A new law on VAT from third countries has been in force in the European Union since 1 July 2021. This means that all products from third countries (not just Aliexpress) are already subject to VAT. Fortunately, Aliexpress can react flexibly and you don’t have to worry about paying VAT. VAT is already included in the price of the goods and if you choose the right transport, you do not even have to fill in a customs declaration. The package will arrive directly to you. In the article AliExpress Saver Shipping vs. AliExpress Standard Shipping: Difference between shipping methods you have read about our recommendations for choosing the right transport. Today we will focus on another, very popular shipping method – Combined Delivery.
NEW: Filter Aliexpress Standard or Saver Shipping. Read more information in article 60. How to filter products with Aliexpress Standard or Saver shipping on Aliexpress.
What is a combined order?
A common question from users is whether to shop at different sellers individually or in one package via Combined Delivery. Packages used to be delivered separately to our postbox. The costs of individual packages are more expensive. This is also one of the reasons why Aliexpress has started to combine several packages into one shipment. In practice, this means that you can order 10 different items from Aliexpress from various sellers and you will receive everything at home in one package without having to fill out a customs declaration. It also depends on the price of the goods. We are talking about cheaper goods under the 150 euros. All you have to do is choose the right form of transport (eg Aliexpress Standard Shipping). Aliexpress will then combine your orders in a European distribution center. Sellers who are involved in the combined order system are obliged to send the goods within 72 hours.
TIP for everyone who shop on Aliexpress: Try the Aliexpress Superstar browser add-on! This tool is unique and will help you orient yourself better when shopping on Aliexpress. Thanks to it, you will find out, for example, the price history for each product, find out the rating of the seller from whom you buy the goods, search for any product on Aliexpress according to any image from the Internet, you can converted to different currencies. And most importantly, you will receive a notification that your protection period is coming to an end, so you will never forget to open a dispute in time and you will not lose money unnecessarily. You will not pay anything for the exam. Everything is FREE. The add-on is already used by 30,000 users. Add it to your browser here too.
How does combined delivery on Aliexpress work?
Combined delivery is not available on all Aliexpress products. You will find out if the seller offers combined delivery, either directly with the product or with the goods in the shopping cart. Below, you can see that shipping is free.
In this case, the seller offers you two options of Estimated delivery:
- option – order will be delivered to you on 18.3. without combined delivery
- option – of goods will be delivered to you 12.1. if you order is over US $ 6.86
- option – click on More options and you will see other shipping methods offered by the seller
We recommend that you always click on More options and choose the right shipping method. For each delivery method, you have written whether the order tracking number is available. As you can see below, the Tracking Unavailable option is available for Cainiao Super Economy Global transit options. Shipments without a tracking number often go through the customs procedure. This is because you do not have a tracking number and it is not possible to make a customs declaration. If you pay postage with Aliexpress Saver Shipping, then you have Tracking Available.
If you pay postage on one order (choose Aliexpress Standard or Saver Shipping) and than for other goods you can choose Cainiao. Aliexpress should combined these orders and give you tracking number. But it`s just our experience and it’s not 100% guaranteed.
For a combined order, you usually have to meet a certain minimum price limit for the goods for which you must purchase in order for the goods to be sent to you as a combined order. In addition, you should pay for the goods at once via the shopping cart. The big advantage then is that you will have one tracking number for all products. This means less work for you in tracking the movement of the order. Low-value small shipments sent through the China Post often do not even have a tracking number.
TIP: Write to the seller to mark the package as an IOSS shipment.
Where I can find Combined Delivery in the cart?
The cart shows you the information about Combined Delivery. It says there is a faster form of shipping if you order over US $ 6.86. Expected delivery is 12.1. ie earlier than a month. Sometimes it can happen that the goods will arrive to you as a combined order, even if you did not even plan to do so. It’s cheaper and faster for the sellers.
Attention: In case you want to avoid combined delivery of orders, you will have to pay for the products in the cart separately. Ideally on another day.
How do I know that an order will arrive as a combined order?
When Aliexpress started with a combined ordering system, it was a surprise to most shoppers that they received one package full of other smaller packages. If you are not sure whether the goods will be delivered to you as a combined order, you can look at your list of orders and there will be written Combined Delivery. As you can see on image below. You can find out the tracking number via the View Detail.
When will the tracking number change?
Each package has its tracking number after being sent to the Aliexpress distribution center. The packages are immediately combined into one large package, so Aliexpress change into one tracking number in the system as well.
The main advantages of combined delivery
- you do not have to deal with customs declarations, VAT and Post fees (depends on the conditions of a particular state)
- no or low postage for a large package of things
- you have one tracking number for multiple orders
- more environmentally friendly
We recommend our tutorials
We have other tips and tricks for safe shopping on AliExpress. You can find them all in our How to shop section. Before you start shopping, be sure to add the Aliexpress Superstar browser add-on, which has a lot of useful features.
Have you already received products through the mentioned Combined Delivery method? Leave us a comment below.
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combined delivery is the biggest disaster ever! Because of combined delivery I lost too many packages!
The customer should have a choice in combined delivery or normal delivery.
Our experience is much different and it also depends on seller. Please use our browser addon Aliexpress superstar (http://www.alisuperstar.com) to pick best sellers when makeing purchase on aliexpress.
Combined delivery is a pure evil.
2 times I had problems with a combined delivery.
The first time I had to receive 3 items but in the package were only 2. I couldn’t prove that I received only 2 items.
The second time was much worse. AliExpress put 8 different items in one combined delivery. One item had a custom problem (wireless item was not allowed to import). The result was all items stuck in the custom.
Where are you from ? It might be good to know that, as in Czech republic and Slovakia, they dont have such issues.
ive got an experience with combined order during my last order, when several packages were combined into on and delivered. which is nice, however, a mistake has been made. one of the packages included in the package was not mine. it was for some other person in another country… simultaneously, one of my packages which was listed in the combined order details was not there… was missing.
in such a case i cannot raise a dispute and ask for money back for the missing package, because the whole combined package was delivered ok with confirmation. even seller is not guilty for that so he cannot do the refund…
this is an example wher not buyer, not even seller makes mistake and the package is not delivered. so the buyer cannost ask seller for refund.
hopefully i explained that well. i do appreciate this new combined packaging, but such a proble must be solved…
Where are you from ? It might be good to know that, as in Czech republic and Slovakia, they dont have such issues.
I am sure Aliexpress will trace and check all. Than provide refund. This is our own experience.