The AliExpress marketplace not only facilitates shopping but also protects the rights of its customers. How do I return a product that doesn’t fit? How do you get your money back if the seller doesn’t fulfil his direct obligations to the customer? To solve such problems, Aliexpress buyer protection has been developed, under the terms of which the buyer has the full right to claim his money back within the allotted time frame. This system is valid in the following cases:
- The delivery of the paid product is untimely, the claimed delivery time is violated;
- Purchased goods are of low quality;
- The purchased product is a fake of a popular brand name, but the buyer was not informed about it before payment;
- The goods were mechanically damaged during transportation.
Buyer protection in Aliexpress
But it’s not always possible to take advantage of this option – there is such a thing as Aliexpress Buyer Protection. This is the period of time given to the buyer to dispute the transaction. To find out how much time you have left, you should visit “My Orders” and open the details of your desired order.
As long as the timer is ticking, your money is safe – you can get it back once you show proof that the seller violated the AliExpress rules. If you don’t think the allotted time is enough, the buyer protection period can be extended. By the way, sellers also have this option available, but only if agreed with the buyer.
Many sellers allow themselves to ignore this rule – they extend the buyer’s protection time without consulting the other party to the transaction. In such a case, the buyer should open a dispute, stating that the seller initiated the extension without prior agreement.
What is Buyer Protection on Aliexpress? Guarantees
There are several types of warranties offered by the seller. The main and applicable to all products are: “Returns and Payment” and “Timely Delivery”. Additional guarantees are the “Authenticity Guarantee” and “Money Back Guarantee”, which only apply to products with matching pictograms in their descriptions.
On-time delivery
Checked delivery time has already passed and the product hasn’t arrived? Claim your money back in full. A dispute may only be opened within 15 days after the guarantee period has expired. The seller will fix an estimated delivery time (to be found on the product page). The delivery time starts as soon as the order has been dispatched by the seller.
Please note: the dispatch time may also vary. It is best if this period is not long, not stretching out for 10 days or more (a frequent sign of scammers).
Returns and payments
Have you received a poor quality product? Perhaps it does not match the seller’s photo and description? If so, you can request a refund. The AliExpress marketplace allows both parties to agree on a mutually satisfactory solution. In such a situation a full refund or a partial refund will be granted if the buyer agrees.
Money Back Guarantee
Was the product you received not to your liking? A return of the product and the money is possible only if three conditions are fulfilled:
- The buyer keeps the original packaging.
- The merchandise has not been used.
- No faults or damage are found.
Remarkably, no explanations are required from the buyer. The “return guarantee” gives the buyer 15 days (from the day of delivery) to decide whether or not to return the goods.
This type of warranty, as mentioned above, does not apply to all Aliexpress products.
Authenticity Guarantee
If the seller is willing to give a guarantee of authenticity of his product, you can be sure of 100% originality of the purchased product. If a counterfeit product is found, provided the “Authenticity Guarantee” sign is attached to the product, a full refund will be given (including shipping charges).
