DHgate Spreadsheet: DHgate and AliExpress Side by Side, and When an Agent Beats Both

DHgate or AliExpress: how do they differ?

The two platforms look similar from the outside — Chinese sellers, English checkout, delivery to your door — but they differ in history and emphasis:

Sources: Wikipedia (DHgate, AliExpress); Trustpilot, September 2026; AliExpress Buyer Protection page; European Commission.

DHgate had its moment of fame in April 2025, when it jumped up the US App Store charts during the tariff dispute, as TechCrunch reported. The surge was driven by social-media claims about buying 'direct from factories'. The underlying model didn't change: individual sellers, each shipping their own parcel, with disputes handled by the platform.

Verdict: For a single generic item, AliExpress's clearer return terms give it the edge. DHgate suits small bulk buys from one seller.

Reading two low review scores

Both review scores are low, and both come from enormous samples. DHgate's complaints on Trustpilot centre on disputes closed despite photo evidence and slow refunds; AliExpress's on refunds, automated support and lost parcels, with 29% one-star reviews against 63% five-star. Neither score means most orders fail — millions arrive without comment — but both mean that when something goes wrong, you should expect to argue.

The practical defence is the same on both: pay only through the platform's checkout, never through a link a seller sends; screenshot the listing when you buy it; film the unboxing of anything expensive; and open a dispute inside the window rather than waiting for the seller to reply.

When does an agent beat both DHgate and AliExpress?

Searches for 'DHgate spreadsheet' are unusually large — much larger than for most agents — and the lists they lead to are mostly trainers, streetwear and designer-style bags. For that kind of item, both DHgate and AliExpress share a weakness: you don't see the actual item until it's at your door, and a return across the world is slow and often costly.

The agent route shifts your protection from after delivery to before shipping. For items where the details matter — the shape of a toe box, the stitching on a logo — that's usually the better trade. Several agents accepted DHgate links in the past; now most buyers simply buy DHgate items on DHgate and use agents for Weidian and Taobao.

Verdict: Generic item: AliExpress. Bulk from one seller: DHgate. Fit-sensitive or branded-style finds: an agent with QC photos.

If you buy on DHgate anyway

If you do buy on DHgate, a few habits help. Check the seller's rating and the number of orders on the specific listing, not just the store. Read the shipping method: some sellers use slow postal lines with long delivery windows. Message the seller before buying for a real photo of the item if the listing uses only promotional images. And note the date by which you must open a dispute, so it doesn't pass while you wait for tracking to update.

Import tax applies to DHgate parcels exactly as to AliExpress ones: since August 2025 US parcels can owe duty, and since July 2026 EU parcels under €150 owe €3 per item category plus VAT. Several DHgate sellers means several parcels and several charges. The duty calculator shows the difference one combined parcel makes.