AliExpress now requires login just to view item pages

[quote] wle wrote: i have not seen that

i am not logged in and i can see this page:

ali link [/quote]

No problem viewing that page while logged out.

Even though Firefox showed I was logged out . . . . when I closed/re-opened Firefox, I now get the log-in page.

Convoy website still working - even thought I'm logged out.

Seems to be certain stores.

Do any of you getting the constant login requests get the “slide to verify” thing as well? I keep getting that, too.

Is there a box at AliExpress having a brain fart and marking me as a listing scraper or something? It’s really weird!

I was able to view the Convoy site too, after searching for it on Google and clicking the link. Once I’m on the page, I can get to individual items by clicking on the thumbnails - but as soon as I select a category (e.g. ‘Products’ > ‘Flashlights’), I’m taken to the log in page again.

EDIT: Just tried it again, and the Google link no longer works - just takes me to the log in page again.

I went to one of Sofirn’s threads here on BLF and clicked the link to their store, which is in their sig line. It takes me there just fine. Is it possible “store” links work fine, but “product” links don’t work?

Nope, I thought so at first, when the Convoy store was still showing for me. But now all of a sudden https://convoy.aliexpress.com/store/330416 just redirects me to the log in page

That’s interesting, because that link takes me to Convoy’s store page. :open_mouth:

The main page of Simon’s store was bookmarked in my FireFox, until I got log-in requests and 404 pages. Very annoying. Could not stop this until I bookmarked an item further down the foodchain, like a host or LED. No more log-in requests. From there I can browse his entire store, and even perform searches across all of AE without log-in requests.
For the record: before I shut down my PC I always run CCleaner. End of day I’m always out of cookies.

Even if I use it a lot less nowadays (mainly due to O:) AnnoyExpress), eBay feels noticeably swifter to me: it keeps me logged, there's Advanced Search, the page and listings are neater… and no need to @#$% keep :facepalm: verifying.

Suggestion (to leftdisconnected) to increase the thread's audience: rename it into something suggestive like “AliExpress needs a @#$% @# $%@ #$%@”. :-D

^:)

Barkuti, that last @ was totally uncalled for.

No issues requiring me to log in. (USA, North.)

Maybe it has to do with your Geographic location and the “Great firewall of China”

Yep guess I need to sleep, slept less than 3 hours during the last 38+ hours or so. Weary and kicking…

That was only a suggestion anyway.

:-)

I can see everything like normal on Ali without being logged in

I’ve know i’ve been redirected to the login page a couple of times when following links on here, but clicking that Convoy link takes me to the Convoy store, so it’s seemingly neither consistent nor location based.

Does anyone with the problem fancy clearing their browser cache? (Only if you understand the implications of doing so…)

I don’t this either. But I think alibaba want more users.

I noticed I can’t do a search on their site anymore without logging in. I’m pretty sure they want you to login so your browsing can be added to their profile of you.
What you are interested in is big business for retail.

Been noticing it on and off for a couple months now. Most commonly requires login when in incognito mode in my experience.

I’m guessing it’s for tracking.

I can browse the site by clicking. But as soon as I use the search function I have to enter my password.

That just takes me to the login page as well. This behavior HAS changed for me recently, but not sure exactly when. I bought from AE just a couple weeks ago and it was NOT the case at the time; I only had to log in to complete the purchase.

I am not in incognito/private mode and am using the exact same OS, platform, and ISP as two weeks ago. I’ve added no extensions to Firefox and that browser has only incremented a minor, bug-fix version change since my last purchase. I don’t think that anything has changed on my end.

However, I don’t actually know what’s happening and perhaps AliExpress is simply detecting something different about me than it did two weeks ago. This is the first time I’ve ever experienced this behavior, though I accept that others have seen it before. Before my visit yesterday, I only needed to log in if I wanted to check out; I could shop “anonymously”, though I’ve always assumed that AliExpress knows exactly who I am at all times because they’ve got cookies in my browser.

I just think it’s inconvenient and pointless to force a login just to view a product page or use the search feature. I’ve bought a lot of stuff from AliExpress over the years, but I’m not happy with recent changes. Some things are beyond their control as sellers stop accepting PayPal after PP’s stupid policy changes, but the end result is that AE is becoming less attractive to buy from.

————

People may find this odd, but I’ve had much better luck when buying from Asia via AliExpress rather than eBay. I’ve been screwed numerous times by eBay sellers who claim to have shipped replacement items and then drag out the eBay clock until I cannot post feedback and cannot file a claim. This has never happened on AliExpress, though I do admit that some of this comes down to chance; I’ve simply gotten lucky on AE and less so with eBay.

I still use eBay, but only for American or Canadian sellers. I sincerely believe that some Asian sellers are abusing eBay’s policies and I hate eBay for having such short time limits for claims or feedback. If international shipping is involved, the 60 or 90-day window (I forget which) can easily expire before a transaction is resolved.

Also, I’ve had numerous claims somehow closed and considered resolved on eBay without my permission, so sellers can somehow close a claim on behalf of the person making that claim. That’s wrong, stupid, and criminal. eBay seems to serve sellers, not buyers, which makes sense considering their fee structure.

That links does take me to the Convoy page, but clicking on any item takes me to the login page. There is some inconsistency at work here, but so far I cannot view any item page without logging in. That’s just me and I’m in the United States, but nothing has changed about my platform or IP.

I will try a different (clear) browser and be back in a jiffy… (jiffy happens to be next page)

Well…

I can open Convoy’s item pages from a clean browser in a VM (same web IP), but a search requires login and some item pages will open while others will not.

At this point, I’m only sure of one thing: something weird is happening.