I think their marketing/strategy team made a huge push towards mobile and their mobile app is the best way to handle after sales and daily check-ins, as well as reviews and “mark received”.

For item/product searches and handling disputes I would prefer their desktop website because you need the full/detailed information available.

What I find most fascinating is their “search with a picture” function on the app - you can take a picture of… anything really and their AI search engine shows a list of compatible products you can buy. I have actually found products I didn’t know existed like that and it even works for taking shots off a screen.

For most of my hobbies (RC, knives, home goods, car items, garage, flashlights, soldering and tinkering with electronics) the items on AE are WAY cheaper than on ebay and the selection is huge. You can search for the exact manufacturer or supplier of almost any branded electronics item (with exceptions like Apple products or highly protected IP) and get the goods.

If you avoid major Chinese holidays the sellers and shipping are also great.