How to Order on AliExpress Without Paying Right Away

We place pending payment orders on AliExpress about 10-15 times per month, mostly when negotiating bulk discounts or locking in flash sale prices before our payment card clears. The method works reliably, but AliExpress does not offer a direct button for it. You have to use a workaround.

How to create a pending payment order

AliExpress has no “order now, pay later” option in the checkout flow. The workaround involves intentionally failing the payment so the order registers but no money leaves your account.

Step 1: Add items to cart and start checkout

Find the product you want and add it to your cart. Click “Checkout” to reach the order confirmation page. Review your shipping address and make sure everything is correct before proceeding.

Step 2: Enter incorrect payment information

On the payment methods screen, select your credit or debit card. If you have a card saved, click to edit the details. If entering a new card, fill in the number and expiration date normally.

Here is the key step: enter an incorrect CVV number. The CVV is the 3-digit code on the back of your card (or 4 digits for American Express). Type any random number like “000” or “123” instead of your actual code. Click “Save and confirm.”

Step 3: Attempt to pay and close the page

Click “Pay Now” with the incorrect CVV. The payment will fail, and AliExpress will display an error asking you to update your security code.

Do not correct the CVV. Instead, close the browser tab or app completely. If using the app, close it from your device’s recent apps menu rather than just navigating away.

Step 4: Confirm the order is pending

Wait about 30 seconds, then reopen AliExpress. Go to “My Orders” and look for the item under “Unpaid” or “Pending Payment.” The order now exists in the system, the seller has received notification, and the price is locked.

Why create a pending payment order

Leaving an order unpaid serves several practical purposes. Here are the situations where we use this method regularly.

Use case	How it helps
Negotiating discounts	Shows the seller you are serious; they can modify the price before you pay
Custom or personalized items	Seller needs to calculate final cost based on your specifications
Bulk orders	Seller can reduce per-unit price or waive shipping for larger quantities
Locking in sale prices	Secures promotional pricing while you wait for funds to clear
Resolving previous order issues	Seller agreed to discount your next purchase; they adjust the pending order

Negotiating discounts with sellers

A pending payment order signals genuine buying intent. Sellers are more likely to negotiate when they see an actual order waiting rather than just a chat message asking for a discount.

After creating the pending order, message the seller through AliExpress. Explain what you want: reduced shipping, lower per-item cost, or a bundle discount. Reference the order number so they can locate it quickly.

We typically send something like: “I placed order #[number] for [quantity] items. Can you adjust the price to $[amount] and remove shipping? I will pay immediately after you update it.”

Sellers who agree will modify the order total. Those who decline usually respond within a day. If you do not receive a response within 48 hours, consider that a soft decline.

Securing custom orders

Products that require customization often need price adjustments before payment. Tailored clothing, engraved items, custom-printed products, and items with specific dimensions all fall into this category.

The seller may need to calculate additional costs based on your requirements. By placing a pending order first, they can review your specifications and update the total before you pay. This prevents paying the wrong amount and needing a refund later.

Message the seller with your customization details immediately after creating the pending order. Include measurements, text for engraving, image files for printing, or whatever the product requires.

Applying a special price from a seller

Sometimes sellers offer discounts to resolve problems with previous orders. Rather than issuing a partial refund through the dispute system, they may agree to reduce the price on your next purchase.

This works by placing a pending payment order, then having the seller adjust the total to reflect the agreed discount. Once the price updates, you pay the reduced amount.

We have used this method about a dozen times when sellers offered compensation for minor issues that did not warrant a full dispute. It keeps the transaction on-platform and maintains buyer protection.

Locking in promotional prices

Flash sales and limited-time coupons expire. If you spot a good deal but cannot pay immediately, creating a pending order locks in that price.

AliExpress gives you up to 20 days to complete payment on a pending order before automatic cancellation. During major sales like 11.11 or the summer sale, this window lets you secure deals even if your bank takes a few days to process a transfer or you need to wait for payday.

The promotional price stays attached to the order as long as it remains in pending status. Once you pay, that locked-in price is what you are charged.

Payment time limit and auto-cancellation

Pending payment orders do not last forever. AliExpress automatically cancels unpaid orders after a set period, typically 20 days from order creation. Some sellers configure shorter windows, so check the countdown timer on your order page.

Order status	Time until auto-cancel
Pending payment (standard)	Up to 20 days
Pending payment (some sellers)	3-7 days
After auto-cancel	Order deleted, no charge

If the timer runs out before you pay, the order disappears and no money is taken. You would need to reorder at whatever the current price is, which may be higher if a sale ended.

How to pay for the pending order

Once you are ready to complete the purchase, go to “My Orders” and find the pending item. Click “Pay Now” and enter your correct payment information this time.

If the seller modified the price, you will see the updated total on the payment screen. Review the amount before confirming. After payment, the order moves to “Awaiting Shipment” and the seller begins processing.

What happens if the seller modifies the price

When a seller adjusts the order total, AliExpress sends a notification to your account. You will see a message in the order details indicating the price has changed and the new amount.

To check for price updates:

1. Go to “My Orders” and find the pending order
2. Look for a notification badge or message about price modification
3. Click “View Details” to see the updated total
4. If the new price matches your agreement, click “Pay Now”

We have occasionally missed these notifications when checking orders on mobile. If you negotiated a discount and do not see the change after 2-3 days, message the seller to confirm they updated it.

Some sellers modify prices quickly within hours. Others take several days, especially during busy periods. If the seller agrees to change the price but the auto-cancel timer is running low, ask them to extend the payment window or prioritize the adjustment.

How to cancel a pending payment order

If you decide not to complete the purchase, you have two options:

Cancel manually: Go to “My Orders,” find the pending order, and click “Cancel Order.” Select a reason from the dropdown. Since you never paid, the cancellation is instant with no seller approval required.

Let it auto-cancel: Simply do nothing. The order will automatically cancel when the payment timer expires. No money is taken and no action is needed on your part.

Unlike paid orders, unpaid orders do not require seller consent to cancel. You are not charged and no refund process is necessary.

Risks and limitations of pending payment orders

This method has some drawbacks to be aware of.

Price changes are not guaranteed: Sellers can decline to modify prices. If they refuse, you either pay the original amount or cancel.

Stock may sell out: While your order is pending, the product can go out of stock. Sellers are not required to reserve inventory for unpaid orders. We have had two instances where items became unavailable before we completed payment.

Promotional prices may not apply retroactively: If you create a pending order before a sale starts hoping the promotional price will apply later, it usually does not work. The order locks in the price at the moment of creation, not the lowest future price.

Sellers may cancel your pending order: Some sellers delete pending orders after a few days if they suspect the buyer is not serious. This is rare but has happened to us once.

Account issues: Repeatedly creating and abandoning pending orders without paying could theoretically flag your account for review, though we have never experienced this ourselves.

Final thoughts

The CVV trick works reliably for creating pending orders, and the 20-day payment window gives you flexibility to negotiate, wait for funds, or lock in sale prices. Message the seller promptly after placing the order so they know to expect a price modification request. Check your pending orders every few days to catch price updates and avoid missing the auto-cancel deadline.

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