r/DealsAliexpress

We recently got a new teammate at work, been here like a week or so. Cool person overall, but she has this very strong opinion that anything from AliExpress = cheap knockoff / low quality stuff.

At some point she noticed my gear (I had a few small accessories I ordered from AliExpress), and she straight up asked if I “trust stuff like that.” I kinda laughed it off at first, but then she started going on about how she’d never buy anything online unless it’s from “real stores” because AliExpress is basically just random factories copying brands. I tried showing her that it’s not always like that, like you can actually get legit stuff depending on the seller, reviews, etc. But she was still not convinced at all. Then she saw one of my items and just said:

“Yeah… this is definitely one of those cheap mass-produced things.” At that point I just gave up arguing tbh.

Anyway, I’m curious has anyone else dealt with this kind of reaction when people hear you buy from AliExpress? Like they instantly assume it’s all fake or trash? Also kinda random but if anyone has good AliExpress discount codes which i found like REDDIT29P lately, feel free to drop them here..

Not trying to start drama, but I’ve been using AliExpress for years in the EU and it feels like something has quietly shifted. Prices used to feel like “China cheap → long shipping but worth it.” Now it’s more like “still from China, but EU fees + VAT + random handling costs + slower shipping anyway.”

And I get it, EU regulations are tighter now, especially with import VAT rules and platform responsibility. But from a buyer POV it kinda feels like the whole “direct-from-factory bargain” vibe is fading. At the same time, I see people saying:

“It’s still cheap, you’re just used to unrealistic pricing”

“Good, finally level playing field for EU sellers”

“Blame customs, not AliExpress”

“Temu did it better”

So I’m curious how others in the EU are feeling about this: Are you still seeing real value on AliExpress in 2026, or has it basically turned into just another Amazon like marketplace with extra steps? Also genuine question, if everything is getting taxed/regulated anyway, what’s even the point of ordering direct anymore vs just buying local or Amazon?