AliExpress launches hourly delivery & opens to UK businesses
AliExpress has introduced an hourly delivery service, initially servicing Greater London, as part of its efforts to expand its offering to local shoppers and businesses across the United Kingdom.
Customers in Greater London can now order household goods, packaged foods and beverages via the AliExpress app and have them delivered on the same day, often within hours. The company announced that this service will soon be expanded to more UK cities to meet the growing demand for fast, local delivery.
Service details
The hourly delivery service will focus on a range of essential products. The company has partnered with Hungry Panda, a grocer and delivery service, which will be the first to offer a curated assortment of daily essentials on AliExpress. This includes drinks, snacks, and household staples such as Coca-Cola, instant noodles and toilet paper, all available for rapid delivery.
This service aligns with AliExpress's goal of providing more value, a wider product selection and faster delivery to consumers shopping locally. Customers can access these products by selecting items marked "Local+" in the app, which are shipped from local warehouses within the UK to ensure familiarity and convenience.
Opening platform to UK sellers
AliExpress has also opened its platform to UK-based suppliers and businesses, offering a streamlined onboarding process with operational support and a reduced commission fee. This move enables local businesses to connect directly with AliExpress's large customer base and participate in platform promotions and subsidies.
Orders shipped from within the UK can now be delivered within as little as three days, with the company stating that a wide range of items, including furniture, garden accessories, and kitchen gadgets, will be available through this expanded marketplace.
"Local businesses and suppliers can connect with millions of shoppers on AliExpress and consumers can get faster shipping on a wider range of products," said Bonnie Zhao, General Manager at AliExpress UK. "This move reflects our commitment to provide upgraded service to consumers and our mission to support local businesses."
The "Local+" designation highlights products that are dispatched from within the country, which the company says provides a more familiar shopping experience for customers. According to AliExpress, over the past year there has been a noted increase in locally fulfilled orders, particularly for items such as bicycles, consumer electronics, portable power stations, and power tools.
Consumer trends
AliExpress reports that it saw strong growth in the UK during last year's Black Friday to Cyber Monday period. The platform became the UK's "most popular shopping site", recording a more than 140% increase in visits, according to Similarweb figures cited by the company.
The company is seeking to further develop its UK operations by enhancing local supply chains and expediting delivery timelines. The current expansion is aimed at positioning AliExpress as a broad destination for both international and domestic shopping needs.
UK-based businesses can now benefit from a simplified application process and one-to-one support offered by AliExpress. This measure is expected to attract sellers seeking to gain access to the platform's customer base and digital infrastructure. In contrast, customers will benefit from a wider range of products delivered more quickly from local inventories.
The hourly delivery offering is the latest addition to the group's logistics and commerce portfolio. It forms part of a broader push by AliExpress to solidify its position in the competitive UK eCommerce landscape.
