Imagine a wholesale platform that can give users unique and exciting things at a fraction of the cost. That’s exactly what Wish is and it’s one of the cheapest sites out there.
When you consider why Wish is so cheap, several factors contribute to those prices. If it seems too good to be true it often is. Take a look at these reasons why it’s so cheap.
Why Is Wish So Cheap?
1. Worth The Wait?
The first thing to know about the price you are paying is that you are not getting 2-day delivery like your Amazon packages.
Most Wish items have to travel overseas to make their way to your mailbox. When you order, be prepared to wait several days and potentially even several weeks to receive the items.
In some cases, you might even forget what you ordered by the time you get it. If you’re using these items for gifts, plan well in advance to do so.
The question is are those items worth the wait? They very well may be in some cases. That is solely up to you to decide.
2. Sold From The Manufacturer Directly
Wish allows manufacturers to list their products at a heavily reduced cost to them.
This can be useful for people just trying to create a business or perhaps get their items on the market. It’s an open platform and it’s heavily visited and used.
You are often purchasing straight from a manufacturer. This eliminates the need for added distributors and the cost to use those distributors.
Since there are no in-between handlers, prices can be drastically reduced, making products more affordable to you in the end.
3. Quality Not Guaranteed
If you’ve heard the statement about when things seem too good to be true, they often are, that could be relatable here.
The truth is you never really know what kind of quality you will get until you receive it. You should assume that quality may not be exceptional.
There will be times that quality seems awesome and other times you question whether it was worth the $2 you spent to get that product in your hands.
The quality can vary. You will find that every product is often advertised as being awesome but not all products are when you receive them.
The good news is you aren’t spending a lot so even when the quality is subpar, you aren’t out a ton of money.
4. Products From China
China has developed a reputation for pushing out cheaply made products through the years. Don’t get us wrong, they also have some awesome products.
The country has perfected the art of bulk production at lower costs and so it’s easy to utilize them.
However, when it comes to Wish, many of the products live up to limited expectations. They are all Chinese products. That is where they are typically shipping from.
With that in mind, reliability for quality and even accuracy is not always present in your purchase.
5. Open Marketplace Design
Have you ever used sites like eBay or even Facebook marketplace? These are unique forums that are full of different sellers.
Wish is also an open marketplace like this. Wish simply hosts the environment for sellers to hop in and list their products. It’s ultimately up to the seller to choose the pricing and go from there.
Some sellers might use Wish just to get their products out there. It works for them and it’s open to a slew of different items with very few limitations to them.
You might get to know different sellers that you feel are more reliable or trustworthy than others. It is open and the items you receive aren’t just from “Wish”.
6. Shipping Adds Up
If you’ve spent any time on Wish, you’ve seen the free products or products that cost almost no money. It seems surreal to get a free product.
But you do have to pay shipping costs. Many times, those reduced or free prices lead to more expensive shipping costs.
You feel like you’re getting a bargain but then they get you on the shipping expense. Some people don’t even realize it.
Of course, even with paying higher shipping for the cheap product, you’re still likely getting a good deal overall. But the shipping charges are clearly a cover for the free can turn you off fast.
7. Research Is Up to You
Remember that just about anyone can list products on Wish. You will see high-tech products and items from just about any category you can think of.
But if you want something reliable with your purchase, you have to do some groundwork. Wish isn’t going to do it for you.
Go into every transaction assuming the item needs to prove itself. That’s the best way to be successful with your purchases.
Most products have tons of ratings and reviews. The best thing you can do is check out pictures and detailed reviews before deciding on the item.
8. Scam Potential
While the majority of things you find are legitimate, there are also scams. There have been reported scams on Wish and you could be the victim.
Because Wish is heavily operated and not regulated, there is a major risk for this. Sellers might list something, let you purchase it, and then change the description immediately after.
Several reviews are floating about this particular scheme for a listing that was a TV. The seller changed the product after purchase and the buyer was stuck.
Even if this seller gets caught for doing so, they make some substantial cash before they get shut down. You could be out the money and not get what you paid for.
9. Potential Counterfeit
You’ve probably seen the ads for things like iPhones that are cheap as dirt. While it might be an ok product, the likelihood of being an Apple iPhone is pretty unlikely.
Wish is loaded with counterfeit products like this. You assume you’re getting the iPhone you ordered but you really aren’t.
Many products use terminology like this to advertise their products. In the end, they are just counterfeit and not the brand that you were expecting.
10. Cheap Materials Used
Often the products listed on Wish are made with cheaper materials than what you might be used to.
Not all products are bad. But the truth is you will notice a difference in quality when you compare these products to other brands or distributors out there.
Most of the products on Wish are made using cheaper materials, allowing them to effectively sell you a much cheaper product.
11. Shipping Agreements
One of the reasons that Wish items and even shipping can be cheap is because of a postal agreement between the US and China.
This allows items to be shipped from China at heavily reduced prices. The prices are often less than shipping within the United States.
The items shipped are made in China and mass-produced. The shipping costs are also more affordable because of the shipping agreement.
To learn more, you can also read our posts on why AliExpress is so cheap, why Xfinity sucks, and why Apple sucks.
Conclusion
It is certainly possible to be scammed on Wish. This site is a legitimate site and, in most cases, the products do arrive.
The things to know are to always pay close attention and understand you are getting a cheaply made version of your product.