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The AliExpress sale calendar
Exact dates change every year, and third-party calendars disagree with each other. Here is what is confirmed and what is only typical.
| Event | Typical timing | What we can confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Anniversary Sale | Mid to late March. | AliExpress announced the 2026 sale as running 16 to 25 March, with up to 90% off. Some third-party calendars list other dates, so use AliExpress’s own announcement. |
| Summer Sale | June to July, according to Refundy. | Typical timing only. We found no official date. |
| Back-to-school | August to September, according to Refundy. | Typical timing only. |
| 11.11 Global Shopping Festival | A warm-up from around 8 November, and the main sale from 11 November. | In 2025, AliExpress’s own release gave the sale as 11 to 19 November. We found no official 2026 dates, and third-party calendars disagree on the end date. |
| Black Friday | Late November. Black Friday is 27 November in 2026. | Calendars disagree: one lists 24 to 29 November and another 20 November to 3 December. Check the AliExpress event page. |
| 12.12 | Early December, according to Refundy. | Typical timing only. |
| Choice Day | Often around the start of a month, according to Refundy. | AliExpress has run Choice Days since it launched Choice in 2023. See how Choice works. |
Confirm dates on the AliExpress app or event page a couple of weeks ahead of any purchase you’re planning around.
Is the sale price the lowest price?
Not necessarily, which is why the calendar alone isn’t the answer.
- Inflated discounts. A price-tracking service, PriceProven, reported that about 74% of the 29,529 AliExpress discount claims it checked were inflated, meaning the crossed-out price wasn’t one the listing had charged in its tracked window. That is vendor data with limits, covered in our flash deals guide.
- Price rises before events. Buyers on r/Aliexpress say sellers often raise prices before a big sale and then discount them back. Price-tracker vendors say the same. This is anecdotal and unverified, but it is easy to test on your own item.
- A price promise on some items. In its March 2026 release, AliExpress said that if a buyer finds the same verified product in its Brand+ channel cheaper on a competing platform within a week of buying, AliExpress will refund the difference, up to €50. The release was aimed at European markets, so check whether it applies to you.
Should you wait for a sale? A simple rule
This is our decision rule, built from the evidence above.
| Your situation | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You need it within a few weeks, such as a gift or a replacement. | Buy now from a well-reviewed seller. | Delivery can take weeks, and sale-period volume can slow dispatch, according to Refundy. |
| It’s a big-ticket item, not urgent, and a major event is under about six weeks away. | Note today’s price now, then buy at the event only if the sale price beats it. | You keep the saving without relying on a badge. |
| It’s a low-price item. | Buy when you need it. | The saving from waiting is usually smaller than the cost of forgetting or going without. |
| You aren’t sure the discount is real. | Watch the price for a few days or weeks. | A real deal survives comparison. An inflated one doesn’t. |
Older guides often say a specific category is cheapest at a specific event, for example electronics at 11.11 or fashion at the Anniversary Sale. We found no reliable evidence for these claims, so this page doesn’t repeat them.
How to prepare for a sale
- Record the price and note the total. Write down today’s price and add shipping and import charges. See our guides for the USA, UK, Canada and Australia. The EU’s €3 duty on low-value parcels since 1 July 2026 is covered in why AliExpress is so cheap.
- Add items to your wishlist or cart. Refundy says sellers often pre-load sale prices on items added to a wishlist in the weeks before a sale. We couldn’t verify that, so treat it as a tip to test.
- Collect coupons in advance, and read their terms. AliExpress’s terms say coupons can be limited in number and first come, first served, that a coupon can only be used if your delivery country matches your ship-to country when it was issued, and that coupons generally can’t be combined with other coupons, offers or on-site deals unless stated. How coupons work.
- Vet the seller before the rush. A discount from a weak store isn’t a bargain. How to find a trusted seller.
- Check delivery dates. If you need something by a holiday, work back from the delivery estimate, not the sale date. Refundy gives 2026 Christmas order cut-offs of 14 November for standard shipping, 1 December for Choice and 10 December for express. Those are third-party figures, so check your own order.
Before you wait for a sale
- ☐ I’ve noted today’s price and the total with shipping and import charges.
- ☐ I can live without the item until the sale.
- ☐ I’ve checked the seller and reviews now, not during the rush.
- ☐ I’ve read the coupon terms and don’t expect stacking.
- ☐ I know the delivery estimate and any deadline.
- ☐ I’ll buy only if the sale price beats what I noted.
Ready to shop?
To set your baseline, find your item on AliExpress today and note the price and the total with shipping and import charges. Then check the app’s sale banners a couple of weeks before an event and buy only if the sale price beats your note. If you need the item now, check the current price and buy from a well-reviewed seller.
Where to go next
- AliExpress flash deals: how to tell a real deal from a fake
- How AliExpress coupons work and stack
- AliExpress Choice: what it is and if it’s worth paying more
- How to find a trusted seller on AliExpress
Frequently asked questions
When is the next big AliExpress sale?
After the summer events, the next major ones are 11.11 in November and Black Friday. In 2025 AliExpress gave 11.11 as 11 to 19 November. We found no official 2026 dates, so check the AliExpress app for the current schedule.
Is 11.11 the cheapest time to buy on AliExpress?
It is the biggest event, and Refundy says it offers the widest selection and deepest coupons. That doesn’t guarantee the lowest price on your item, so compare the sale price against the price you noted earlier.
Are prices higher just before a sale?
Some buyers and price-tracker vendors say so. It isn’t confirmed by AliExpress, and it will vary by seller and item. Recording the price weeks ahead is the way to check.
The bottom line
Waiting for a sale pays off when the item is big, you aren’t in a hurry and the sale price really beats a price you have recorded. It doesn’t pay when the discount is a badge you can’t verify, or when you need the item now. Record the price, vet the seller, read the coupon terms and let the numbers decide.
Check current prices on AliExpress →
Sources
- AliExpress (PR Newswire): Anniversary Sale hits up to 90% off, Brand+ price guarantee (16 March 2026)
- AliExpress (PR Newswire): 11.11 Shopping Festival (11 November 2025)
- AliExpress Help Center: Coupons Terms & Conditions
- Refundy: AliExpress sale dates, the full event calendar
- PromosSale: AliExpress sale dates 2026 (third-party calendar)
- AliShop: AliExpress sales and promotion calendar (third-party calendar)
- Indie Hackers (PriceProven): I checked 29,529 AliExpress discount claims
- r/Aliexpress: Buy on sale events or wait between the sales?
- Refundy: AliExpress Christmas delivery deadlines
Sale dates, promotions and coupon terms change. Confirm dates and terms on the AliExpress app or event page before you plan a purchase.
