I was extremely hesitant to use CJ Dropshipping initially as I had mainly used AliExpress up to that point and couldn’t really understand how another platform could compete with AliExpress when it came to dropshipping.
Although CJ is far from perfect, I came to realize it’s a better overall platform dropshipping and it mitigates many of the flaws of using AliExpress.
CJ Dropshipping is a team of agents who are connected directly to suppliers and manufacturers. This way, CJ’s team decides the products they deem suitable for their platform as opposed to AliExpress which has anything and everything.
If you need some more info on CJ, I suggest you read my article How does CJ Dropshipping work?
Check out CJ’s home page here or download the CJ Shopify app here.
CJ Dropshipping vs AliExpress?
CJ dropshipping and AliExpress are commonly compared because at first glance their platforms look similar but they are actually very different. It can be hard to say which is better as it may really depend on your business needs and what’s important to you.
CJ dropshipping is better for beginners as it is an all-in-one solution for dropshipping and is far more vetted in terms of product quality and supplier reliability. AliExpress is a huge marketplace for vendors to sell their products which makes it better for product research.
Below is a table to help you decide which aspects of each platform are important for you.
| Features | CJ Dropshipping | AliExpress | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product Range | 400,000 | 2.5 billion | AliExpress wins easily, however, CJ has sourcing requests for products they don’t stock. |
| Product Price | CJ works directly with manufacturers. | AliExpress prices often pass through many suppliers before being listed to consumers. | Although prices differ, overall CJ prices are lower. |
| Shipping | CJ has their own shipping lines, CJPacket. | AliExpress’ best shipping methods are ePacket and AliExpress Standard Shipping. | If you want the cheapest shipping, AliExpress wins, although shipping times can be long. If you want fast shipping, CJ shipping is better value. |
| Payment Methods | CJ offers 9 of the most popular payment methods. | Each vendor on AliExpress will have different payment methods. | CJ wins this as you may not be able to work with some AliExpress suppliers who don’t offer payment methods you want. |
| Worldwide Warehouses | CJ has 30 warehouses worldwide. | AliExpress has several warehouses worldwide. | CJ win as you can have products shipped from China to any of their warehouses for free. With AliExpress you can only dropship what they stock in each warehouse. |
| Reliability | CJ personally chooses the suppliers and products for their platform. | AliExpress accepts any suppliers and products to be listed on their platform. | It’s far more likely you’ll be able to find reliable suppliers to work with on CJ. |
| Features | CJ’s best features are Print on Demand, custom branding, private inventory and auto fulfillment. | AliExpress’ best features are the Dropship Center, bulk orders and US warehouse shipping. | CJ wins this easily as they have heaps of helpful features that really can help your business succeed. |
When you look at which is better for dropshipping, it’s going to be different for everyone. There are pros and cons to both platforms but personally, I find it hard to make an argument for AliExpress unless the massive product range is the number one factor for you.
CJ has over 400,000 products on its marketplace but this pales in comparison to AliExpress which has over 2.5 billion products. The advantage CJ has is you have the option to post a sourcing request if CJ does not stock the product in one of its warehouses.
Which has Cheaper Products, CJ Dropshipping or AliExpress?
Most of the information online I read on websites and forums claims CJ prices are always lower than AliExpress. From my experience, I have found the prices are sometimes a little lower on CJ, however, I have also found the prices to be slightly higher than AliExpress occasionally.
Often the prices on AliExpress are listed as cheaper than CJ Dropshipping but this can be misleading. CJ will have the total dropshipping price including shipping listed on the price, whereas many AliExpress suppliers will have the shipping cost hidden low on the product page.
You also want to make sure you take shipping times into consideration when comparing prices. If AliExpress’ price is $1 cheaper but will take an extra week to arrive to the customer, CJ may be the better option. Faster shipping times will result in more repeat business and less customer service.
For more info, I have an article on CJ’s shipping times and cost.
When dealing with CJ, they are the only middleman between you and the manufacturer. They are based in China and deal directly with manufacturers, build relationships and purchase inventory in bulk enabling lower prices for dropshippers.
With AliExpress, you’re often purchasing from a supplier who may just be someone working from home who has brought the goods from another supplier. It is hard to buy direct from manufacturers on AliExpress as it’s essentially a huge marketplace of vendors competing with one another.
For this reason, the prices are often more expensive on AliExpress but occasionally they can be cheaper. If they are cheaper on AliExpress, is it still worth it given the unreliability of the platform?
How to Switch from AliExpress to CJ Dropshipping?
Many dropshippers start off using AliExpress, encounter a ton of problems and eventually transition to using an alternative such as CJ Dropshipping. Overall this is probably a wise decision, however, the products you are currently selling on AliExpress may not be available on CJ.
After opening a new account with CJ Dropshipping, you can then download the CJ chrome extension. You can use go to the product page of the item you are selling and CJ will source the products for you from their suppliers.
It’s not always guaranteed that CJ can source the exact product you want to sell on AliExpress. This is something to be aware of before switching to CJ dropshipping.
Is CJ or AliExpress Better for Dropshipping?
CJ is a better option for dropshipping because it is designed specifically for dropshippers in mind. AliExpress on the other hand was built for consumers which is why it’s very problematic for dropshipping long-term.
With AliExpress you have;
- Slow shipping times
- A large percentage of the products are low quality
- Unreliable suppliers
- Very little choice in terms of branding options
- Limited features to increase the customer experience
- Scaling is a very risky choice
With dropshipping from CJ, these problems are either gone or reduced. In my opinion, it’s a no-brainer that CJ is a far better option for dropshipping.
Check out CJ’s home page here or download the CJ Shopify app here.
Differences Between AliExpress and CJ Dropshipping
This is the first and most obvious comparison and one I have mentioned above. The websites look so similar that many people think CJ is AliExpress with a different name.
AliExpress is essentially a marketplace for vendors to list and sell their products and is therefore not vetted for quality. Finding reliable suppliers and quality products can be hit and miss but there are ways to increase your chances of success.
CJ is without a doubt a safer bet in terms of avoiding being screwed over by suppliers. Although, if you want an endless amount of products to search for, then AliExpress is the better option.
Personally, I like to use AliExpress more for product research and less for dropshipping. The AliExpress Dropship Center is another great tool I use for finding trending products.
Is CJ Dropshipping Better than AliExpress for Products?
CJ currently has over 400,000 products listed on their marketplace for you to start dropshipping today. This number is constantly growing as CJ adds products on a daily basis.
When it comes to product selection, AliExpress is the clear winner and CJ is not even close behind them. The advantage CJ has is they personally pick all their products prior to accepting them on their platform. This means you’re far more likely to find quality products that people actually want to buy.
AliExpress has everything you can think of no matter if people want the product or not. It’s a waste of CJ’s time to add products to their marketplace if the product has no demand from consumers, making it far more likely you’ll find quality products to dropship.
For my overall opinion of the quality, I recommend you read my article on AliExpress Product Quality – What’s it Really Like?
Check out CJ’s top 100 selling products.
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