Generally speaking, if the product has quality problems or other reasons that are unacceptable to consumers,Businessmen have the obligation and responsibility to refund consumers.The cost of returning packages to China is extremely high for consumers in many countries. So it is understandable that consumers keep the product and get a refund.
About the “free return” of Aliexpress，This policy deceives both good buyers and good sellers.Buyers believe that returning the goods to AliExpress’s warehouse can reduce the loss of the merchants.The truth is that the goods cannot be returned to China.Moreover, AliExpress does not provide any solution to return the goods to China.
Before this policy, merchants lost the value of goods and international freight. After the implementation of this policy, the merchant not only has the previous loss, but also has to bear the high freight for the buyer to return the goods to the warehouse.Moreover, the warehouse staff of AliExpress also charged a high quality inspection fee. Eventually, the goods are discarded or sold at a low price (After being sold, the money belongs to AliExpress).
And at present, AliExpress’s return reasons are extremely loose.As long as you claim that you don’t like or need the product within 90 days of receiving it, you can initiate a free return service.
So to limit the damage, pls just keep the goods, and ask refund from the seller ,pls dont return it to aliexpress warehouse.
Over the past few years, Chinese e-commerce platforms have launched a massacre of Chinese businessmen, especially at the end of last year.They have made very strict regulations to impose various fines on businesses.They create profits through fines.For example, TEMU, When a buyer complains about the quality of the goods, the platform will impose a fine of up to five times the price of the goods.
Not only that, but they also prevent the factory from having contact with the final consumer.These platforms just want the factory to supply them, and then they sell the goods(The platform can earn the difference.), while the platforms keep putting pressure on the factory to lower the price.In order to obtain a meager profit, the factory constantly reduces the quality of the goods.
What makes me feel more sad is that I can’t see any third-party regulatory body for the hooliganism of these e-commerce platforms.
I am so sorry this is happening–it’s utterly ridiculous, and I am so glad that you blew the whistle on these exploitative practices. The 内卷 (involution) is getting out of hand for good businessmen like yourself, while scammers go unpunished. We wish you a fast and smooth transition from Aliexpress to your own web store!
I haven’t bought anything from AX in quite a few years when they first started playing games.
At first, they were good to sellers and buyers, and worked to mediate between them when problems happened.
Then they started screwing with buyers. Clearly order 12 of something, only get 10, even the invoice says 12(!!!), and no refund, no additional 2 items, nothing. No resolution. I gave feedback of 0 out of 10 when asked, got a followup asking why, I say so, and still nothing.
Then I heard they started screwing with the sellers, too. I’m not a seller so didn’t know details, but only heard in passing that they made life difficult for sellers. Probably what you describe above.
So even when people put links to AX, I don’t even bother to look. Their website sucks beyond belief. I can’t even get it to display properly on most browsers here, so I have no idea how other people see what’s being advertised. Look on the wrong link, next thing you know, your language setting is permanently changed to Turkish or Swahili. So many problems and issues, that again, I don’t even bother looking.
Gearbest used to be really good. Then they started playing games. Now they’re dead. Somehow, maybe just because of sheer size, AX does the same as GB, but is still alive.
That’s very good to know Simon. I’ve always wondered about this return policy and wonder how expensive it would be. But I thought Aliexpress would bear the costs. I’m so naive. That’s utter rubbish. I can’t wait for your website to become active and you can finally free yourself of all this thievery. Take care Simon, your contribution to this community is immense.
Simon, I am really exited about your new store, and wish you luck with it! The reason I buy from aliexpress is that it is VOEC-registered (import tax thing). This means that I pay VAT directly when purchasing my items. This mean faster shipping, and I save (or don’t have to pay an additional) 15$ on EVERY order. No matter the price. This is because it doesn’t have to go through the process items normally do (therefore saving a lot of money).
I am assuming Simon isn’t going to go though the truble of making registering and sending in reports and all of those things. It’s therefore going to make it a litte bit harder for me to buy convoys in the future. I still hope I am able to though
I’m excited for you to start your own store! It’s been a while since I got a new Convoy, too long in fact. You have came out with so many new lights in the past couple of years; I’ll have to start a new savings fund, lol. Thank you Simon!
Very educational, Simon!
I rarely have problems with items ordered directly from China, and what I do is contact the seller first.
What they’ve always done is told me to keep the item, and then I also get a refund.
It’s so strange that it’s so cheap to ship out of China, but it’s super expensive to ship in to China.
This. I would imagine there are a few countries signed up to this tax collection at point of sale.
In short if not for sale by a company who does this pre charging tax I won’t shop there - the cost is way too high doing it the other way, largely because you have to pay the courier to collect the tax, and regardless if that tax is just 10p I have to pay £8 for them to collect it.
Also this way customs decide how much tax you pay, and it may not be accurate - example, I buy a £50 batch of lights on sale from Simons new shop for half price - when it gets here they will likely charge me tax on the full retail price (by searching on google for it) plus another £8 for courier to collect it.
Bottom line is I’d think very carefully about binning Aliexpress entirely because you might well lose some customers, maybe keep a few bits on there?. Food for thought.
I am delighted with my Convoy lights. Perhaps Westerners like me have been puzzled by idiosyncracies on the aliexpress website. For example, the item in the big photo is often not the item that is being purchased. The item in the little photo is the item that is being purchased.
I don’t buy much from AE anymore since i don’t really mod flashlights anymor, but when I do, buy from them since it’s vastly cheaper than buying from Mtn Electronics. Plus quality is so hit and miss it’s a gamble. I will say I will unhesitatingly buy from Convoy because Simon is great to work with-replies fast, and makes things right. Plus great price and nice product selection!
Sad to hear that the platform is so harsh. For a smaller seller, it would be particularly hard, but for a big one, not so much. Those sellers have more leverage and wiggle room for losses. Smaller ones do not.
Get out from under that! You can do much better on your own! Keep up the good work and service to iur community and hobby. Look forward to your new store!
Totally agree. Being constantly pushed forcefully toward using the app really pees me off. I’m very happy to read of the beginnings of a backlash at the data gathering app, and the joke that the AliExpress search function is.
Simon, I wish your independent venture the very best of luck, you’ll be well supported here.
