How Much Does It Cost to List on AliExpress?

How Much Does It Cost to Join AliExpress?

With the rapid development of cross-border e-commerce, more and more businesses and individuals are beginning to pay attention to how to enter the global market. As one of the world's leading e-commerce platforms under Alibaba Group, AliExpress has attracted countless merchants' attention. For merchants who want to join AliExpress, one of the most concerning issues is the joining fee. This article will provide a detailed interpretation from the basic process of joining AliExpress, the composition of fees, and related precautions, and combine the latest news trends to provide practical information for merchants who intend to join the AliExpress platform.

First, we need to understand the basic process of joining AliExpress. According to public data, the entry conditions of AliExpress are relatively relaxed. Ordinary sellers only need to meet the following requirements to apply for opening a store having a valid and legal business license; possessing certain financial strength and supply chain management capabilities; being familiar with the operation model of e-commerce and willing to comply with the platform rules. AliExpress also encourages individual industrial and commercial households to participate, which allows more small and medium-sized enterprises to enjoy the benefits brought by cross-border e-commerce.

Next, let us look at the specific cost issues. The charges of AliExpress mainly consist of three parts deposit, technical service fee, and annual technical service fee. Among them, the deposit is a deposit set up to ensure that merchants fulfill their contractual obligations, and the amount varies depending on the different operating categories, usually between 5,000 and 30,000 RMB. The technical service fee is a handling fee charged for each order, generally ranging from 5% to 8%, depending on the category of the product and the sales region. As for the annual technical service fee, it is an additional fee charged to merchants whose annual sales reach a certain standard. Currently, this fee has been canceled and replaced by a tiered commission system aimed at reducing the operating costs of small and medium-sized merchants.

It is worth noting that, in addition to the official fees mentioned above, merchants also need to consider other hidden expenses such as logistics and warehousing fees, advertising promotion fees, and potential tax issues. These factors will directly affect the overall operating costs. Before making the decision to join, merchants should make adequate budget planning to avoid operational difficulties caused by a broken capital chain.

In recent years, with the acceleration of economic globalization, various countries have introduced supportive policies for the development of cross-border e-commerce. For example, the General Administration of Customs of China recently issued a series of measures to optimize the facilitation of cross-border trade, including simplifying customs clearance procedures and shortening customs clearance time. These favorable messages undoubtedly bring new development opportunities to cross-border e-commerce platforms like AliExpress. At the same time, we see many international brands actively entering the Chinese market, reaching a wider consumer base through platforms like AliExpress. Statistics show that by the first half of 2025, AliExpress has cumulatively served over 200 million active buyers, covering more than 200 countries and regions worldwide, becoming a bridge connecting domestic and foreign markets.

However, opportunities come with challenges. Facing increasingly fierce market competition, AliExpress is constantly adjusting its own strategies to maintain its leading position. On one hand, the platform continues to optimize user experience, launching more convenient and efficient shopping processes; on the other hand, it strengthens intellectual property protection efforts, cracking down on infringement behaviors, and maintaining fair competition order. Meanwhile, AliExpress also increases its efforts to promote the application of new technologies, such as using big data analysis to predict market demand trends and help merchants formulate precise marketing plans.

In summary, the joining fee of AliExpress is not a single fixed number but a result determined by multiple factors. For merchants who intend to join, besides focusing on direct economic costs, they should also attach importance to long-term brand building and customer relationship maintenance. Only in this way can they stand firm in the complex international market and achieve sustainable development. In the future, with the progress of technology and changes in social needs, AliExpress will continue to play an important role, helping more Chinese companies go global.