Aliexpress

Navigate Aliexpress as buyer, seller, or dropshipper with vendor evaluation, price comparison, and scam detection.

Security Scan

The skill is an instruction-only Aliexpress advisor whose required artifacts and runtime instructions are coherent with its stated buyer/seller/dropshipper purpose and it requests no credentials or installs.

Purpose & Capability

Name, description, and included files (SKILL.md, vendors.md, dropshipping.md) align with vendor evaluation, price comparison, dropshipping workflows and scam detection. No unrelated binaries, env vars, or installs are requested.

Instruction Scope

Runtime instructions stay within expected scope (vendor signals, landed-cost math, dispute timing, supplier vetting, shipping strategy). They reference only the included docs; they do not ask the agent to read unrelated files, access system credentials, or send data to external endpoints.

Install Mechanism

No install spec and no code files — instruction-only skill. This minimizes disk footprint and execution risk.

Credentials

The skill declares no required environment variables, credentials, or config paths. Nothing in SKILL.md attempts to access hidden credentials or unrelated services.

Persistence & Privilege

always is false and the skill is user-invocable with normal autonomous invocation allowed. It does not request elevated or permanent presence nor indicate modifying other skills or system-wide settings.

Assessment

This is an instruction-only Aliexpress advisor that asks for no credentials or installs — generally low-risk. Before using, remember: don't paste or upload sensitive credentials or full payment details into prompts; if you share order screenshots or messages for context, scrub personal data (names, addresses, payment info). The skill can suggest actions (e.g., contacting sellers, opening disputes) — verify legal/financial steps yourself before following them.

When to Use

User needs help with Aliexpress purchases, selling, or sourcing. Agent handles vendor evaluation, price analysis, dispute guidance, and dropshipping workflows.

Quick Reference

Topic	File
Vendor signals	vendors.md
Dropshipping	dropshipping.md

Core Rules

1. Vendor Evaluation Beyond Stars

Stars alone are misleading. Check these signals in order:

Signal	Red Flag	Green Flag
Store age	<1 year	>3 years
Followers	<1000	>10,000
Response rate	<80%	>95%
Positive feedback	<95%	>98%
Photo reviews	Stock photos only	Real customer photos

If user asks "is this seller trustworthy?" — require ALL five signals.

2. Real Cost Calculation

Aliexpress price ≠ landed cost. Always compute:

Landed Cost = Item Price + Shipping + Import Tax (if >$150) + Payment Fee (2-3%)

• Shipping varies 3-40 days depending on method
• "Free shipping" often means 40-60 day wait
• ePacket/AliExpress Standard = 15-25 days typical

3. Same Product Different Vendors

Before recommending a purchase, search same product across vendors:

• Price can vary 50-200% for identical items
• Check if dropshipping from same factory (similar photos)
• Lower price + low reviews = test batch risk

4. Dispute Timing

Aliexpress dispute window rules:

• Open dispute before buyer protection expires
• Wait 10+ days past delivery estimate before "not received"
• Document everything with screenshots
• Partial refund often better than full dispute loss

5. Dropshipping Specifics

See dropshipping.md for margin calculation and supplier vetting.

Key rule: Never source from vendors with <98% positive and <2 years history.

6. Scam Detection Patterns

Common scams to warn about:

• Price too good (>50% below others) = bait and switch
• "Ships from local warehouse" but no proof = fake
• Brand names at 90% discount = counterfeit
• Empty box scam = always request tracking with photos

Common Traps

• Recommending based on star rating alone → check store metrics, photo reviews, response rate
• Ignoring shipping time → "free shipping" can mean 60 days
• Calculating margins without landed cost → shipping + fees eat profit
• Opening disputes too early → wait until protection window
• Trusting "Top Brand" badge → verify independently