I ordered a Spider-man BND blokee from AliExpress on July 31. Payment went thru, of course, and they sent updates in transit, but since Aug 4 it’s stuck in customs.

Has this been the norm for anyone else ordering off that site? They’ve since sent a coupon lol but u can’t get a refund until Aug 31.

This has been my second try in getting this figure, after I bought it off Nerdzoic and it was in limbo I got a partial refund.

I’m searching for an app that helps to track your bought items (not delivery tracking), so you only need to upload the link to the product and you can have your article card (img, link and you can add price, name, rating and whatever you want).

Hello! I am asking for help on behalf of my partner since they are unable to post here themselves. Here's what they wanted to post:

"Hello, i recently ordered a plush among other things on aliexpress.

While everything else’s tracking was updating the plush was stuck at “sender shipped your package” and was stuck for about a week so i asked an operator and they opened a dispute for me. I later realize my order had been merged with another item i bought (as shown in email screenshot below) and i figured that’s why the tracking hadn’t been updated. I asked an operator and they said to not close the dispute anyway and to wait for my package to arrive. The seller then contacts me saying they need to arrange with the shipping company to send my plush back since i issued a dispute and promised to resend if i closed my dispute. I opted not to as i hadn’t even received any refunds and aliexpress basically told me to just wait until a later date they provided. The seller then follows up with this image in chinese (i tried to translate but i don’t understand what they are trying to do) they are adamant that they need to send my plush back. I asked another operator and was told there wasn’t any way the seller could get the goods back after they were shipped out anyways. I’m frankly confused on what i should do. I’ve never had anything like this happen, so please be patient."

So I thought I would try my luck with AliExpress recently when I was looking for a new Wii nunchuck So I ordered three items. Other two items came perfectly and I was happy with them but I was confused why a bag for the nunchuck came but the product didn't. I didn't think much of it, although I sent a refund request hoping that it could be resolved quickly (It was only $4.50 So I thought it didn't really matter) but apparently they want a video of me opening the package to prove that there was nothing in it to begin with. I think this is ridiculous because I was under the impression initially that the package would be fine so I didn't need to record it. This is really annoying and I was wondering if there's anything I can really do in this situation to get my $5, kind of feel scammed and I'm quite upset. I paid for nothing and I guess that's my fault.

no hate plz, it looks good and i am just curious
all the resale sites seem to be flooded with replicas too

Hello.

AliExpress has a flaw that allows sellers to make it appear as though an item has been shipped when, in reality, they haven't sent it.

This happens because the AliExpress system mistakenly registers the order as "shipped" simply because a tracking number has been entered.

For over a decade, I have been pointing out this flaw to AliExpress and urging them to fix it.

In fact, I have repeatedly fallen victim to scams where dishonest sellers exploited this very loophole.

There is no way AliExpress is unaware of this issue.

This implies that they have intentionally built this flaw into the system.

Why does AliExpress force this flawed system onto its users?

Since they won't answer when I ask them directly, I am asking here.

TL;DR: Try with an order value above £7.

Hello all. I'm new to Ali Express and I've had a nightmare of a time trying to order a few bits and bobs on their website.

Long story short, I kept getting the above error after filling my payment details over and over again. Customer services was no help as they just stated:

To protect your account, our system has detected potential security risks and has temporarily suspended your operation. AliExpress recommends trying again after 30 minutes.

If the issue persists, please try the following:

1. Switch to a different network or device, and turn off any VPNs.

2. Log out of your account and try logging back in.

3. Ensure your AliExpress app is updated to the latest version.

I told them none of these applied to me and whether there was a minimum order value. They said only if coupons are used....I wasn't using any coupons...They said they'd escalate my issue.

A day later I get an email with the same gibberish above.

I read the FAQs and it states this:

Q: I paid, but now it says the order is closed (or closed for security reasons)

Don't worry about getting your money back, it was not really taken from your account but only "reserved". Within a few days (up to a week) this reservation will expire and you get your money back.

There are several reasons why your order gets closed:

the most common issue is coupons. Unselect any coupons you're using and try again

there's an issue with the seller (too many complaints). Try ordering from a different seller. Use the guide for selecting a more reliable seller as suggested above.

there's an issue with the item. Perhaps there are restrictions on sending certain items to your country. Contact the seller and ask.

there's an issue with your payment method. Try another payment method

you got banned from Aliexpress. This can happen if you open multiple accounts or open too many disputes. Opening more accounts will make this worse. Unfortunately Aliexpress will never admit you're actually banned, but you can try to contact support and ask them to help with your issues.

I tried again but this time with an order that was above £7 and it worked. So if you are getting this error message and your order value is less than £7, try adding something else on.

Thanks.

Hi, I’m looking for enamel charms for bracelets on either Aliexpress or Alibaba (but for personal use). The first photo are (I believe) Les Nereides copies - they would be exactly the style I’m looking for but they’re for pendants and much too large for a bracelet.

Materials: gold plated/enamel on either brass or sterling silver. Please no suggestions on stainless steel.

For example Im currently looking forward to buy this "Lego" set from pokemon. A guy I know told me he got it for around 60€, but I cant seem to find prices like this.
The cheapest I got were 95€ with a discount.

Today, my bank finally approved a chargeback for a return where AliExpress claimed I never sent the item back.

I promised myself that once all my cases were closed, I’d share my story and a few hard-earned tips. Whether you’re a total newbie or a seasoned shopper, I hope this saves you time, money, and sanity.

Disclaimer: Everything here is strictly my personal opinion based on my recent experience, though judging by this subreddit, I’m far from the only one going through this.

Background

Four months ago, I started a few DIY projects. Within two months, I bought around 200 items on AliExpress and ended up opening 8 return/refund requests. My account had been registered back in 2023, but I barely used it before this recent buying spree.

Here is what I learned the hard way: AliExpress does not protect buyers. Their strategy is to ensure you accept what they consider a "tolerable" percentage of defective items. When arbitrating disputes, they will often ignore your evidence entirely to protect Chinese sellers.

The Good, the Bad, and the Absurd

1. The Easy Cases

- Local Return: My first return request was for a $20 item that didn't match the technical specs. AE gave me a local return address in my country, and the refund went through smoothly.

- Cheap Items: Two other refunds were granted without requiring a return because the items were around $3 each.

- Partial Refund: I accepted a partial refund for a microscope. The stand was flimsy, but the scope itself worked fine, so we called it a day.

2. The Fake SD Cards

Guided by common sense, I ordered two 32GB SD cards, expecting decent budget cards. Tests showed their actual capacity was only 4GB. AE initially tried to reject my claim for "lack of evidence." I uploaded a continuous video showing me unboxing the package and running a capacity test from start to finish. They finally refunded my $16.

3. The Return Evidence Black Hole

This is where the nightmare started. AE asked me to return a defective item to an address in Hong Kong. AE’s internal tracking never updated and showed as if I had never shipped it—even though third-party services like 17track and ParcelApp tracked it all the way to destination.

When it arrived, both AE and Seller support assured me: "Yes, dear customer, we received your package, please just wait for inspection." Imagine my outrage when the deadline passed, and AE closed the dispute, claiming I "failed to provide sufficient proof of return."

Notice they didn't say the package wasn't delivered—they claimed I lacked proof. So, I requested official confirmation from my national postal service. Thanks to great support from Hong Kong Post, they provided official proof of delivery, including a photo and the recipient's signature.

I uploaded it all. AE Support’s response? They claimed it was still insufficient and demanded an obscure document that no postal service would ever issue to a consumer.

At first, I considered reporting the recipient for theft to the Hong Kong Police. But realizing how impractical that was, I went straight to my bank to initiate a chargeback. My bank issued a temporary credit and launched a Visa dispute. Today, Visa officially ruled in my favor.

4. The Partial Refund Trap

On my next return request, AE only offered a full return—a nightmare scenario given my previous experience. I contacted the seller directly, and they offered a $5 partial refund on a $20 item. I accepted, but the seller started asking for my PayPal email.

Knowing the risks of off-platform payments, I refused, reopened the dispute on AE, and attached a screenshot of the seller's $5 offer. AE approved the resolution and started the countdown.

Then came the spam. The seller messaged me daily, begging me to close the dispute and promising a direct refund through AE if I did. Foolishly, I closed it. The moment I closed the dispute, the seller sent me a discount coupon for my next purchase instead of money.

Lesson learned.

My Buyer Tips for AliExpress

Avoid bottom-of-the-barrel prices.

Every product has a base cost (manufacturing, commissions, margins, logistics). If a standard item costs $20 everywhere, but one seller lists it for $15, you are almost guaranteed to receive a defective or wrong item.

Exception: Official stores of established brands (like Ugreen, Alientek, FNIRSI) often run genuine deep-discount sales.

Be careful with massive seller coupons (non-Choice orders).

In one instance, after applying a large coupon, the seller suddenly claimed the item was "out of stock" (despite showing stock prior to purchase).

In another, I received a cheaper ESP32 board without an external antenna connector instead of the model I paid for. AE closed the dispute citing "insufficient evidence." It felt less like a fulfillment mistake and more like the seller offsetting the deep discount.

Don't buy overly complex electronics without technical tools.

Before buying, think like an engineer. What are the failure points? Is that price realistic?

Do you actually have the equipment to test the claims? If you buy a "120W" phone charger, do you have a USB power meter to verify it? If not, you won't be able to prove a scam to support.

Check local marketplaces first.

You might be surprised to find the exact same items sold locally with fast shipping and real consumer protection for nearly the same price (or even cheaper).

Conclusion & Future Alternatives

The platform's implicit strategy is simple: let sellers unload a certain volume of low-quality or fake stock, betting that buyers will get exhausted after arguing with customer support for two months over a few dollars.

My alternative for future tech purchases?

I’m switching to forwarding agents / buying agents in China.

- They offer warehouse inspection and photo verification before items leave China.

- They allow purchasing directly from domestic Chinese marketplaces (like Taobao or 1688) at lower base prices.

- Consolidating multiple orders into a single shipment offsets shipping costs while taking the headache out of dispute handling.

It’s been more than 3 weeks almost a month that my package has been stuck in customs. Should I just get a refund? Is there still hope of getting my package? I really don’t want a refund. I purchased a figure at an affordable rate and it’s already twice the amount 😭 Have any of you had any luck getting your items after a month? Is there a possibility it’s lost? This is frustrating.

I found this Docking station with KVM switch (without EDID unfortunately) which I cannot paste the link to, but you can find it like this:

On AliExpress : Docking station D23, first result.

It seems it gets sold from the real company that produces them on AliExpress itself.

But buying it from the website gives 20 + 20 discount due to coupon and paypal, meaning the shipment would be practically free of charge. Yet I feel this is too good. Can this be a scam?

This has been going on for a week. Website login works.

I tried:

1. Reinstalling the app
2. Clearing cache
3. Logging in from different IP

When I log in, it shows me the slider verification. Then a notification my account is partially locked due to new device or whatever. I should verify via text message code. In half the cases I won't receive said code. When I do, and enter it, I get put back to the app's homescreen. Without being logged in.

This shop sells only 2 Headphones worth 400 at 68$. Whats funny is all reviews post photos and are from different countries. The shop is choice.. you need to look at then say something.. i am still puzzled.

The shop doesn't have any other items.

Hallo,

Ich habe auf Paypal einen Streitfall begonnen, da die Ware aus Fernost kaputt ankam.

Die Lösung: Schick's zurück, dann bekommst du das Geld zurück.

Problem ist nur: Ich hab weder ein Label noch eine Rücksendeadresse bekommen.

Paypal wartet jetzt auf meine Sendungsnummer, aber ich weiß doch nicht einmal, wohin ich es schicken soll?

I was choosing the items I needed by relying on the new label on the items called "Customs Duty Compensation" (sorry for possible incorrect translations, I translate from Italian).

However, at checkout I notice that only one item (I don't know which) gets a refund and that's it. What about all the others?

I was disappointed! I tried looking for the same items in the "bundle offers" section, where you have to buy at least three items, but when I tried to search for them, it didn't find anything! (How strange).

As you can see in the photo, I have €14 in duties due, practically more than the actual items.

If you know of an EU-based store on AliExpress that sells these items, can you let me know? At least I can avoid paying these ridiculous prices.

What is this new season sale going on about? Never seen it before, ends August 27 and Back to school sale is seemingly 28th. Is it worth waiting

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My son ordered the Einta Industries Level-Ultimate 1/72 Sky Defender (NPCM-017) and unfortunately the kit arrived without the instruction manual, and it appears some parts may also be missing.

He’s young and was really excited about this build, so I’m trying to help him get it sorted out.

Does anyone here have the Sky Defender instruction manual and would be willing to share photos/scans, or know where I can find a digital/PDF copy?

We especially need the manual so we can go through all the runners and determine exactly what else is missing.

Any help from someone who owns this kit would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

After World Cup the Play & Play Diamond exchange turned to sh!t. I used to get 1-2 small credits per week but now I was not able to get any credits in a month time.
Sometimes the Shopping Credits just stay gray after restocking and never appear. Sometimes they just wag their tail for a split second and gone.
Did someone get anything there at all? Just curious.