AliExpress is an e-commerce marketplace owned by Alibaba Group. Like other online shopping platforms, AliExpress offers a wide variety of products from all over the world. Most of the AliExpress retailers are from Asia, so you can buy goods at a very low price. However, some consumers are not satisfied with their shopping experience on AliExpress. In this article, I will tell you some common scams and disputes you may encounter on AliExpress and how to buy from AliExpress safely.

Common Scams & Disputes on AliExpress

Following are some of the comments on AliExpress, taking them as examples to explain common scams and disputes on AliExpress.

No Goods Received

The worst that can happen is that you don’t get the product at all. In this case the merchant may give you a fake tracking number, possibly indicating that the package has been delivered but you received nothing. If the shipping location is shown, you can dispute it and use tracking screenshots as evidence. Clarify in the dispute that the delivery was far from your address and that you did not receive the goods. But if the tracking doesn’t show the delivery location, there’s not much you can do at this point but take your losses. Be more selective when choosing a seller next time.

Incorrect Items

Some suppliers make false claims, causing consumers to receive products that are completely different from those described on the website, or two different products at all. When you receive incorrect products, you can keep the evidence and ask AliExpress customer service for a refund.

Poor Quality Products

Quality is the most common problem on AliExpress, as low prices are often accompanied by poor quality control and materials. Easy access to low-quality products has also contributed to AliExpress’s decline.

Shipping Delays

Most of the products purchased from AliExpress are shipped from overseas, such as China. As a result, lead times will be long and can’t be guaranteed.

You may receive your product within 1 week or 2 months, depending on the shipping company. So a lot of the disputes stem from logistics.

Refund Trap

Aliexpress provides a period of validity for disputing a refund, within which the buyer is protected. For example, if your product is expected to be delivered within 30-50 days, you must file a dispute within 30-50 days. In addition to validity limitations, you may also encounter refund traps. For example: you wanted a refund, and then opened a dispute. The seller may promise to use Paypal for a refund, but first you need to end the dispute. You agree to end the dispute and it looks as if you can get a refund through Paypal, but you may get nothing because at this point you can no longer file a dispute against AliExpress and the buyer protection has expired. So in this case, don’t end the dispute until you receive your refund.

Counterfeit Products

Some sellers will sell branded products at a low price, and may say they are the OEM of the brand so the price is low, but don’t believe it, because these are definitely fake products. Thus, never buy branded products from AliExpress.

Tips for Buying from AliExpress Safely

Please keep the following tips in mind when you want to buy products from Aliexpress.

Avoid Buying Branded Products on Aliexpress

If you see a branded product like Gucci, Nike etc. on AliExpress, do not buy it, as it is most likely to be a fake one.

Don’t Be Attracted By Underpriced Products

Of course, low price is one of AliExpress’s selling points, as there are many direct manufacturers selling products on AliExpress. But if your price is too low, then you have to be careful. It could be a scam and you could end up with no product at all or an extremely inferior product.

Read Store Reviews And Star Rating

Looking at reviews and ratings from buyers can help you judge whether a product is good or bad, especially looking at negative reviews and the reasons for them. It should be noted that suppliers on AliExpress, like other platforms, will also brush favorable comments and orders. You need to judge whether these comments are from real buyers.

Check the Store’s “Buyer Protection” Policy

Aliexpress will have a buyer protection policy. You can click on the seller’s guarantee to find out what the buyer protection policy is. Make sure the store you want to buy must have the following protections:

• Full refund if you don’t receive the order.
• Full refund or partial refund if the product you received is not as described.

Don’t Buy Expensive Products with Free Shipping

If your product is expensive or fragile, you’d better pay a few extra dollars and have it delivered via a reliable service like DHL, UPS and so on. Free delivery is a means to attract customers, but there will be risks for your products, because suppliers tend to choose relatively cheap logistics to save costs, which will be poor in timeliness, security and other aspects.

Check the Product Before Confirming Receipt

Don’t immediately acknowledge receipt when you receive the product. Give it a try and see if it works as advertised and if it satisfies you. Only when you are satisfied can you confirm receipt of the goods. At the same time, it should be noted that AliExpress will have a delivery period, which is only valid if you submit the disputes within the duration, so you need to test the product during this period.

Pay Attention to Your Payment Method

Don’t send money directly into your supplier’s account regardless of any reasons, otherwise your money won’t be protected by the platform if something goes wrong. Remember to only pay on AliExpress.

Conclusion

Think carefully about the mentioned tips before you buy, then you can get great bargains on AliExpress. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.