I've been buying from AliExpress for a few years (around 30 or so items bought), and not once I ran into a bad sale or a scam. The rules I use are:
-There should be good feedback from previous buyers of the item, the more the better.
-The store should have been around for a reasonably long time (years).
Unless I am buying something cheap I do avoid sellers without orders or feedback.
These rules should minimize your chances of getting scammed on AliExpress.
PS: AliExpress website sucks
Hi CrossStreet,
YOU may not knowingly have purchased from a bad vendor scamming you.
Example of what I am referring to:
Seller - advertises a Dahua OEM 4MP
starlight camera.
It is a legit Dahua OEM Chinese market camera... HOWEVER it is not a Dahua Starlight, buyer doen't really know they are conned as the product works - BUT it does not work as well as a legit starlight, and is using hacked firmware.
This happens A LOT, where the vendors are deceptive, dishonest, and fraudulent in their descriptions of the products they sell. THEY KNOW they are being deceptive - but do not care as they make sales, and as I mentioned - the product works to some functional standard.
You can think of this similar to someone selling you a "lexus with a 6 cylinder engine" - and replacing it with a "toyota with a 4 cylinder engine" ... not the same even though the same OEM.