AliExpress just gave U.S. merchants a pretty meaningful upgrade. Under its AliExpressLocal program, the marketplace rolled out an AI imaging tool for listings, deeper integrations (including new middleware partner Quipt), a native labeling service for shipping and returns, and a Brand+ co-marketing channel aimed at putting trusted local brands in front of more shoppers. AliExpress Local Seller Program

It’s a clear signal that AliExpress wants to be more than a cross-border bazaar; it wants to be a seller-friendly platform for U.S. merchants who value control, speed, and visibility.

AI imaging that fixes photo pain without ruining your frame

Listing photos are one of the fastest ways to win or lose a sale, and they’re also a time sink. AliExpress’ new AI-enabled imaging tool lets sellers upload “as is,” then automatically generates the right sizes for different placements and devices—while keeping faces, text, and product edges intact. It can also apply clean white backgrounds to meet catalog standards, so you’re not bouncing between Photoshop, Canva, and the listing form just to make one SKU look consistent everywhere. Expect fewer mis-crops and more consistent PDPs with far less manual editing.

Plug-and-play ops: Quipt joins the integration roster

AliExpress is widening its partner ecosystem to cut setup friction and ongoing busywork. The newest addition, Quipt, is a commerce middleware that pipes product, price, inventory, orders, and returns data between your systems and AliExpress—no fiddly field mapping for every attribute. Quipt maintains a master catalog already mapped to AliExpress’ backend, so sellers can launch faster and keep everything in sync from a single dashboard. This builds on earlier integrations with Linnworks and StoreAutomator to give sellers a cleaner, end-to-end path from catalog to checkout to returns.

Quipt’s CEO Jason Willitts framed the partnership around speed to market and data accuracy—two areas where most marketplaces still make merchants do heavy lifting. Centralized post-sale workflows (returns/refunds) mean better visibility and faster resolutions without hopping through four tabs and two connectors. For multichannel teams stretched thin, that’s real leverage.

Native labeling and simpler returns inside the seller portal

Shipping and returns are where margin goes to die if your tooling is messy. AliExpress’ platform-native labeling service lets sellers generate shipping labels with pre-negotiated rates, auto-attach tracking to orders, and surface status updates to buyers in real time—all without third-party apps. Notably, the program supports photo proof of delivery to curb “item not received” disputes, and sellers can opt into AliExpress-generated return labels even if they didn’t use an AliExpress label on the outbound leg. That kind of flexibility lowers tool sprawl and shortens the distance between an order and a refund resolution.

Brand+: co-marketing that spotlights trusted local sellers

Beyond tooling, AliExpress is opening a Brand+ channel that highlights vetted brands and lines up co-marketing opportunities—think high-visibility placements, social spotlights, and PR tie-ins. For U.S. shoppers who still associate AliExpress primarily with cross-border deals, Brand+ is about trust signals and discovery in a curated environment. For sellers, it’s a chance to build brand equity inside a marketplace rather than just rent a product page.

How it stacks up: Amazon’s control trade-offs, Temu’s price engine, and the “local” race

If you’re deciding where this fits in your channel mix, the competitive context matters. Amazon is still the conversion king, but its Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) model comes with capacity caps, restock constraints, and IPI score pressures that can crimp promotional plans or force slow-moving ASINs into pricey storage. AliExpress’ approach—mixing marketplace flexibility with integrations and native ops—will appeal to brands that want marketplace reach without surrendering as much operational control.

Temu, meanwhile, continues to compete on ultra-low prices and a heavily centralized model that leans on direct-from-factory supply and subsidized logistics. That’s great for deal velocity, but it gives sellers less independence and brand space. Recent U.S. policy volatility around de minimis rules and tariffs has also forced Temu to adapt its logistics posture, highlighting how dependent that model can be on trade conditions. AliExpress’s local-seller investments (including faster local shipping assortments) diversify the playbook: less reliance on international small parcels and more room for local inventory and brand building.

It’s also worth noting that Temu’s operating logic prioritizes aggressive price floors and speed over seller autonomy—an explicit trade-off many brands accept to tap Temu’s demand but one that doesn’t suit every assortment, especially where warranty, post-purchase care, and repeat purchase LTV are critical. AliExpress positioning Brand+ around “trusted brands” is a clear counter: convert with credibility, not just price.

What this means for sellers (Alertify take)

AliExpress isn’t trying to out-Amazon Amazon on Prime-like ubiquity or undercut Temu on every price tag. Instead, it’s building a seller-centric stack that removes drudgery (AI imaging, native labels), reduces integration drag (Quipt, Linnworks, StoreAutomator), and adds a path to real brand visibility (Brand+). For operators, that combination matters more than any single coupon blitz: automation where it counts, optionality in fulfillment, and a stage to tell your brand story.

Suppose you already rely on Amazon for volume. In that case, AliExpress Local looks like a strong second or third marketplace—particularly for SKUs where you want more control over presentation, inventory pacing, and returns. Suppose you’ve dabbled in Temu and felt boxed in by its centrally managed mechanics. In that case, AliExpress’s modular model (AliExpress Local Direct vs. Marketplace) gives you room to decide how “hands-on” you want to be with ops while still tapping marketplace demand.

Two strategic cautions. First, treat Brand+ like a program you manage, not a switch you flip. Have assets ready—fast-loading imagery, short-form video, and a proof-of-quality message that matches what shoppers see on your PDPs. Second, use the labeling service to standardize delivery promises and returns SLAs; consistency is how you raise review velocity without spiking support tickets. The sellers who win on marketplaces in 2026 won’t necessarily have the lowest price—they’ll have the smoothest, most trustworthy experience.

Bottom line: this update makes AliExpress a more credible home for U.S. brands that want marketplace reach without sacrificing control. In a year defined by tariff whiplash, capacity limits, and buyer skepticism, the platforms that help you automate the boring stuff and amplify trust will take share. Right now, AliExpress is moving in that direction—and quickly.