | Not published here | 100 days |
| One parcel from many sellers | Depends on the seller | Yes |
| Handling fee | See checkout | None; declaration generally ¥8 |
| Returns | Platform's own process | 5 days after stocked, if seller allows |
The agent wins on access and consolidation, not on simplicity.
Customs follow the parcel, not the platform
For a US address, duty applies at the tariff rate in force, because the $800 duty-free threshold ended for China-origin goods on 2 May 2025. In Germany and Spain, import VAT applies from the first euro (19% and 21%), and the EU's temporary flat €3 duty per tariff category started on 1 July 2026. KakoBuy says it charges €3 per parcel on its EU lines and covers the rest. UK buyers see VAT collected at the point of sale up to £135, and Canada exempts only up to CAD 20.
The practical point: compare what you pay on delivery, not at the checkout. Our duty-free lines page explains KakoBuy's routes.
The same customs rules bind both routes; read each checkout for what is included.
Making a sheet that works for both
Add a column for "also on AliExpress? (link, delivered price, date)" next to every KakoBuy row. It takes one minute and shows whether the agent route is needed. Our row-check CSV is a starting point. If you prefer to skip an extra account, scan the QR on the contact page and we will help compare. For the other direct marketplace, read the DHgate guide.
Record both prices; the cheaper route changes with weight.
Questions buyers ask
Is AliExpress owned by the same group as Taobao?
Yes. Alibaba Group owns both. AliExpress is its export marketplace aimed at buyers outside China and delivers internationally, while Taobao and 1688 are domestic platforms. KakoBuy is a separate shopping agent that buys on the domestic ones. Shared ownership does not mean shared listings or prices, so the same product can appear on both with different totals.
Can KakoBuy buy an AliExpress item for me?
KakoBuy's help centre lists Taobao, Tmall, 1688 and JD.com as supported and offers a manual form for other links. We did not test AliExpress in that form. Since AliExpress already ships abroad, routing it through an agent adds a second set of fees and a warehouse stop with little to gain.
Which is faster, AliExpress or a KakoBuy row?
We have no sourced AliExpress delivery times, so we cannot rank them. A KakoBuy row has published stages: Taobao sellers dispatch in 3 to 7 days, the warehouse is reached in 1 to 7 working days, and shipping is on top. Ask AliExpress for the estimated delivery date on the order page and compare.
Does AliExpress avoid customs charges?
No. Import rules apply to any parcel from China, whichever platform sold it. The US ended its $800 duty-free threshold in 2025, EU parcels carry import VAT from the first euro plus a flat €3 duty per tariff category from 1 July 2026, and UK VAT up to £135 is collected at sale. Check what the checkout says is included.
What does an AliExpress spreadsheet usually contain?
Mostly product shortlists, with link, price, seller, rating and a photo, grouped by category. Some are order trackers with order number, dispatch date and tracking. A good one also records shipping cost and delivery estimate, because AliExpress prices can hide the difference between the item price and the delivered cost.
When is a KakoBuy row the better choice?
When the item is on Taobao, Weidian or 1688 and not on AliExpress, when you want warehouse photos before paying for shipping, or when you are combining several sellers into one parcel. KakoBuy gives 100 days of free storage and takes no handling fee, though you pay the declaration cost of generally ¥8.