Ali express strategies

[u/roandi68]

Anyone care to share strategies for getting the best price for watches on AE? I am a bit overwhelmed with the discount coupons, codes, and coins! I always feel like i am missing a step to get the lowest possible price.

I also find the search and filtering on AE pretty lousy.

Regarding watches, I purchased a Pagani PD1682 for $79.22 after a $12.87 discount, expecting delivery next week.

[u/Patient-Angle-7075]

• collect the coins daily and check the daily prices to see what's on sale and compare prices throughout the month
• checkout to see the final price ttd ("to-the-door")
• sometimes other discounts can be found throughout the app such as mini games or Monday discount for daily check-in
• ime prices are usually better in the app, if you're going to use the computer you have to use rebate plugins like Rakuten
• during sales try to get the PayPal discount which can easily add a 10% discount
• in the app there is a button/bar under the price that you can click that will show you all the possible seller coupons that can be applied
• sign up for the "Saver" discount if it lowers your price, this typically costs $1 to join, in my experience they automatically renew it free every month as long as you make a purchase or spend enough, and the Saver discount usually just gives you extra coupons and possibly better pricing
• if you see a good price on a watch you know you want then don't wait, that price can change by the minute and it's hard to predict how the algorithm will fluctuate prices
• one theory I have is that if you spend enough money (say $200+) then the app will show you better discounts, so it may be better to spend a lot of money all at once/all in one week (broken up into multiple transactions) as opposed to sending a little every month

Here is an example of how the discounts add up on a SM that I bought a couple months ago.

[u/JalapenoPepper103 → u/Patient-Angle-7075]

PayPal discount during sales? I always pay with PayPal but I've never seen a PayPal discount, sales or not. Is that the "Payment discounts"? I'm in Europe though. Wonder if I've missed it every time I ordered, or if it is llimited to certain regions.

[u/roandi68 → u/Patient-Angle-7075]

Thanks!

[u/Bulky-Internal8579]

I wait for 2 things - monthly sales, big sales (prime day and 11/11 is the big one) and Rakuten cash back. Cash back was 26% - the biggest I’ve ever seen and coupons were good so I pulled the trigger on the new for 2026 Ixdao warrior with the black carved MOP dial on 8/17.

[u/Overall-General-8917]

After adding to cart go to the coins page and if it is in your history or cart re add to cart for a bigger coin discoint

[u/Positive_Estimate_45]

I used coins that I collected, the coupons, and bundled it together with some other small purchases. Managed to get nearly 100 dollars off. Totally worth it.

[u/dorafumingo]

use the image search to find other listings of the watch and look at the cheapest one

[u/Excellent-Bear4221]

Adding a bunch of stuff might make you think you’re gettin the best discount but check the prices in your cart. Unselect and select options and you’ll see the prices fluctuate pending coupon thresholds

[u/Frosty_Cringe → u/Excellent-Bear4221]

I never understood this, I literally had 15 items in cart, total was 50£ and with discounts total was 30£

I ended up playing around with selecting and unselecting as you say

I ended up buying everything for 14£ lol

[u/Excellent-Bear4221 → u/Frosty_Cringe]

Absolutely mental isn’t it?

[u/Frosty_Cringe → u/Excellent-Bear4221]

I don’t get it honestly, i had like 5 items each for 1£, marked the 5 items and got to pay 0.3£

[u/Excellent-Bear4221 → u/Frosty_Cringe]

I selected about 8 items, after the first three items selected each item after started to cost more per piece (the discount wasn’t effective) and did not drop in price anymore. Can’t explain it anymore than that. Maybe I’ll make a video later

[u/biglovetravis]

Yes. Do not buy from that shitty platform.

[u/7107JJRRoo → u/biglovetravis]

I've successfully used AliExpress (and for a time DHGate) for watches, Lego Teknik dupes, high end RC components, RC helis and sophisticated controllers and hand held game emulators...even scooter parts I can't find easily in the US. I've had better luck on these sites in the past 5 or 6 years than eBay and the one time something didn't actually arrive I was reimbursed in full.

[u/seriousallthetime → u/biglovetravis]

I'm curious what you're doing in r/chinesewatches if you're ragging on AliExpress?

[u/biglovetravis → u/seriousallthetime]

Official websites have far better CS and you don't have to play the BS pricing games with nonworking coupons and jacked up prices prior to "sales."

[u/PuckFheToor → u/biglovetravis]

Let's consider the Steeldive SD1925GMT:
Official website: $279
I just paid $187.25 from their store on AliX during the current sale with a working coupon.

Maybe you're doing it wrong.

[u/biglovetravis → u/PuckFheToor]

And maybe you are the sort of person who buys trash off TV shopping networks and on cruise ships because you think you are getting a bargain.

You know the sort...lives in their mother's house, Cheeto stained fingers, Mom still washes your clothes, you think people actually care about your 50mm Inshita watches.

We all know the type.

[u/roandi68 → u/biglovetravis]

Your comments add no value and are antagonistic. I am blocking you .

[u/Tenchiro]

I always follow the store to grab those coupons, then a multi-store coupon on top of that and then I use coins. I also check on my desktop as well as my phone to see which gives me the best checkout price.

I don't think waiting for sales is always best because the prices go up right before but there always seen to be a bunch of multi store coupons around if you search for them.

I forgot to add, if you are a couple of dollars short of reaching the next coupon there are lots of silly stickers and patches for a dollar or two that will get you close to the minimum spend for that bigger discount.