How To Build A Trendsetting AliExpress Clone? — Unique Features And Cutting-edge Strategies Inside

It’s been nearly a decade since marketplaces have turned digital. The mere idea of availing anything from a single place, matched with an unparalleled convenience of shopping from homes, has led to the massive success of ecommerce platforms. Among the top-grossing businesses worldwide, you’ll inevitably find Amazon, Alibaba, etc., occupying prominent positions.

With that being said, the B2C business model has evolved over the years, culminating in numerous vendors and customers in one place. Even the B2B giant Alibaba has tried its luck on this B2C model with the AliExpress platform. Needless to say, the platform has earned a tremendous reputation and revenue.

Are you an entrepreneur bearing the idea of starting an ecommerce platform like AliExpress? This blog caters comprehensively to your needs of building a multi-platform marketplace with an AliExpress clone. Let’s dive straight in.

What is AliExpress?

Initially, let’s look at a brief overview of AliExpress and its business insights.

AliExpress emerged as a spin-off startup from the Chinese ecommerce giant Alibaba. It was initially started as a B2B portal and later tweaked its business model to reach out to international sellers and buyers, thereby transforming into a B2C platform. Customers from anywhere around the world can shop for products online from Chinese sellers.

Started in 2010, AliExpress generates annual revenue of $17 million. Most of AliExpress’s transactions happen via Alipay, a payment platform that partners with numerous fin-tech institutions.

How to generate revenue with a platform like AliExpress?

Another intriguing question from an entrepreneur’s perspective is how to generate income with an ecommerce platform like AliExpress. As a matter of fact, there are numerous ways to fill your pockets consistently with a B2C ecommerce app. Some of the popular ways include,

• Vendor commission: As a multi-platform marketplace, the online platform bridges the gap between vendors and customers. Hence, vendors give up a part of customer payments as paid commissions to the platform owner.
• Advertisements: Commercials are a great monetization strategy worth considering. By displaying third-party ad banners in your application, those brand owners pay you ad charges based on views, clicks, impressions, etc.
• Subscription plans: You can roll out subscription plans of various categories to your customers. Customers who avail subscriptions enjoy enticing benefits like instant deliveries, exciting discounts, etc.
• Delivery charges: It is up to you to decide the mode of delivery. While some platforms leave at vendors’ discretion, some have an in-house delivery team to take care of shipments. If you opt for the latter, you can generate a steady source of income in the form of delivery charges.

What are the essential features that shape up an AliExpress clone?

Features are crucial for any platform’s success. Some of the vital AliExpress clone features include,

• Registration and profile setup: Users downloading the platform should have the option of registering with it by providing basic information or logging in via social media handles. Upon signing up/logging in, users can update their profiles.
• Browse and filter options: Users can browse from a wide range of products distinctly separated into categories and subcategories. Besides, users can narrow their search results seamlessly by applying filter options based on various metrics like price, quality, etc.
• Multiple payment gateways: Users proceeding to checkout will expect numerous payment options on the platform. Hence, ensure that the platform supports a multitude of payment gateways, including credit/debit cards, digital wallets, net banking, etc.
• In-app chat/call: Users can resolve their queries about the platform as well as the product via the in-app chat/call feature.
• Push notifications: Users expect instant updates on their order status. Notifications play a vital role in engaging users with the platform.
• Ratings and reviews: Users can share their shopping experience with fellow users’ community in the form of ratings and reviews.

What makes a platform like AliExpress unique?

Uniqueness is a secret ingredient that can propel your platform towards success. Unique features make your ecommerce app stand apart from the rest and lure the audience towards your site. Some of the unique elements worth considering in your AliExpress clone include,

• Multi-lingual support: It is impossible to attain a global presence without multi-lingual support. By having the feature, users can access the platform in their preferred language, boosting their satisfaction rates.
• In-app wallet: Routine users find it difficult to enter their bank/card details every time during transactions. To avoid such a scenario, an in-app wallet can come in handy, enabling swift transactions.
• Daily deals: Introducing daily deals is a great technique to boost user engagement rates. Customers check on exciting offers and discounts on products for the day and proceed to buy them, increasing your profits substantially.

How to tackle the challenges ahead?

While building an AliExpress clone, you’ll undoubtedly encounter numerous challenges. Overcoming challenges is what differentiates a successful entrepreneur from the rest. Some of the challenges and their strategies include,

• Have a proper plan: To avoid running out of funds, analyze your financial, market, and business needs, and pre-equip with the necessary resources. Planning is critical in this analysis stage. By having a better clarity on what you’re going to develop, and how you’re going to approach it, you can plan well-in-advance, avoiding pitfalls down the road.
• Ensure the platform’s design is simple and informative: Being an ecommerce platform, a wide range of users visit your platform looking for a variety of products. Having a complicated app design will inevitably hamper their shopping experience. Hence, have a minimalistic approach when it comes to app design.
• Implement a 24x7 support team: Customers’ queries need instant addressing. Implementing a 24x7 support team will enable customers to resolve their doubts at the earliest.

Conclusion,

The market for ecommerce apps is experiencing new players and forecasts an unprecedented growth in the coming years. The COVID-19 scenario has fueled people to use online platforms. An entrepreneur can capitalize on this demanding scenario with a state-of-the-art AliExpress clone. Reach out to an app development company, customize their B2C ecommerce app, and launch it right away!

Originally Published@ https://liveinspiredmag.com/2020/10/12/how-to-build-a-trendsetting-aliexpress-clone-unique-features-and-cutting-edge-strategies-inside/