AliExpress is a global trading platform loved by Russians for its prices and product range. China is a synonym for low-quality products, therefore the question arises of a refund when canceling an order from Aliexpress or receiving fakes. The portal administration is doing everything possible to combat fraud. The procedure will be discussed in the article.
Why is this happening?
There are many reasons: the product received did not match the description, the delivery was more than two months, or the buyer canceled before shipping.
The AliExpress administration helps to find a solution to the dispute between the parties if the debate drags on. Sellers and customers are unscrupulous: in the absence of arguments on the part of the buyer or in case of refusal to provide relevant photographs or videos, the administration takes the side of the seller.
Cancel before shipping
Refund on "AliExpress" when canceling an orderbefore shipment is possible in the first 3-5 days, while the seller forms the parcel, and the notice “Preparing for shipment” hangs on the site.
If the client's plans have changed, the button to cancel the order is pressed, indicating the reason. Funds are returned immediately. The seller, for his part, confirms the cancellation, the shopping list is cleared.
In the event of a failure in the AliExpress application, a notification “pending receipt of funds” hangs, but nothing is debited from the card and no SMS with the code is received.
It is recommended to contact the bank and clarify the fact of debiting and the presence of restrictions on the card. If not, it's best to cancel the order and try again. If there was a write-off, when canceling the order on Aliexpress, the money is returned.
Cancellation can be done by the customer and the store (or even the platform administrator). Situations are different:
- The demand for goods has increased sharply, and the seller does not have time to mark the absence of products. Occurs when a store has a limited number of items, then popularity rises after an advertisement and the seller receives orders that outnumber the number of items in stock.
- The store is closed. Although on AliExpress “shops” disappear as quickly as they appear, such situations rarely occur. If the store account is not deleted, it may receive an order, which will be canceled by the administrator.
- The conditions have changed. Occurs when the seller decides to sell the rest of the goods more expensive. This also rarely happens, because few people are interested in the negative feedback that such actions lead to.
- The seller does not have timesend an order. It happens if the product is rare and it was not delivered from the warehouse, or when there are a lot of requests, and the seller does not physically meet the deadlines. Conscientious entrepreneurs independently contact the buyer to extend the term.
Delivery timeout
On the site, by default, there is a 60-day buyer protection. If during this time the goods are not received, it makes sense to open a dispute on Aliexpress. As a rule, the seller agrees, and the money is returned to the payer on the card.
The timer for counting the duration is on the website in your personal account, the stages of delivery of the package to the addressee from China to the nearest post office are also tracked there.
Defective item received
In order not to get into trouble, it is recommended to use filters when searching and work with high-rated stores.
If an unsatisfactory sample is sent, you should open a discussion and demand a refund. In such cases, the seller offers 2 options:
- partial refund;
- Full refund in exchange for returning the product.
It is recommended to film the fact of opening the parcel in the post office or at home to fix the sealed package. So that there are no questions about substitution.
Not as described
It happens that the seller sent the wrong item by mistake. After opening a dispute, the money is returned. The buyer should attach a photo or video with evidence. Ideally, a photo of the packaging with the address and contents, so thatthere was no doubt.
How to argue
Opened by clicking on "Open a dispute", conducted between the seller and the buyer, in the absence of a compromise, the administration intervenes. Sometimes the representative refuses and offers a solution.
For example, after 60 days, he advises you to contact the nearest branch of the delivery company (usually Russian Post). This is a violation of the rules of the site, it is wiser to resume the dispute on Aliexpress and insist on your own.
It looks like this (automatic translation into Russian leaves much to be desired, because the screenshot below is in English):
Representatives of the portal administration enter into a dispute and make a decision in favor of the buyer:
Discussion should be conducted with restraint, confirming the words with facts (photo or video) and avoid insulting the opponent. If the funds are returned, but the sediment remains in the soul, it is better to leave a review: this is an occasion for the store to "work on the mistakes" and a signal to other customers to think again.
How the return works
After the compensation verdict, the return process will appear next to the product information:
Terms for a refund when canceling an order for "AliExpress" - from 3 to 20 business days (depending on operations on the bank's side). If byfunds have not been received, it is recommended to contact the bank.
Compensation denied
AliExpress canceled refund will not be successful if the package has already been shipped: after changing the status from "Preparing to ship" to "Shipped", the package leaves the store. You can write to the seller: if the package is on hand, it will be possible to resolve the issue.
If, when conducting a dispute, the buyer does not provide clear arguments to resolve the issue in his direction, the administration will refuse compensation and the dispute will be closed.
Sometimes the seller recommends waiting for the parcel, then returning the goods to Aliexpress on their own (send by mail) and get the money.
Tricks
There are cases of incorrect actions of the seller: the client cancels, focusing on the status "Preparing for shipment", the seller refuses, arguing that the goods are on the way and attaches a fake track number.
At this stage, it is difficult to recognize the fraud - it is better to wait until tracking starts using the real track number and file a complaint. The administration is not interested in cooperation with unscrupulous entrepreneurs - scammers are punished.
Another Chinese trick: after opening a dispute, the seller writes that due to problems at customs, the parcel was returned to the sender and offers to send it again.
That is, for about 60 days the goods lay on the side of the sender, and it becomes known at the last moment. The trick is designed for a gullible client who will agree to the offer and close the dispute: moneytransferred to the store, and the client runs the risk of being left without a parcel. It is extremely difficult to prove something in such a situation.
The only way out is not to close the dispute and insist on a refund, but even here the cunning Chinese can catch (screenshot below).
That is, the dispute is closed with the template "No return and no refund" with the comment "We apologize, we will definitely return the money." An inattentive client will agree with the decision and be left with nothing. Questions like "when will Aliexpress return the money after canceling the order" in various thematic communities will not bring satisfaction.
Other scammers deliberately list goods at a lower price, collect many orders, send out fake tracking numbers, and then persuade outraged customers to close the dispute, citing various arguments.
The method is designed for the naive. With the rest, the seller is playing for time in correspondence, trying to "squeeze out" the maximum amount of money from the deceived. After that, the shop closes, and the thief disappears with the money.
Usually these are low-rated stores: another reason to work only with trusted sellers.
Conclusion
Purchasing products on AliExpress requires a minimum knowledge of English (the Russian version is far from perfect) and careful study of the functionality.
Issues of refunds are promptly considered by competent specialists on a first-come, first-served basis. After opening a dispute, you don’t need to clog the forums and the seller’s personal account with requests like “Canceled the order. When"AliExpress" will return the money to the card? Funds will come if everything is done correctly!
Truth is born in a dispute, if it is conducted competently and without insults.
Happy shopping!
