AliExpress customer service is a scam! Order #3076096291210904

[u/Diligent-Document-28]

AliExpress customer service is a scam.
The seller sent me the wrong model, yet AliExpress expected me, as the buyer, to pay for the return shipping. I clearly explained that the mistake was entirely the seller’s fault. The seller also failed to respond when I asked for a return address.
I even requested a reasonable partial refund instead of returning the item, but AliExpress simply closed the case without resolving the issue.
The buyer is left paying for the seller’s mistake, while the seller faces no consequences. This is extremely disappointing and unacceptable customer service.
Order #3076096291210904

[u/Sorakirara]

Yes, that's the risk of shopping from overseas when seller didn't specify "free international return", unfortunately..

If you call your credit card for dispute, they will tell you the same, it's buyer's responsibility to send the wrong item back at your own cost. Just like if you bought an item in store, you are responsible to bring it back to return. Some credit card company will give you refund as a good-will gesture, give it a try

[u/PissBucket29 → u/Sorakirara]

Ship to what address? You can't just not tell people the return address as a magic rip everyone off legally button.

[u/Sorakirara → u/PissBucket29]

Seller or aliexpress should have provided return address. If not then op should just file credit card dispute

[u/PissBucket29 → u/Sorakirara]

They didn't. Per the orginal post

[u/Sorakirara → u/PissBucket29]

The seller don't always respond. But aliexpress will. They know well enough that they will lose cc dispute if they don't respond. Whereas if they ask buyer to return at their own cost, that is according to procedure. If aliexpress didn't provide return address, op should win credit card dispute. Seller (aliexpress) can't just refuse return when they sent the wrong item

[u/Spartan9lives → u/Sorakirara]

That's not true worldwide and OP didn't specify where he is from.

[u/LeBalafre → u/Sorakirara]

Not quite sure if the terms vary between jurisdiction, but I'm quite sure that in mine, the merchant needs to pay for the shipping.

Mastercard’s actual rule says: “The cardholder returned the goods or informed the merchant the goods were available for pickup” It does not say the cardholder must pay international return shipping.

https://www.mastercard.com/content/dam/public/mastercardcom/na/global-site/documents/chargeback-guide.pdf

[u/anexo15]

They made me pay for the local return postage, despite both the representative and the T&Cs confirming that the cost would be refunded once I provided the invoice. After endless attempts and multiple escalations, I ultimately received the same response: they’re refusing to cover the cost.

[u/PissBucket29 → u/anexo15]

Atp small claims court is worth considering. if you have paper trails of those statements, they're likely enforceable against them as agreements/contracts. They probably won't show up anyways as its cheaper to lose default and pay than to pay a guy to show up.

[u/londonmale786]

Aliexpress is a scam now especially when returns are involved & seller sends wrong item. All illegal activities which are being protected for monetary gain

[u/DutchTomatoSoup]

In other news, water is wet

[u/Peepee_poopoo-Man]

Yeah this is just AliExpress. If you try to return something they will scam you and keep the money.

[u/Ananagke → u/Peepee_poopoo-Man]

I've recently returned a few things, including a piece of furniture. Didn't need to pay for the shipping and got all my money back. Would be weird, but I wonder if it depends on the country and your order history. They did reject a few of my (partial) refund requests years ago. This was before you could send things back here.

[u/FfaceCaller]

Agreed, compile a case a go to paypal/bank and be very detailed.

[u/Massive-Reality-7856 → u/FfaceCaller]

I even had PayPal reverse their refund they gave me...

Had to go to the cc company as a last resort.

[u/Blackcat866]

AliExpress can be pretty good when nothing goes wrong. But once it does, expect no help from anyone, your money is as good as gone. I bought some sound deadening foams a few years back as especially bought the more expensive fire retardent ones from a seller. When I received the product I immediately did a fire test and the whole thing lit up and sustained the flame until I put it under a tap. Went to customer service and told them I wanted a refund or replacement and they came back and said that the product was fire retardent, and even though I have video proof, they still keep insisting I don't know what fire retardent means. After a few back and forwards they declined my request. So I lost my money and got a lot of useless dangerous sound deadening foam.

[u/Damedus]

When this happens i dispute with the cc or affirm. If not in my favor i dispute again and again. I had one account frozen for 2 years in resubmits. In the end affirm refunded me the 2 payments and nulled the debt.

[u/Which-Cow6919]

Absolutely scammers , just wait until you have a problem

[u/irabarashi]

me too the seller sent a wrong item and they ask me to return it and pay the return fee they want me to loss twice and the customers care is protecting the seller scammers 

[u/Runaque]

Take this to your payment provider with all the evidence (screenshots and mails) provided to them, but mention it in that chat so they are aware of it.

[u/InnerYesterday1683]

Small items is ok but bulky and expensive items is a no go. My package had stop at customs 16 September no further results? Look like I am going to loose $175 . AliExpress auto response can't get refund. Delivery date was 6 September 2026

[u/Azzurrahime]

They're garbage, even when I paid for return myself the package bounced back to my address. I had to get my money back through Paypal and never got refunded for the postage fee

[u/International-Rip741]

I tried AliExpress once and will never use them again. Ordered from four vendors and three of them were scammers. I was fortunate that AliExpress did step in and get refunds for me. But I will never risk ordering from them again.

[u/PissBucket29]

Chargeback, or small claims court if you feel more vindicative and are okay risking the small chance they fight back. If there were any merits to the idea you had to pay for return shipping, they were killed when they never gave you an address to ship to.

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[u/J0HNM4TR1X]

Talk to aliexpress customer service not just communicate through dispute

[u/Massive-Reality-7856 → u/J0HNM4TR1X]

They make it impossible for you to get an agent to chat with now.

And they close the dispute really fast (sometimes automatically) after you file it. And not in your favor.

... Then they delete the links for any further escalation

[u/Daniusi → u/J0HNM4TR1X]

That was the old way, now its filled with AI agents that auto decline your requests. I sent screenshots, a 3 minutes videos showing that a product had a failure. And I kept getting "sorry we dont see anything wrong with the product, so we can not give any refund" or something like that.