A possible explanation to this could be that AliExpress is simply trying to attract people to their platform by any means possible. This means subsidizing purc

A possible explanation to this could be that AliExpress is simply trying to attract people to their platform by any means possible. This means subsidizing purchases to draw users in. I just considered buying that 3c button just because of how cheap it was, and this would have required me to register with them, and enter my cc number. This means that purchasing stuff from them in the future would be easier and I would be more likely to do it. This could explain the free shipping on the China leg, and then as was mentioned there is a treaty that allows for nearly free shipping in the US by Chinese companies.