How to add items to your cart on AliExpress

Our guide provides simple steps to help you add items to your cart on AliExpress.

Shopping on AliExpress can be exciting, but with so many products to choose from, managing your purchases effectively is key to finding the best deals. In this article, we’ll guide you through everything you need to know about adding items to your cart on AliExpress, whether you’re browsing on your computer or using the mobile app. We’ll share tips on tracking price changes, organizing multiple items from different sellers, and maximizing savings with coupons. At ZiranZi, we’re dedicated to helping you get the most out of your shopping experience, so read on to become a savvy AliExpress shopper!

Using the Shopping Cart on AliExpress Website

Browsing and Finding Items

Searching for Products
When shopping on AliExpress via your desktop, the first step is to find the products you’re interested in. AliExpress offers a powerful search bar at the top of the page where you can type in keywords or phrases describing the item you’re looking for. Whether you’re searching for a specific brand, product type, or even browsing general categories like electronics or clothing, the search bar is your go-to tool. You can also use AliExpress’s pre-set categories for a more organized browsing experience. For example, if you’re in the market for home décor, simply navigate to the appropriate category and browse through the many options available.

Filtering for Better Results
Once you’ve searched for an item, AliExpress provides an extensive set of filters that allow you to narrow down your results. You can filter by price range, seller rating, customer reviews, shipping options, and even whether the item qualifies for free shipping. This is particularly helpful for narrowing down the overwhelming number of choices to find exactly what you’re looking for.

• Pro Tip: Use the “Sort by Orders” filter to see which products are the most popular, giving you an idea of which items are tried and tested by other buyers. Additionally, use filters like “Free Shipping” or “4 Stars & Up” to find well-reviewed products with zero shipping costs.

How To Add Products To Cart on AliExpress

Adding Items to Your Cart

Selecting Product Variations
Before adding an item to your cart, you’ll often need to select certain product variations, especially for items like clothing or electronics. This may involve choosing the size, color, model, or other specifications. Always double-check the options you’ve selected to avoid receiving the wrong product.

• Tip: Pay close attention to the product description and images. For electronics, specs like RAM or storage may vary, while for clothing, size charts can differ by region, so be sure to check the measurements.

Step-by-Step Process of Adding to Cart
After selecting the appropriate product variations, adding the item to your cart is easy. Simply click on the orange “Add to Cart” button located next to the product description. A pop-up will appear confirming that the item has been successfully added. You can either continue shopping or proceed to your cart to review your items.

Managing Your Cart

Reviewing and Editing Cart Items
Once you’ve added your items, click on the shopping cart icon at the top of the page to review everything. Inside your cart, you can view all the products you’ve selected, see the total cost, and make adjustments. You have the option to change quantities, remove items, or even edit the product variations (like color or size) if needed.

• Pro Tip: If you’re unsure about purchasing an item immediately, use the “Saved Items” feature. This moves the product out of your active cart but keeps it in a list for future consideration, making it easy to revisit later.

Organizing Items from Multiple Sellers
One of the unique features of AliExpress is the ability to add items from different sellers into a single cart. This is convenient for buyers who want to combine multiple products into one checkout session. However, remember that each seller may have different shipping options and times, so review these carefully before finalizing your purchase. AliExpress will automatically separate orders if different shipping methods are required, but it keeps the checkout process streamlined.

Tracking Prices and Discounts in the Cart
A handy feature of keeping items in your cart is that you can monitor any price fluctuations over time. AliExpress often has flash sales and promotions, and if an item in your cart goes on sale, you’ll be able to see the discount reflected immediately.

• Pro Tip: Keep an eye on upcoming sales events like the 11.11 Global Shopping Festival or Black Friday. During these periods, prices often drop, and you can save even more by leaving items in your cart and purchasing them when discounts hit.

The AliExpress Mobile App: Cart Features and Tips

Navigating the Mobile App for Cart Management

Finding and Adding Items on Mobile
Using the AliExpress mobile app offers a streamlined experience for browsing and shopping on the go. Once you open the app, the homepage will greet you with trending products, deals, and recommendations based on your past searches. At the top of the screen, the search bar functions much like it does on the desktop site, allowing you to enter keywords or product names. You can also browse categories by tapping the “Categories” tab to explore specific types of products like electronics, fashion, or beauty.

As you browse through products, the app’s interface allows for easy scrolling, and tapping on any item brings up the product page where you can select options and variations, just like on the website. To add an item to your cart, tap the orange “Add to Cart” button, and a notification will appear at the bottom of the screen confirming that the item has been added.

• Note: While the overall functionality is similar to the desktop site, the mobile app is optimized for touch gestures. Swiping between product images, scrolling through reviews, and tapping icons makes the app more fluid and intuitive for mobile users. The layout is also compact, with a more condensed menu to fit smaller screens.

Benefits of Cart Synchronization

Cross-Device Synchronization
One of the major benefits of the AliExpress mobile app is how seamlessly it integrates with your desktop shopping experience. When you’re logged into your AliExpress account, all items you add to your cart on the mobile app will automatically appear in your cart on the desktop site, and vice versa. This synchronization allows you to start your shopping on one device and complete it on another without losing your progress.

For instance, you can browse products on your phone while commuting, add them to your cart, and then complete the purchase later on your computer where you might prefer a larger screen for final review.

• Pro Tip: Use this feature to your advantage by adding items to your cart during quick browsing sessions on your mobile and then switching to your desktop for a more detailed review and checkout. This also allows you to monitor flash sales on the go, ensuring you never miss a deal.

Managing Cart in the App

Editing and Reviewing on the Go
The AliExpress mobile app makes it easy to manage your cart wherever you are. By tapping on the cart icon at the bottom of the screen, you can access your current cart. From there, you’ll see a list of all the items you’ve added, complete with options to review quantities, adjust product variations (like size or color), and remove items you no longer want.

You can also increase or decrease the number of units for any item by using the “+” and “-” buttons next to the product. If you’re not ready to purchase certain items but want to save them for later, simply move them to your “Saved Items” list with one tap. This helps keep your cart organized and focused only on the products you’re ready to buy.

How to Add Items to Cart on AliExpress 2023?

Push Notifications for Price Drops
A valuable feature of the AliExpress mobile app is the ability to receive push notifications. Once you have items in your cart, the app can send alerts if the prices drop or if there are discounts available. This ensures you never miss an opportunity to save, as the app will notify you when items go on sale or when a flash deal begins. These notifications can be particularly useful during major shopping events like 11.11 or Black Friday, where prices can fluctuate rapidly.

• Pro Tip: Enable notifications for the app so you can stay informed about changes in your cart, ensuring you always get the best price before you check out.

Strategic Tips for Using Your Cart

Maximizing Savings

Monitoring Flash Sales and Coupons
One of the best ways to save money on AliExpress is by taking advantage of flash sales and coupons while items are sitting in your cart. AliExpress frequently hosts flash sales where products are heavily discounted for a short period, especially during major sales events like 11.11, Black Friday, or seasonal sales. When you have items in your cart, keep an eye on these events by checking back often or enabling notifications through the app to catch when prices drop.

Additionally, AliExpress offers various types of coupons, including store-specific coupons, AliExpress-wide coupons, and platform-wide promotions. Store coupons are often given out by individual sellers and can be used to reduce the price of specific items in your cart. AliExpress-wide coupons, on the other hand, apply to a broad range of products and can be found through promotions or earned through loyalty programs. During major sales events, you may also find limited-time coupons that can be stacked for even greater savings.

• Pro Tip: Before checking out, make sure to review the “Coupons” section in your account or in the product listing to see if any additional discounts are available. Apply all relevant coupons at checkout to maximize your savings across the board.

Managing Shipping Methods and Costs

Choosing the Best Shipping Options for Each Item
When adding multiple items to your cart, especially from different sellers, it’s essential to review shipping methods and associated costs. AliExpress sellers often provide several shipping options that vary in price and delivery time. You can choose between standard shipping, AliExpress shipping, or premium options like DHL and FedEx for faster delivery. However, keep in mind that international shipping times can be long, so selecting the right shipping method depends on your priorities: speed versus cost.

As you review your cart, AliExpress will allow you to compare shipping costs for each item. If you are purchasing from multiple sellers, these costs will be calculated separately, so be mindful of how this impacts your total order cost.

• Pro Tip: For items that aren’t urgent, opt for standard or AliExpress shipping to save on costs. For high-value or time-sensitive products, you might want to pay extra for faster shipping options.

Free Shipping Hacks
One of the easiest ways to save on AliExpress is to find items that offer free shipping. You can filter search results by “Free Shipping” to ensure that only products with zero shipping costs appear. Many sellers provide free shipping, especially for smaller, lighter items, though delivery times may be longer. It’s also helpful to browse sellers’ promotions, as some stores offer free shipping on specific days or during sales events.

When free shipping is available, double-check whether it applies to your specific location, as some sellers offer free shipping only within certain regions.

Combining Orders for Efficient Checkout

Why Grouping Items Can Be Useful
AliExpress makes it easy to add items from multiple sellers into a single cart. However, grouping items and buying from the same seller offers several benefits. When you combine items from a single seller, you can often save on shipping costs because the seller can package the items together. Additionally, many sellers offer special discounts for bulk orders or combined purchases. This can help you save money on both the product price and the overall shipping cost.

When reviewing your cart, AliExpress will display how your items will be divided into different shipments based on the sellers you’ve chosen. Try to group items from the same seller where possible to minimize the number of separate packages and maximize your savings.

• Pro Tip: Look for sellers that offer “Combined Orders” or special discounts for purchasing multiple items from their store. These deals are often highlighted on the product page or during checkout.

Potential Issues and How to Avoid Them

Stock Availability

Risk of Items Selling Out
One of the potential issues when adding items to your cart on AliExpress is the risk of items selling out if left in the cart for too long. This is especially true during high-traffic sales periods such as the 11.11 Global Shopping Festival, Black Friday, or other flash sales. With millions of buyers shopping simultaneously, popular items often go out of stock quickly. While adding items to your cart does not reserve them, it helps you keep track of them, but the stock levels can change at any time.

This means that by the time you return to your cart, the product you wanted might no longer be available. High-demand items, such as limited-edition products, new releases, or heavily discounted goods, are especially vulnerable to selling out quickly.

• Pro Tip: To avoid missing out on hot items, check stock availability often, especially leading up to major sales events. If you’re eyeing a product that’s in high demand, act quickly and consider completing your purchase as soon as possible rather than waiting. Some sellers also display the number of units remaining, so pay attention to this indicator.

Price Changes

Understanding Dynamic Pricing
Another issue AliExpress shoppers may encounter is dynamic pricing. The prices of products can fluctuate frequently due to various factors such as promotions, seller strategies, and sales events. For instance, a product that you add to your cart today might be priced differently tomorrow. Sellers on AliExpress can adjust their prices at any time, which means that while you may add an item to your cart at one price, the cost could increase (or decrease) before you make the purchase.

These price fluctuations are more common during peak shopping periods when demand is high and sellers are adjusting prices in response to competition. Prices might also drop after sales events or increase when stock levels become low.

• Pro Tip: Keep an eye on items in your cart regularly, especially if you’re not ready to buy right away. If you notice a price drop, act quickly to lock in the lower price. During sales events, monitor flash sales and coupon availability to get the best possible deal. You can also use price-tracking tools or extensions to alert you when a product’s price changes.

Managing Different Sellers

Why Your Cart Splits into Multiple Orders
On AliExpress, buyers can add items from multiple sellers into a single cart. However, one issue that may arise from this multi-seller marketplace structure is that your cart can split into separate orders at checkout. Each seller on AliExpress operates independently, which means that products are shipped separately depending on the seller’s location, inventory, and shipping preferences.

This splitting of orders happens automatically during checkout based on which seller is fulfilling each product. As a result, you might end up with multiple orders even though you checked out all at once. Each order will have its own shipping costs, delivery times, and tracking numbers. This can lead to staggered deliveries and additional shipping fees if you’re not mindful of which sellers you’re buying from.

• Pro Tip: When possible, try to consolidate your purchases by buying multiple items from the same seller. Many sellers offer promotions for buying more from their store, and doing so can reduce the number of split orders. You can check each seller’s profile and explore their full range of products to see if they offer everything you need. Additionally, always review shipping costs for each seller in your cart before completing your purchase to ensure you’re not surprised by high shipping fees from multiple sources.

Sources

To ensure that the information in this article is accurate and up-to-date, we’ve referred to the following helpful resources:

• Reddit: No Add to Cart Button, Only Buy Now Discussion – A community discussion where users share experiences and troubleshoot issues related to the missing “Add to Cart” button on AliExpress.
• AliExpress Cart Usage Rules – Official rules and guidelines from AliExpress detailing how to use the “Add to Cart” feature effectively and information on special promotions.
• AliExpress Help Center: Buyer Help – AliExpress’s official help center providing answers to common buyer queries, including cart management, ordering, and payment processes.