Do you have any pointers for ordering there?
I really wish i just knew Chinese so I could communicate directly
I ended up buying some Australian camo pants with kevlar and knee pads (made in Pakistan)
Aliexpress is the retail arm of Alibaba. Alibaba is only for B2B bulk transactions.
In my experience, I've seen Aliexpress grow exponentially over the years and in terms of the shopping experience it's somewhere between eBay and Amazon. They have a feedback system like eBay but their buyer protection system is more like Amazon and definitely better than eBay. Payment is on the lines of Paypal called Alipay. Fairly secure.
In terms of language, it's 100% English. I'm told Chinese sellers have to take a TOEFL like test before they can register as a seller. It's obviously not very effective - some of the product descriptions are hilarious to read but almost all the sellers are very responsive and reply back in legible english promptly.
I've ordered countless items and have had very few duds. That's probably also due to the fact that I avoid straight brand ripoffs and electronic goods. Contrary to popular belief there are many European and US sellers on Aliexpress. Many of my items I have an option to choose between US & China as shipping locations.
One useful feature with many of Aliexpress sellers is that they typically depute a customer support person to be online during US & Europe business hours, so one can chat with them right on the product page and get instant help.
the trinity of Rakuten, Webike & Aliexpress is a low cost bikers paradise for aftermarket accessories, riding gear and a whole bunch of other tid bits.
I suspect your Made in Pakistan Aussie supplier is the same one who manufactures for Royal Enfield and a few other UK brands. If that's the case, quality should be very good. One Aussie brand which I can recommend is Rjays. They make excellent riding gear.
As you would've guessed by now, I prefer normal looking, retroish gear, hence I prefer Ugly Bros , RE & Komine type of brands over Alpinestars.
