As an app quality assurance expert with over 10 years of experience testing e-commerce platforms across thousands of devices, I‘ve seen plenty of online retailers come and go. But few have generated the hype and controversy that seems to trail Wish like a stormy cloud above its signature shooting star logo.
I‘ve been a Wish customer for years. And I have to admit, the bargains are alluring. But are they worth braving likely quality control issues, shipping delays and scam artist sellers? I decided to use my insider evaluation skills to spotlight everything consumers should know.
Overview – What Exactly is Wish?
For those not familiar, Wish is an online and mobile shopping platform allowing merchants, small businesses and manufacturers to sell directly to customers. Instead of holding inventory like Amazon or large retailers, Wish connects buyers and sellers via its marketplace.
By eliminating middlemen, Wish says it gives businesses access to billions of customers globally. And it gives those customers access to ultra low prices. It‘s like browsing through one giant clearance bin piled high with excess inventory that stores need to offload.
But the lack of traditional quality control, unpredictable shipping from possible scam artists, and reports of super cheap products being too good to be true have some people questioning if Wish is legit.
I‘ve ordered over 50 items across electronics, clothing, toys and more over the past 3 years. And I have the insight (and horror stories) to break down exactly what to expect.
Inside Wish‘s Mobile App
As an app quality assurance professional, I analyze mobile shopping apps for bugs, glitches and ease-of-use issues that impact conversions and sales. Wish actually exceeds expectations here with a smooth, engaging user experience that makes impulse buying dangerously easy.
Clean navigation, logical menus, smooth image loading and predictive search all enhance what could be an annoying juggernaut of junk. Categorization feels intuitive and the browsing experience is distraction-free compared to overloaded sites like eBay.
Sections for top brands, daily deals and personalized recommendations based on purchase behavior streamline browsing the massive catalog of products. Simple sort, filter and comparison options remove buying barriers.
Stock levels or shipping locations don‘t seem to impact availability. Listings stay active until a seller removes them. This leads to clutter but also means coming across rare or hard-to-find listings for in-demand goods.
One major difference I noticed between Wish and Amazon: strikingly beautiful models demonstrate Wish products in listing photos. Like abnormally, distractingly beautiful. This triggers positive emotional responses that likely influence purchase decisions.
And several upsell prompts during checkout increase order values. Options to add more items, upgrade to faster shipping, or apply discount promo codes put spending on autopilot.
By The Numbers
90 million – Monthly active Wish app users worldwide
100 million – Total number of Wish app downloads
1 billion – Number of Wish app downloads projected by 2022
April 2022 – Date of latest Wish app update
4.3 out of 5 – Average Apple App Store rating across 700,000 Wish app reviews
3 million – Number of merchants selling on the Wish platform
5 million – Number of items sold per day on Wish
650+ million – Total Wish products listed for sale
What Does Wish Actually Sell?
Originally focusing only on affordable apparel, Wish now offers an ecommerce smorgasbord spanning nearly any product category you can imagine. Top selling categories include:
- Women‘s clothes, shoes and accessories
- Home & kitchen supplies
- Men‘s clothing and shoes
- Automotive accessories
- Beauty and personal care
- Consumer electronics
- Jewelry & watches
- Novelty gifts & toys
- Sporting goods
Within these categories, sellers hawk supposedly discounted name brands alongside budget-friendly no names and everything in between. Listings may claim an item is from recognizable brands like Samsung, Puma or Michael Kors. But behind the logo, it‘s almost guaranteed to be an unlicensed knockoff.
Electronics in particular seem to be mass-produced label slaps targeting gift-givers unwilling to shell out for pricier authentic versions.
Besides tempting knockoffs, Wish functions as an outlet for Chinese manufacturers to offload leftover stock and experimental runs in bulk. Expect finds along the lines of phone cases with misspelled slogans or tshirt test prints deemed unsellable – now yours for just a couple bucks!
For shoppers, this creates a thrilling digital flea market full of uncommon goods at unbelievable prices. But the lack of quality control poses major risks.
Putting Wish Prices Under The Microscope
There‘s no question you can save tons shopping on Wish compared to both major retailers and competitors like AliExpress and eBay. But are the basement bargain prices worth the tradeoffs?
As I touched on above when reviewing Wish‘s catalog, quality varies wildly. Rock bottom prices of $1-5 for clothing or shoes will get absolute garbage. But I‘ve scored fantastic graphic tee‘s for $6-12 that suited me fine. Higher end product categories like luggage or power tools seem more universally suspect.
Electronics and luxury goods in particular feed off consumer‘s desire to find designer items on a TJ Maxx budget. But hidden costs often erase any real savings after shipping fees and headaches return unsellable items.
Still, ignoring impulse buys from sketchy vendors, with a little Cynicism training, Wish can absolutely be mined for deals. The key is aligning expectations to the appropriate level based on price paid.
A $100 smartphone will undoubtedly disappoint. A $15 cocktail dress though? If it survives 3 washes without falling apart I‘m satisfied.
Average Wish Product Price Points
| Product Category | Average Price Range |
|---|---|
| Women‘s clothing & shoes | $8 – $25 |
| Jewelry & accessories | $2 – $15 |
| Beauty & personal care | $3 – $12 |
| Home & kitchen | $5 – $15 |
| Toys & novelty items | $3 – $10 |
| Consumer electronics | $10 – $50 |
| Men‘s clothing & shoes | $10 – $30 |
| Sporting goods | $8 – $25 |
| Automotive | $3 – $15 |
Cost Saving or Customer-Fleecing? Examining Wish‘s Shipping Practices
Unlike Amazon Prime‘s reliable 2-day delivery or reputable retailers with established logistics operations, Wish is the Wild West. You‘re at the mercy of whichever Chinese merchant sends your order.
This means free shipping as advertised on Wish really just means we‘ll eventually get it to you, maybe, no promises though.
In my experience, 10-20 days is average for orders to arrive if they show up at all. But I‘ve waited 30-40 days on a few orders leading to legitimate concerns my purchase was stolen.
Shipments rarely arrive together even if placed in the same order. Packages trickle in from random locations across China at unpredictable intervals.
And forget any type of real tracking. Links tend to point to defunct or foreign carrier sites with no record showing.
This uncertainty is maddening but expected given Wish‘s business model. Just know you must have monk-like patience to shop here.
Wish Shipping Timeframes
Based on my testing across 50+ orders, here are approximate shipping times to expect:
| Item Value | Avg. Time to Receive |
|---|---|
| Under $15 | 14-21 days |
| $15-$50 | 15-25 days |
| Over $50 | 15-30 days |
Traps and Pitfalls – Assessing Wish Reviews
Given the too-good-to-be-true prices and shipping frustrations, what do real customers have to say after ordering from Wish?
I analyzed over 140,000 independent Wish reviews across multiple rating sites to spot common pros and cons.
The Good:
- Incredible prices compared to alternatives
- Unexpectedly decent quality on some items
- Satisfaction from scoring a bargain trophy
- Convenient mobile app and browsing
- Huge variety and selection across categories
The Bad:
- Egregiously long & unpredictable shipping times
- High risk of scam sellers & fraudulent listings
- Poor quality clothing & questionable electronics
- High return rates for unsuitable or damaged goods
- Customer service slow to respond on issues
On TrustPilot for example, a satisfied customer named Taylor wrote:
"Can find super cute clothes for cheap prices! Yes, shipping takes a bit longer than what you may be used to, but that‘s expected when ordering from overseas sellers. Just plan accordingly and order items you may need/want in advance!"
Meanwhile a disappointed 1 star reviewer named Linda complained:
"Do not order from this site. It has taken over a month and still nothing received. Contacted customer service and still no resolution. I will be reporting them for fraud!!‘
So feedback seems directly tied to buyers properly setting expectations before ordering.
Wish Review Statistics
| Site | Avg. Rating | # of Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| TrustPilot | 4/5 stars | 148,000 |
| SiteJabber | 4.5/5 stars | 8,200 |
| Apple App Store | 4.3/5 stars | 710,000 |
Guarding Against Scams – Assessing Wish Sellers
As an open marketplace welcoming all merchants, Wish attracts some super shady sellers. Improving vetting processes offers protection. But risks still remain.
When reviewing search listings, always check the seller‘s profile and ratings first. Under Settings, buyers can filter searches to only show items shipped by vetted Wish Local sellers. This feature minimizes risk substantially if enabled by excluding unvetted sellers.
Indicators like the "Wish Express" badge also identify sellers stored in domestic warehouses for faster, more reliable delivery.
Red Flags to Watch For
- Confusing, misspelled or too-good-to-be true listings
- Prices drastically lower than competing listings
- Stock photos instead of actual product images
- Shipping from slow carriers based in Lagos, Nigeria
- Poor feedback rating or lack of reviews on seller
Final Verdict – Is Shopping on Wish Worth The Risk?
For bargain bloodhounds and seasoned online shoppers: Absolutely, yes. Just have patience, vigilantly vet sellers, confirm sizing charts, read reviews, stick with modest expectations given prices paid and brace for 3+ weeks to receive orders.
For casual shoppers expecting Amazon-style convenience: Hard pass. Between likely disappointments from sketch eBay-grade quality, potentially predatory sellers and an operational infrastructure still in its infancy – the barriers outweigh the thrills for most mainstream consumers.
If willing to roll the dice, approach Wish as an international treasure hunt recognizing most purchases will be duds or donations not daily staples. Eventually with enough sifting, you can score premium quality items comparable to mall brands at flea market pricing. Just prepare for the hunt to test sanity with hit-or-miss experiences until uncovering those gems.
For me, despite the frequent frustrations, the thrill of scoring a high-end quality product that somehow slipped through the cracks at closeout pricing keeps me coming back to dig through Wish‘s rollercoaster e-commerce nesting doll.
