Getting clean, compliant invoices out of AliExpress can feel harder than placing the order itself. Buttons move, supplier details vanish, and orders split into multiple packages with different tracking numbers. If you are a dropshipper, small online store owner, or bookkeeper supporting clients who buy on AliExpress, those gaps slow down reconciliations and create audit risks.
This guide walks you through practical fixes for the three most common invoice headaches on AliExpress: missing supplier details, partial shipments, and currency mismatches. You will also learn how the AliBilling Chrome extension streamlines one‑click invoice downloads directly from AliExpress, and how to keep your accounting and tax records audit‑proof.
First, confirm what AliExpress provides by default
AliExpress has gradually improved how buyers access tax invoices, especially for EU orders that fall under the Import One Stop Shop scheme. The European Commission explains that the Import One Stop Shop was created to simplify VAT collection on low value consignments up to 150 euros, with marketplaces often treated as the deemed supplier for VAT purposes. You can see this context in the European Commission’s overview of the VAT One Stop Shop and IOSS.
On the platform side, AliExpress documents indicate that buyers can find invoices by going to My Orders, opening All Orders, and locating Download Invoice for eligible orders. Although AliExpress presents this guidance in different languages across its Help Center, the wording is consistent. One example is the Help Center article that states you can find your invoice at My Orders, All Orders, Download Invoice.
If you cannot find that button for older orders or specific items, use the one‑click approach described below to generate invoices reliably across old and new orders.
Why invoice details matter more than you think
For VAT registered businesses, the European Commission’s rules on VAT invoicing content require key elements such as a unique invoice number, the supplier’s full name and address, the customer’s details, a clear description of items, the VAT rate applied, and the VAT amount payable. Missing supplier details or inconsistent currency data can lead to rejected input tax claims, inaccurate profit tracking, or prolonged reconciliations.
If you sell on platforms like Shopify, invoicing is also part of your operational cadence. As the Shopify invoice guide notes, invoices are legal records that help you track sales, manage receivables, and resolve disputes. Even when you are the buyer on AliExpress, the invoice you capture becomes a critical document for your books. If you are building your storefront, consider Shopify for an end‑to‑end setup that keeps orders, payments, and records in sync.
The fastest way to generate clean AliExpress invoices
AliBilling puts a Download Invoice button right next to every order on AliExpress and lets you generate a printer‑friendly PDF with a single click. You can customize your company name, tax or VAT IDs, supplier fields, and date formats, then download unlimited invoices at a low yearly cost.
- See the quick steps in the guide on how to download invoice from AliExpress.
- Or follow the tutorial on our blog: how to download invoice from AliExpress.
If you need more structure for audits, the checklist in Audit‑proof AliExpress invoices: the smart way will help you standardize naming, dating, and storage.
Issue 1: Missing supplier details on the invoice
What is happening: Some AliExpress invoices do not include the supplier’s full legal name, registered address, or tax identifiers. In EU VAT contexts, marketplaces can be the deemed supplier for VAT, which changes whose details appear on a tax invoice. However, your accountant may still need supplier information for cost allocation, vendor analysis, or non‑VAT bookkeeping.
Why it matters: The European Commission’s rules on what a VAT invoice must contain include the supplier’s full name and address for full invoices. Even if the marketplace is the deemed supplier for VAT, you still benefit from recording the upstream vendor details consistently for internal controls and analytics.
How to fix it with AliBilling:
1) Open the order on AliExpress and click the AliBilling Download Invoice button. 2) In the invoice settings panel, fill in the supplier fields you want to include. You can add the supplier’s store name, legal name if you have it, and known address details. 3) Save your preferred template so future invoices auto‑populate your company and tax fields. For supplier data that varies by order, keep a short vendor notes file and paste standardized details as needed. 4) If you require a tax ID from the seller for your records, message the seller through AliExpress to request their VAT or business registration number. File any reply along with the invoice PDF.
Pro tip for EU VAT: If the invoice is intended to support VAT deduction, confirm that the required fields are present per the Commission’s VAT invoicing content list. Where the marketplace is the deemed supplier, preserve the marketplace invoice and attach your supplier note for internal clarity rather than modifying the VAT invoice itself.
When to escalate: If a customs broker requests proof that VAT was collected under IOSS for an EU delivery, reference the European Commission’s IOSS explanation. Keep the AliExpress VAT invoice and shipping proof together in your records.
Issue 2: Partial shipments and split orders
What is happening: AliExpress orders frequently ship in multiple packages with different tracking numbers. Sometimes you receive line items at different times, or the platform splits a checkout into sub‑orders. Your invoice trail can get messy if you do not tie deliveries back to the right order lines and accounting period.
Why it matters: Accounts payable and inventory controls depend on matching what you ordered, what you were invoiced for, and what was delivered. Business software providers recommend partial matching workflows so audits pass without surprises. For example, MRPeasy explains that for partial shipments, you should ensure invoices match delivered items and document any shipment level fees or adjustments, as described in their guide on how to manage partial shipments. Similarly, AP solutions like Rillion describe enabling partial matching to reconcile split deliveries against the original order in their invoice matching best practices.
How to fix it step by step:
1) Identify the shipment structure. Check AliExpress for sub‑order numbers and each package’s tracking ID. Keep a simple matrix that maps order lines to tracking numbers and delivery dates. 2) Download all available invoices. For each sub‑order or shipment that shows a Download Invoice button, use AliBilling to capture the PDF immediately. Store them in a single folder named with the main order ID. 3) Label each invoice with shipment context. If a single order has only one downloadable invoice, add a delivery note to your document storage that lists the item lines, tracking IDs, and delivery dates for each package. Keep that note alongside the invoice PDF. 4) Reconcile partial deliveries in your books. Post cost and quantities when goods arrive to keep inventory accurate. When you later receive the remaining items, record the final quantities. If your accounting system supports it, use partial receipt or partial bill workflows. 5) Avoid duplicate expense recognition. If you split costs across months, document your allocation method in the delivery note. Be consistent period to period.
What not to do: Do not alter the VAT content of a platform tax invoice. If you need to present package level documentation, add a delivery note or internal memo and attach it to the invoice in your document manager. This preserves the original tax document while giving you package clarity.
Issue 3: Currency mismatches between the invoice and your bank charge
What is happening: AliExpress shows prices in your local currency, but your card may be charged in another currency depending on your payment provider. Your bank then applies a conversion rate and possibly a fee. Your invoice might say one currency while your bank statement shows a different amount in another currency.
Why it matters: If you book expenses or inventory in your functional currency, you must capture the exchange rate properly and account for any foreign exchange differences. Intuit’s official QuickBooks guidance explains how to set up and use multicurrency to record vendor bills and payments in different currencies while your books remain in the home currency.
How to fix it step by step:
1) Capture the invoice currency and total. Use AliBilling to download the invoice and note the currency printed on it. 2) Record the payment currency and amount from the bank statement. Include any foreign transaction fees separately. 3) Apply the correct exchange rate. On the transaction date, use your accounting system’s rate source or your bank’s effective rate. Record the vendor bill in the invoice currency, then record the payment in the bank currency to let the system calculate the exchange difference. 4) Document the difference. If your system does not auto‑calculate FX gains or losses, compute the difference manually and post to an exchange variance account. 5) Standardize dates and formats. Use one date convention across documents, for example ISO 8601 (YYYY‑MM‑DD), so your reconciliation is search‑friendly later.
Helpful habit: Save a short note with the bank’s effective rate per transaction in the same folder as the invoice PDF. That makes it easy to answer an auditor who asks why your ledgers and the supplier invoice do not match to the last cent.
Make it audit‑proof with a simple checklist
- Download invoices as soon as the order is confirmed. Use AliBilling’s one‑click button right inside AliExpress and store the PDF under a folder named with your order ID.
- Keep VAT‑relevant documents together. For EU shipments, preserve the platform VAT invoice and shipping proof. The European Commission’s IOSS overview describes how VAT is collected on low value consignments, which customs may reference.
- Standardize what “complete” means. Your internal checklist should require supplier details, order ID, tracking IDs, invoice currency, and payment currency per file. See our workflow in audit‑proof AliExpress invoices.
- Align invoice fields with VAT rules. The Commission’s page on VAT invoicing content lists what a full VAT invoice must include. Confirm that marketplace or supplier data meets your jurisdiction’s needs.
- Use multicurrency correctly. If you are on QuickBooks, Intuit explains multicurrency setup and revaluation in its multicurrency help article.
AliBilling setup tips that save hours every month
- One click where you work. The button appears next to each AliExpress order, old and new, so you do not have to hunt through menus.
- Customize once, reuse forever. Add your company name, address, tax or VAT IDs, and preferred date format. AliBilling remembers your settings for future invoices.
- Supplier details fields. When a supplier’s legal name or address is missing on the platform invoice, add it to the customizable fields so your PDF reflects the context you need for bookkeeping.
- Unlimited downloads at a low cost. Pricing on the website starts at 29 dollars per user per year, while the Chrome listing highlights flexible options like 20 dollars for 3 months, 35 dollars for 6 months, or 60 dollars for lifetime. See current pricing and pick what fits your workflow.
- 24 by 7 support. Check the FAQs or get help anytime via contact us.
If you are just getting started transforming orders into accurate financials, our blog has step‑by‑step guides, including Tax obligations 101 for dropshippers and Dropshipping the legal way. You can explore all articles at the AliBilling blog.
Step‑by‑step quickstart for zero‑drama invoice workflow
1) Install the AliBilling extension and log in to your AliExpress account. 2) Go to My Orders and click the AliBilling Download Invoice button next to each order. 3) Open Settings and fill in your company details, tax or VAT IDs, date format, and optional supplier info fields. 4) Download invoices in batch and place PDFs into folders labeled with order IDs and YYMM date prefixes for clean sorting. 5) If an order is partially shipped, attach a delivery note listing tracking IDs and items delivered with dates. 6) If the bank charge currency differs from the invoice, record the transaction using your accounting system’s multicurrency features and document the effective rate. 7) Archive everything in your document manager with consistent naming and metadata so audit queries can be answered in minutes, not hours.
Ready to put this on rails while you scale your storefront? Many merchants pair AliExpress sourcing with a Shopify storefront so orders, payments, and taxes stay organized from day one. If you are considering that path, you can start building with Shopify and then connect your AliExpress workflow to a consistent invoice routine using AliBilling.
For more how‑tos or support, visit the AliBilling homepage, check the how‑to guide, or reach out via contact us. If you handle sensitive data, our privacy policy and terms of service explain how your information is protected.
