With over 100 million products across almost every category, AliExpress is one of the biggest online shopping platforms, connecting buyers to sellers primarily from China and other parts of Asia. The huge selection can be overwhelming when trying to find the best deals. Use this guide on timing your purchases and sales cycles to maximize savings on AliExpress.
The Biggest AliExpress Sale of the Year: Anniversary Sale in March
The biggest sale event of the year on AliExpress is their Anniversary Sale held every March, around the date that AliExpress first launched. Discounts during the week-long Anniversary Sale can reach up to 70% off even highly popular branded items. Some top sellers also provide special coupon codes offering an additional 5-10% off orders during this promotional period.
To take full advantage of the savings, make sure to sign up for email alerts and newsletters from your favorite stores on AliExpress so you'll be notified as soon as the Anniversary Sale kicks off. Mark your calendar for March – check the AliExpress website towards the end of February to see the exact date for that year. Sale prices apply sitewide, so it's the perfect time to stock up on both everyday essentials and big-ticket items.
AliExpress June 18th Founding Date Sale
June 18th is another major sales event for AliExpress as they celebrate the founding date of their parent company, Alibaba. You'll find site-wide markdowns and flash deals on this day, very similar to the March Anniversary Sale. Discounts focus on previous season inventory, so you can score great prices on clothing, accessories, electronics, home goods, toys, and more.
Many sellers also have coupons to stack on top of the sale prices for extra savings. Follow your favorite stores in the weeks leading up to the June 18th sale event so you don't miss out on any preview or early bird promotions.
AliExpress Summer Sale in July
The savings continue into mid-July with the annual AliExpress Summer Sale. Like the Anniversary Sale and June 18th Founding Date Sale, you can expect up to 70% off select items along with free shipping coupons and other promotions. The Summer Sale focuses heavily on clothes, shoes, bags, accessories, and travel gear.
Be on the lookout for flash sales that slash prices on certain items by over 90% for a limited time. Signing up for sale alerts from the AliExpress app ensures you'll be one of the first shoppers to grab those lightning deals. Overall, the Summer Sale stretches for about two weeks in July and delivers great discounts to refresh your wardrobe and prepare for vacation season.
Back to School Savings in August-September
As we head into late August and early September, back to school sales start heating up across e-commerce sites, including AliExpress. From laptops and tablets to clothing and dorm room essentials, you'll find major discounts on supplies college or K-12 students need.
Retailers also use this time to promote deals on electronics and tech products as new models and releases come out in the fall. Watch for AliExpress coupons and bundles on items like smartphones, wireless earbuds, smartwatches, and gaming gear. Search for back to school guide pages on the site to discover curated deals.
Ramp Up to Black Friday and Cyber Monday
As November arrives, AliExpress launches pre-Black Friday and Black Friday sales to compete with these major shopping holidays in the US and Europe. You can score early bird pricing on fashion, toys, home goods, electronics and more during this ramp-up period. Of course, the massive discounts hit fever pitch during Black Friday week itself.
Retailers entice buyers with escalating coupons like $3 off $30, $10 off $100, and bigger denominations off larger order totals. It's the ideal time to buy big-ticket items like TVs, game consoles, furniture, and appliances, in addition to gifts for the holidays. AliExpress sellers also heavily promote bundles and free mystery gifts when you spend over a certain amount in the week leading up to Black Friday.
Cyber Monday caps off a week of intense deals online, with AliExpress joining in to offer their own take on Cyber Monday promotions. Look out for special perks like free expedited shipping to select countries or free gift bundles when you spend a certain amount. Electronics and gadgets tend to see the steepest discounts this day as merchants try to hit sales targets before year-end.
Year-End Holiday Sales
The savings on AliExpress continue in December with promotions centered around major shopping days in China like the 12.12 Sale on December 12th. Expect more sitewide markdowns and coupons during this event. AliExpress sellers also extend holiday promotional pricing on gifts, holiday decor, and more for Christmas and New Year's.
Think of December as not only the best time to buy gifts, but also to take advantage of end of year clearance sales. Categories like clothing, shoes, and accessories will be marked down the most as sellers try to clear old inventory before the new year. Look for both deep discounts and the very latest styles.
Ongoing Deals Year-Round
While the above guide highlights the peak sales times on AliExpress, you can find deals year-round by using a few helpful tactics:
- Check the AliExpress daily deals section for a curated selection of discounted products that refreshes regularly.
- Follow coupon and promo code sites that aggregate active codes for AliExpress. These can stack on top of existing sales.
- Sign up for email newsletters and enable sale alerts from your favorite stores so you'll be the first to know about any flash deals or surprise promotions.
- Download the AliExpress mobile app and enable notifications so you can snap up time-limited promotions.
- Check the AliExpress clearance section which always has marked down inventory year-round.
- Look out for free shipping coupons which sellers often distribute outside of the major sales.
With the above guide to AliExpress' sales calendar and deal hunting tactics, you can shop smart and maximize the savings from this e-commerce giant no matter when you buy. Happy bargain hunting!