The biggest sale of the year on AliExpress has already begun. According to the calendar the platform published on 30 October, the warm-up started on 29 October, the 11.11 sale window runs from 1 to 18 November, and straight after it the Black Friday campaign runs from 19 to 30 November, followed by the Cyber Monday stage from 30 November to 3 December. The peak day remains Wednesday, 11 November. Here is how to tell a real discount from a painted-on one, plus six products that people buy by the tens of thousands.
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November sale dates
- 29 October: the warm-up begins, time to build your wishlist.
- 1 to 18 November: the 11.11 sale window, with the peak on 11 November.
- 19 to 30 November: the Black Friday campaign. Black Friday itself falls on 27 November in 2026.
- 30 November to 3 December: the Cyber Monday stage.
AliExpress’s press release notes that the dates are given in US Pacific time, and that local campaigns, start times and offers may differ between countries. In practice this means overnight starts will land at a different hour for you, so check the exact time in the app.
How to avoid overpaying
Compare the price, not the percentage
The crossed-out price on AliExpress is often inflated, so a 60% discount tells you very little. It is more reliable to add an item to your basket or favourites in advance and watch how the price changes. Under the sale rules, sellers must keep the price during the warm-up above the promotional one for the discount to count, but sometimes prices are simply raised a couple of weeks before a promotion. If the product is sold in the brand’s official store, compare the price there too: what is included in the box and the warranty differ between sellers.
Understand the coupons
Several types of coupon work during 11.11: platform Select Coupons, sale coupons and coupons from individual stores. According to the platform, the coupon budget has been increased by 20% this year compared with last year. Store coupons are collected on the seller’s page, while platform coupons appear in the promotion section and in your account. Promo codes from English-language press releases often work only in the US, so do not be surprised if they do not apply in the UK.
Look at sales and ratings
The best filter against a bad purchase is the number of orders and the share of positive reviews. A product with thousands of sales and a rating of 95% or above almost always matches its description. All six products below pass that threshold.
Do not leave it until the last day
Coupons are limited in number and time, and popular items run out on the peak day. And do not forget about delivery times: in November parcels take longer than usual, so it is better to order holiday gifts now.
6 bestsellers for your basket
We chose products from different categories that people buy in their thousands on AliExpress and that do not repeat our earlier roundups. Prices are as of 4 November and may change during the sale.
1. T9 hair clipper
This is one of the best-selling products on the whole of AliExpress: almost 80 thousand orders. The T9 cordless trimmer, in a vintage body with a dragon design, is used for edging, beards and short haircuts. That is enough for home beard care, and for the money it pays for itself after a couple of trips to the barber.
Price on 4 November: £2.94
Sold: 79497+ pcs, positive reviews: 98.0%
View on AliExpress
2. Tuya Zigbee 20A smart plug
A smart plug switches an appliance on and off on a schedule, by timer or by voice through Alexa and Google Home, and it also measures energy consumption. That is handy for finding out how much a heater or boiler really uses. Note that this is the Zigbee version, so it needs a Zigbee hub. If you do not have one, choose a Wi-Fi version. The listing is for an EU-plug model, so check that it will fit your sockets or use an adapter. The plug is rated for loads of up to 20 A, but powerful appliances such as an oil radiator are still best connected to it without extension leads or multi-way adapters.
Price on 4 November: £3.46
Sold: 24562+ pcs, positive reviews: 98.0%
View on AliExpress
3. Mini shower speaker with suction cup
A small waterproof Bluetooth speaker with a light attaches by suction cup to the tiles or the shower glass. Do not expect loud music from it, but it is enough for a podcast in the shower or in the kitchen. Almost 30 thousand orders make it one of the most popular gifts for 11.11.
Price on 4 November: £2.60
Sold: 1 263+ pcs, positive reviews: 98.0%
View on AliExpress
4. MIJIA MEO705 water flosser
The Xiaomi water flosser washes food debris from between the teeth with a jet of water. The MEO705 has a 200 ml reservoir and three modes, and according to the listing it uses water with microbubbles. It is one of the few items in this roundup from a major brand, and its sale price is usually more attractive than in high street shops.
Price on 4 November: £28.14
Sold: 3380+ pcs, positive reviews: 97.7%
View on AliExpress
5. Niimbot D110 label printer
This pocket thermal printer prints stickers from your smartphone without ink. People use it to label jars of cereals, boxes when moving house, cables, school exercise books and homemade preserves. Note that it prints only on its own branded thermal paper, so order a couple of spare rolls straight away.
Price on 4 November: £22.96
Sold: 6928+ pcs, positive reviews: 98.0%
View on AliExpress
6. UGREEN tracker card
A thin card-shaped Bluetooth tracker goes in your wallet or passport. It works with both Apple Find My on iPhone and Find Hub on Android, so it suits owners of any phone. It is sold by the official UGREEN store and has almost 10 thousand orders.
Price on 4 November: £12.29
Sold: 9851+ pcs, positive reviews: 97.2%
View on AliExpress
In short
The 11.11 sale runs until 18 November, after which the platform switches to Black Friday until 30 November. Add items to your basket in advance, watch the price, collect store coupons and choose items with thousands of sales and a rating of 95% or above. That makes you far more likely to get a real discount rather than a nice-looking crossed-out number.
