In order: no, no, no, and no. I accepted that I can't avoid google spying on me on android, if I could have a phone that works with banking apps without google's crap I would, but thanks to their safetynet racket it's not possible for me.
On AliExpress I see things like 64 TB (no, not GB!) USB flash drives for less than 10 euro, obviously a scam. I also see less spectacular products but still good looking deals, but without a brand name so you can't search the web for reviews.
On Amazon I never see products like that. That's why I prefer Amazon (and Coolblue and bol.com in Belgium).
I see this kind of fakes on eBay or Amazon all the time. It's even harder to report it than on AliExpress and I never had an obvious report of fakes upheld (AND eBay warns they will forward your identity to the seller. Great thing if the organised crime is involved in this)
Case in point, fake 2TB Sandisk ExtremePro microSD:
AliExpress is full of fakes and weird things but what it has going for itself is customer support. They'll return you money pretty much in every single case. They're so pro-consumer you could easily scam sellers out of things you buy really. I disputed multiple things in last 5-8 years and I've always either got a new item or a full refund. I don't order that much from there but if I want to buy something cheap I know is made in China anyway, I'd go for Aliexpress
If you believe that, I have some USB storage to sell you. Huge capacity, barely used. I keep my inventory in storage under this bridge, which I also happen to have for sale. Interested? ;)
I can't imagine ever wanting to install an amazon app either. Both of these stores have perfectly functional websites. What would I gain installing their spyware? Also, why so defensive?
Not if the local reseller simply calls itself a marketplace and logistics company and the local regulator lets them get away with it.
Amazon, in my experience, does arbitrate disputes about returns and defects, but the important point is that from a legal perspective, I don't think they have to, so you're at their mercy.
You can't even be sure that VAT is handled correctly, which local retailers can usually not get around.
Having bought many things off AliExpress over the years I can say with complete confidence that I've never made a purchase on Amazon that was dropshipped from Ali. The shipping times are far different and it would be immediately obvious.
Yeah it would be hard to hide. When I order from AliExpress it arrives via Chinese carriers I have never even hard of, and about half the time the final delivery is through a Chinese gig delivery company that must pay practically nothing to the driver because they will usually drive up in front of my house and chuck the package out the window onto my front lawn.
I've ordered things from AliExpress shipped from the local warehouses (2-3 days delivery) ; I've ordered things on Amazon UK that were fulfilled and shipped from Amazon UK that were delivered in 3-5 working days.
Not a £1 tat, and not one off. Not that AliExpress is my choice, no, far from it. Sometimes it's better, closer to the manufacturer, that's all.
