Ever wondered how does “free international shipping” actually work? I mean, there’s a whole bunch of online stores, mostly from China, that offer cheap products with free international shipping. How is it even possible, to take on the shipping costs, and still be profitable?
Well, the simple answer is: it’s not REALLY free. As a matter of fact, the shipping costs are embodied in product’s price. That means, that the final price you see on the store already includes the shipping fee. And guess what? Sometimes, it is NOT cheaper than paying for the product and shipping separately.
Lets take this adorable shirt for example. In Aliexpress you can get it for 12.40$ (all prices are current as of this writing), and the shipping is free, of course!
But wait – the same shirt is also available in Dresslink, in which the shipping is not always free. The shirt’s price is 5.77$, and the shipping fee (to the US, via China post with tracking number), is 4.18$. So, the total price would be 9.95$ – cheaper than Aliexpress. If you are willing send your good without tracking number it would be even cheaper – 8.67$.
This is, of course, only one random example, that should not be taken as a recommendation for a particular website. It is, however, something that you should keep in mind while shopping online, that can help you save a few bucks.
