AliExpress, owned by Alibaba, has launched its first free membership program, Elite, in seven European countries. The program is available in the AliExpress app in Germany, the UK, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, and the Netherlands.
To qualify, customers must have spent over $800 (or the local equivalent) and placed orders on at least five days in the past year. Eric Zhang, AliExpress vice president, stated, “Elite is our first free-of-charge membership programme, and we have made a deliberate choice: it is free. There is no subscription fee, no hidden cost.” Members receive extra savings and dedicated customer service. Zhang added, “This is how we are rewarding the customers who have supported our growth – and it is just the beginning.” According to the company, customers who meet these conditions receive automated entry.
The program offers streamlined, complimentary returns within 15 days of delivery, without requiring supporting evidence. AliExpress has also introduced next-day delivery in select cities across France, Spain, and Poland, as part of its European local logistics growth.
This launch precedes the 11.11 Global Shopping Festival, running from November 1 to 18. Elite members can combine their discounts with 11.11 promotional prices on specific items, including Brand+, Choice, and Local+ products.
Established in 2010, AliExpress operates in over 200 countries and is part of the Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group. In March, AliExpress executives informed European Union (EU) lawmakers that the business was reinforcing internal mechanisms to meet EU standards, following inquiries from Members of the European Parliament regarding the sale of counterfeit and unsafe products within the bloc.
