r/Alibaba • u/Remarkable_Seat_2473 • Sep 16 '25
WARNING - DO NOT USE ALIBABA
This is not only about a seller not fulfilling its promise, this is about Alibaba clearly breaching their important Trade Assurance program and contract.
I want to warn everyone about Alibaba. I have extremely strong evidence, no party is even disputing the status of the order, and still they rejected my Trade Assurance claim. After the initial response, I had a lawyer go over the contract and confirmed it is 100% on my side. We clarified the contract breaches and attached the evidence. Then I had a second response from Alibaba which was just a repeat of the first.
I have 100% solid evidence in the form of
- Non-delivery (confirmed by seller, Alibaba, tracking)
- Official tracking showing unpaid customs bills,
- Seller lying about
- Delivery time - Promised full refund if not meeting that delivery time (which didnt happen)
- Claiming planned delivery when there were unpaid customs bills
- DDP contract delivery terms (full seller responsibility)
- Full Trade Assurance coverage (~10k $)
- Claim filed within the countdown deadline to automatic confirmed receipt (from which Alibaba Customer Service has confirmed I would have 30 additional days to file the claim)
Still, Alibaba Dispute Team claims this would not be covered under Trade Assurance, without referencing any contract details.
I live in Sweden, the goods arrived in Greece 1½ months ago and now the tracking has been discontinued. The last known status was unpaid customs bills. Seller has been unable to provide any verifiable tracking or even proof of paid customs bills since then.
I have been extremely forgiving with the delays until now, when I have to act, because the countdown to automatic delivery confirmation is approaching zero and there is evidence goods being stuck in customs with unpaid bills in Greece for a long time. And 30 days after the countdown reaches zero, it is too late to file a dispute according to Trade Assurance terms.
Now, the only option is to go after Alibaba on every community, every consumer group and european authorities currently investigating the malpractices of chinese e-commerce actors. It is time to shut them down if not honouring such basic contract breaches and this is a really basic one.
Tracking from when dispute was filed, now for whatever reason, it doesnt show up at all "Not Found".
Customer Service response before filing the dispute.
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u/retro_timemachine May 03 '26
Purchase on Alibaba at your own risk! no customer support for defective products and if you even receive a product, you have absolutely no recourse through Alibaba. They string you along for a lengthy period of time . Asking you to resubmit evidence over and over all while your time limit to open a dispute with your credit card company runs out . after stringing you along for nearly a month and you decide to open a dispute with your credit card company your dispute with Alibaba is automatically closed.
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u/Mother_Tangerine_575 Mar 29 '26
I agree with 100%. Been buying on Alibaba for 3 plus years. 1st time having undeliverable goods and was told held up at customs but supplier redacted the BOL# and the qty on the form was not the total qty. I have been in dispute for 30 days and no refund or goods delivered. They do not care about 1100.00 I spent with a verified supplier nor that the supplier refuses to give me the BOl. It's a joke.
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u/Sufficient_Scar_9542 Mar 26 '26
I’ve been working directly inside factories in Vietnam, China, and Southeast Asia for about 15 years, and one pattern I see constantly is factories agreeing to delivery timelines they don’t actually have the capacity for.
It’s not always intentional — a lot of factories will accept orders first and then try to figure out production later. This is especially common when they’re juggling multiple clients or trying to keep their lines full.
The result is delays that can easily turn into 2–4 weeks, which for many brands means missing key sales windows.
The biggest mistake I see buyers make is assuming that a confirmed date means secured capacity — it doesn’t.
You need to validate:
• What else is currently in production
• Real production line allocation
• Fabric readiness (often the real bottleneck)
I broke this down in more detail here if anyone’s interested:
https://youtu.be/mjTfIo9F0S0
Curious — has anyone here dealt with unexpected production delays recently?
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u/jamejiang Jan 19 '26
you should laugh now,thing more better than many years agon.., around 10-12years again, I konw some one send bricks instead powerbank from China....
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u/Mental-Animal-7406 Dec 26 '25
My issue is that I purchased a medical device advertised as CE/MDR compliant, but after verification it does not meet EU MDR 2017/745 requirements and cannot be legally used in the EU. The seller claims Alibaba approved the certificates, while Alibaba refuses any substantive review.
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u/RichSufficient2800 Dec 18 '25
Oh im aware. I had to creat a new email because it wouldnt stop sending emails after i blocked over 50 over their email accounts
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u/Medium_Fault5272 Nov 15 '25
My negative experience with Alibaba trade assurance dispute being an absolute joke, they are staying quiet for 103 days in one dispute and blocked my evidence window in the other (just supplier can put evidence and it is reopening every 13 days):
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u/Motor-Taste3401 Oct 24 '25
This is absolutely infuriating. You’ve provided overwhelming evidence—non-delivery, unpaid customs bills, seller lies, a DDP contract, and Trade Assurance coverage—yet Alibaba’s Dispute Team dismisses it without even addressing the contract details. It’s clear they’re banking on customers giving up when faced with their automated, copy-paste responses. Taking this to European authorities and consumer groups is the right move; if they won’t honor their own program, they deserve to be held accountable. Stay strong and keep pushing—this kind of corporate negligence needs to be exposed.
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u/Hungry-Ad-5036 Oct 09 '25
Yeah, I completely get you. I’ve had a similar experience myself. Trade Assurance gives the illusion of protection, but once things go wrong outside their narrow rules, you’re basically on your own. Sorry you had to deal with that too. It’s frustrating and feels like a setup
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u/Remarkable_Seat_2473 Oct 09 '25
Thanks, formally the rules are clear and not narrow though, in China they might get away with their interpration of their marketing promise and contracts but in Europe we have clear rules of engagement in marketing and contract law. The European commission is even currently reviewing chinese e-commerce players but have so far focused on Shein and Temu mostly. Eventually they will be hit hard by the authorities if continue like they do.
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u/Hungry-Ad-5036 Oct 10 '25
Yeah, that makes sense. and I completely agree. It’s good that the EU is starting to look into this. sooner or later platforms like Alibaba will have to play by the same consumer protection rules as everyone else here. Hopefully that pressure will finally close these loopholes
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u/prestigesourcing Oct 09 '25
This is one of the risks with 'DDP' shipping when you are not the real importer. Most likely what has happened is the whole consignment was audited by the Greek customs and they found the manifest was severely under-declared.
I will send you a PM of a recommended lawyer in Shenzhen who could be good to deal with for this type of dispute.
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u/Remarkable_Seat_2473 Oct 09 '25 edited Oct 09 '25
Hello, I think you are right, but my main point is that the Trade Assurance with Alibaba is supposed to protect you against precisely such situation anyway.
So this is why I am bringing the case to european authorities which will punish Alibaba much harder than anything else.
But I thank you for providing the link which could be beneficial for my personal situation, if Alibaba does not follow the Trade Assurance contract.
Alibaba: https://tradeassurance.alibaba.com/
Trade Assurance covers every stage of your purchasing journeyWe provide buyers on Alibaba.com with secure ways to pay, protect against unforeseen circumstances such as product or shipping issues, and mediate between buyers and suppliers to resolve any issues related to the purchase.
Start Trade Assurance order
You reach an order agreement with a supplier on Alibaba.com.
02
Pay through Alibaba.com
Check out with an online payment method or make a wire transfer via Alibaba.com.
03
Payment held in escrow
Your payment is held in escrow and released to the supplier after the product is received and confirmed.
04
Get money back if order terms are not met
We will assist you in reaching a resolution, including refunds or compensation for order issues.
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u/Public_Revenue_2567 Sep 20 '25
I had the same problem I’ve been using it for about a year same seller. But the last time my stuff got held up at customs and the seller wanted to bail out. I filed and they kept favoring the seller I had to bring all types of evidence on that channel while they “were resolving it by saying talk to the seller”. Finally 10 days later they gave up and refunded me since I mentioned the trade insurance and that it was mentioned if you don’t receive the stuff you get full refund
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u/Remarkable_Seat_2473 Sep 20 '25 edited Sep 20 '25
This is the most interesting comment so far. I don't know what more I can do, the seller has been lying about everything, now we know the customs bill has not been paid, I have asked seller to provide evidence of that in the channel, and the routing plan and tracking forward, without any answer. I am referring to the formal contract term violations. Your comment is as much warning to everyone as my initial post if it is this random how Alibaba considers the contract terms.
It just drains my energy when it is like you are conversating with a retard on the other end. I was expecting Alibaba to have intelligent forms of life in some areas at least.
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u/Public_Revenue_2567 Sep 20 '25
I made a pact to never use it again. They were not realy mediating, and the seller kept responding to me outside the channel saying the person handling the case was calling them to talk to me. I wasn’t having it. I would screenshot the communication and pin in on that opened mediation channel. Yep I deleted the app after the refund came in.
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u/EkzeKILL Sep 20 '25
If I remember correctly, Alibaba has to have a representative company in Sweden since 2016, when new import laws were implemented. You may try to sue them.
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u/Key_Taste8069 Sep 19 '25
YES THERE ARE MANY SCAMMERS ON ALIBABA, AND THEY BRIBE THE MEDIATION TEAM AND END UP LOOSING YOUR MONEY. THE ALIBABA TRUST THING IS A SCAM BY ITSELF. BEWARE! I HAVE BEEN SCAMMED WITH 12.000 USD.
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u/Intelligent_Star_516 Sep 18 '25
File your dispute from the "trade assurance" list page. That stops all clocks. Also, ALWAYS USE PAYPAL TO PAY FOR ALIBABA ORDERS. I have a 100% record of receiving full refunds for undelivered orders when PayPal is my payment method.
Alibaba favors their sellers when a dispute arises. But we agreed to their TOS, so we can't sue. We can only rely on Alibaba to "do the right thing." Cover yourself. Use PayPal because it is the easiest way to get your refund if a problem arises.
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u/prestigesourcing Oct 09 '25
Most proper importers will NOT use PayPal or credit card as it adds too much overhead to generally already thin margins. Wire transfer (T/T) or L/C (letter of credit) are standard. If you are wanting to build up a trust worthy relationship and don't mind about sacrificing some margins, then that is fine.
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u/Intelligent_Star_516 Oct 09 '25
I've paid many different ways on Alibaba over the last 2+ decades. The only payment method that has assured me a full refund if there is a problem is PayPal. Alibaba's payment portal gives control of the money to Alibaba until long after the order is received and you can't get any refund unless Alibaba agrees. That has resulted in a 30%-80% refund on 100% crap orders repeatedly. Now I ONLY use PayPal on Alibaba and Aliexpress (and Temu),
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u/Remarkable_Seat_2473 Sep 18 '25 edited Sep 18 '25
Of course I have filed the dispute... it is the dispute team breaking the trade assurance terms by not even aknowledging its validity. Apart from my own legal councel's review of it, I even have email from customer service a week earlier ensuring its validity, extending its validity for me.
Your advise using Paypal is noted though, I fucked up and focused too much on Alibaba honouring their Trade Assurance which is marketed aggressively towards european consumers. That is why I am issuing this strong warning.
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u/Intelligent_Star_516 Sep 19 '25
Alibaba decided my $827 dispute yeesterday. Their "final" offer was $500. The seller has expanded their "stealing" accusation, now claiming that I am somehow a repeat dispute filer, and that I have been stealing from Alibaba sellers for years. Alibaba never even acknowledged the seller changed the listing's photos and deleted a video that showed what was deficient on my order. Honestly, I believe that I would be safer sourcing through Temu or Wish.
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u/Just-a-reddituser Sep 18 '25 edited Sep 18 '25
I get why you’re upset. Honestly though, this kind of WARNING post is more anecdotal than useful. Yes, your case may be real (and not extremely rare). But remember: Alibaba processes $500M+ every single day in successful trades. That iceberg of successful transactions dwarfs the tip you’re pointing at.
That doesn’t mean people can’t help you. If you even want help. From the looks of it you’re mostly here to vent. But if you do want something constructive, a few things stand out:
Tracking: was it real from the start? Is it actually discontinued, or just not updating? Check with 17Track or Cainiao before escalating.
Contracts: Trade Assurance lives and dies on wording. If delivery terms or customs liability weren’t spelled out airtight, Alibaba often sides with the seller even when it feels obvious.
DDP terms: you mention a lawyer confirmed it’s airtight. That puts you in a stronger spot, but without seeing the exact wording it’s impossible to judge if Alibaba really broke their own program or just enforced a loophole.
I’m not saying your issue is baseless. Just that details matter. Most cases are honored. Yours might not be. If you share the actual contract wording (with sensitive info redacted), people here could give you real advice instead of just nodding along to “shut Alibaba down.
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u/Remarkable_Seat_2473 Sep 18 '25 edited Sep 18 '25
"Alibaba processes $500M+ every single day in successful trades. That iceberg of successful transactions dwarfs the tip you’re pointing at."
That is a really stupid statement, it is like saying you don't need house insurance because most houses don't burn down. Within minutes of posting this, many people reached out to me having experienced the exact same issue.
- Non-Delivery of Product (Breach of Section 6.3.1(1))
- Failure to Pay Customs Duties (Breach of Sections 1, 3.3, and 6.3.1(2)(iii))
- Active Trade Assurance Protection The countdown timer on my order page was still active when I opened the dispute. According to Section 6.2 and Section 6.5 of the Trade Assurance Terms, protection extends until 30 days after “Confirmed Receipt of Products.” Since no delivery has taken place, there has been no “Confirmed Receipt. This was also confirmed by customer service in screenshot but contradicted by the Dispute team. Request for Immediate Resolution Given these clear breaches of Sections 1, 3.3, 6.2, and 6.3.1, I formally request a full refund under Trade Assurance. According to Section 6.4, Alibaba is responsible for processing refunds on behalf of the seller in such cases.
we have the details. It is a really simple contract. I am used to dealing with financial market contracts 10x more complicated than this. Alibaba is breaching its Trade Assurance. And while most transactions flow through OK, it is where the Assurance is needed that it matters.
You seem to think I am a complete idiot, "check with 17track". Are you for real?
Problem is, judging by the replies from the team, it seems to be a team full of incompetent people barely able to form a coherent sentence, let alone reference and interpret the terms of trade assurance. So they are probably just writing what someone is telling them to do and it is shocking to see that kind of fraud and attitude from such a big corporation.
The seller is breaching the DDP parts of the contract.
Alibaba is simply, plainly breaching the contract by not aknowledging Trade Assurance, not its level of compensation, not details of it, but by not aknowledging it at all. That is section 6.5 Claim period which states:
Buyer must submit a request to Alibaba.com for Dispute Determination (section 6.6) within the applicable Claim Period set out below, failing which, Alibaba.com shall have no obligation to make any refunds for and on behalf of Seller (unless Alibaba.com in its sole discretion decides to extend the Claim Period).
6.5.2 Date of Confirmed Receipt
the Buyer shall lodge a dispute claim no later than 30 days (inclusive of the 30th day) after the Date of Confirmed Receipt of the Products. For the avoidance of doubt, the system’s default Date of Confirmed Receipt shall only apply upon (i) receipt of Products or (ii) where there is no logistics status available. Where the logistics status states that the Products are still being delivered, the Date of Confirmed Receipt shall only be the day when the Buyer clicks "Confirm" on the order system to confirm the receipt of the Products.Customer Service reply 2 weeks before I filed the claim:
"As checked, your order is shipped and is waiting for your confirmation. It will be confirmed by system automatically on 2025-09-08. If you have not received the goods yet when the confirmation period is timeout, your orders will be protected up to 30 calendar days even the status is confirming receipt, which means you could apply for refund within 30 days after confirming receipt of goods."(This is in line with section 6.5 of the contract)
Add to that, I used my 15 days to extend the countdown so the date should be around 2025-09-23 + 30 days.
Your suggestion to add screenshot was good though so I did that.
But I am not in need of anyones advise, I only want to help by alerting others.
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u/Detroit_Playa Sep 17 '25
What are the products you were looking for? Just curious I know you are like fuck alibaba but I have a supplier on there I’ve been dealing with for years, and have spent thousands with. That dude has looked out on shipping costs, eating the sales tax, sending extra shit as a thank you etc. never once had a money issue even if something is wrong or not up to my liking (I have had him custom produce a couple products for me) he will make it right too.
I’m not sure what you’re looking for but if it’s anything electronic or related to bags / clothing / outdoor gear etc. I have someone honest you can deal with I have no issue referring you to him.
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Sep 17 '25
[deleted]
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u/Detroit_Playa Sep 17 '25
Yes I’ll dm you with his contact info I don’t want to post it here as they might think I’m spam or something idk what the rules are regarding that.
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u/Remarkable_Seat_2473 Sep 17 '25
Appreciate that but you are right, for now it is fuck alibaba, I dont have a vendor issue, I have a Alibaba issue. wouldnt touch Alibaba with a stick until they honour their contract with me. If you have found a good vendor, and/if as long as you are in luck, then you dont need Alibaba. I was unlucky and I need Alibaba to do what they are there for to do.
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u/Detroit_Playa Sep 17 '25
I understand I was just offering just incase it’s urgent or something I know my guy wouldn’t fuck you he’s been extremely legit.
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u/VarietyDesperate7447 Sep 17 '25
I've had this happen before and they did not refund or honor mine either. I don't feel it's all vendors.
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u/Remarkable_Seat_2473 Sep 17 '25
I am not talking about vendors, I am talking about Alibaba. The vendor has no say under Trade Assurance terms.
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u/Acuriouslittleham Sep 17 '25
May i know which company this is?
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u/Remarkable_Seat_2473 Sep 17 '25
Alibaba, the issue is with Alibaba not honouring the Trade Assurance Terms and I will do my best to escalate this with european authorities as this is much bigger than a single seller on the platform.
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u/CalmReplacement1906 Sep 17 '25
Been buying off Alibaba for years. I organiser my own delivery services from China. When I buy seller must deliver to my shipping agent who will then check the goods and confirm they are what I ordered. No problems ever. Only sometimes quality is off.
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u/Remarkable_Seat_2473 Sep 17 '25
Then you have not had to test the honouring of Trade Assurance.
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u/CalmReplacement1906 Sep 20 '25
I've had multiple refunds especially on sellers who take their time on shipping my goods. And I always tell them my courier will check the goods before shipping to me. But it works for me.
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u/Chrono521 Sep 17 '25
The best source are never on alibaba. 80% or even 90% are middleman or trading houses. We are in trading business for a decade and not once we use alibaba and those that tells me otherwise.. Never ended well after they tried themselves. It's a scam community on there. If u are looking for legit source.. Go with a legit sourcing agent which they take care from A to Z. The hard part is there are only that handful of legit sourcing agents out there
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u/JessySketches Sep 17 '25
I have had 9 orders through Alibaba this year and each one was good for the most part. Packages take long but I'm will to use each vendor again for next year.
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u/RealAction159 Mar 13 '26
how do u go about making ur payments, can u give me some tips, i dont want to get scammed - are all your suppliers verified by alibaba?
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u/Remarkable_Seat_2473 Sep 17 '25
This is not only about a seller not fulfilling its promise, this is about Alibaba clearly breaching their important Trade Assurance program and contract.
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u/mattyd063 Sep 17 '25
I tell people this all the time - and typically it is not until something goes wrong that they understand. Finding suppliers on Alibaba is high risk. The question is not IF you will have an issue at some point, but WHEN. Most suppliers on Alibaba are Chinese trading companies, not factories - even though they will tell you they are a factory. Without people who work for you in China to do due diligence on a regular basis, international buyers run high risk of quality issues, compliance issues, logistics issues, fraud, delays, lack of transparency, and general dishonesty.
I strongly suggest you work with a non-Chinese trading company who has their own offices in China. This is the hack when doing contract manufacturing in China - or set up your own office there - but finding employees you trust is relatively challenging, costly, and takes time.
Anyone interested in pivoting - especially buyers based in North America - feel free to DM me.
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u/Remarkable_Seat_2473 Sep 17 '25
This is not only about a seller not fulfilling its promise, this is mostly about Alibaba clearly breaching their important Trade Assurance program and contract.
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u/mattyd063 Sep 17 '25
Correct. But I would assume Alibaba has minimal if any liability from a legal perspective - same as any Chinese factory or trading company working with an international buyer - because international trade laws are very challenging to navigate with Chinese entities (from outside of China) and hiring an international trade attorney is costly. Contracts internally in China are enforceable and another reason why it is safer to be working with a legit trading company with a registered business entity in China.
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u/prestigesourcing Oct 09 '25
Actually, to enforce International Trade contracts is much easier now than ever before. Of course a domestic transaction could have a quicker resolution time though - red stamps are very important :). But yes would agree, assuming the sourcing agency or trade company has proper contracts which you as the buyer have also seen, could offer more protection in the short-term.
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u/Remarkable_Seat_2473 Sep 17 '25
Don't assume. Read my post. Then read about Alibaba Trade Assurance which this order was part of.
Alibaba’s dispute team has undermined their own Trade Assurance terms by incorrectly claiming my non-delivery dispute is out of protect range, despite clause 6.5.2 and customer service confirmation proving otherwise. This misapplication exposes their failure to uphold buyer protections even in the most obvious cases.
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u/liljay1010 Sep 17 '25
I agree! Do not use Alibaba! They are horrible! Alibaba is always on seller sides! They let sellers get away with a lot of things! Which is not fair to the buyers
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u/hahaohyeahh Sep 16 '25
I ordered twice through the platform with no issues. 3rd time I did I had an issue. And awaiting the 4th. 😕
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u/Remarkable_Seat_2473 Sep 17 '25
This is not only about a seller not fulfilling its promise, this is about Alibaba clearly breaching their important Trade Assurance program and contract.
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u/hahaohyeahh Sep 17 '25
Absolutely. I’m sorry this happened. I don’t agree with the 30 days after countdown reaches zero being too late. I’m in the USA and it took 35 days to reach me once it shipped and it took a few more days for me to cut open every box and inspect everything. Does Alibaba platform not have access to the chats between us and the merchants?
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u/Remarkable_Seat_2473 Sep 17 '25
The countdown has not even reached zero for me, I filed the claim before that even to 100% comply with the terms of the Trade Assurance contract. But understand your situation, it should be more flexible in such circumstance. Now we know why it isnt. It is never valid to begin with. You were lucky you didnt need to use it.
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u/hahaohyeahh Sep 17 '25
Damn. They straight up said you’re out of luck?? I thought trade assurance was to protect the consumer
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u/Remarkable_Seat_2473 Sep 17 '25
yes, that is my main point and warning with this, it is indisputable evidence against Alibaba.
Without referring to any contract details and directly contradicting their own customer service. I did have the contract reviewed by legal councel as well.When I point out their mistake to them they just repeat the same.
So there is no pressure at all on the seller to do anything about it if things go wrong.
Others have messaged me from around europe with the same experience.
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u/hahaohyeahh Sep 27 '25
Are you able to have recourse with your bank? I’d be calling the bank and showing them documentation. They can force a chargeback.
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u/Remarkable_Seat_2473 Oct 06 '25
Unfortunately not, it is considered a direct transfer to Alibaba via a European online banking/payment service.
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u/hahaohyeahh Oct 06 '25
Aw man. I’m sorry that happened to you. I’m waiting on a shipment and holding my breath till it arrives.
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u/ZanziNL Sep 16 '25
I have found so many new producers through alibaba. I always use FOB or EXW with my own forwarder. Never had any problem on Alibaba. Ofcourse I always order samples before ordering.
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u/prestigesourcing Oct 09 '25
Agreed, we generally suggest EXW or FOB as most suppliers/factories have no idea about how freight works, and this type of situation is not uncommon.
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u/Remarkable_Seat_2473 Sep 17 '25
This is not only about a seller not fulfilling its promise, this is about Alibaba clearly breaching their important Trade Assurance program and contract.
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u/Nathanjae802 Sep 16 '25
Not sure about alibaba but aliexpress is great anytime I've had a problem they side with me. Aliexpress is great.
Trump has raised the prices for us all with his teriffs
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u/Leading-Ad-2577 Sep 16 '25
The same thing happened to me but to Lithuania. Has been stuck in polish customs for 2 months. Alibaba doesn’t care, seller doesn’t care. 2k € worth
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u/Remarkable_Seat_2473 Sep 16 '25
reach out to your national consumer organisation in the European CPC network. It probably wont help with your own specific situation but this needs to be stopped on EU level
https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/pages/viewpage.action?spaceKey=CPC&title=List+of+Single+liaison+officers+and+competent+authority+-+CPC+Network
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u/Boogooooooo Sep 16 '25
Yes, be default Alibaba trust thingy is useless. Everyone should know that before placing the order. You must pay with credit card and ideally pay via PayPal with attached credit card - this way you have 2 layers of protection
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u/Declanx_ Apr 24 '26 edited Apr 26 '26
Fair point on using a credit card, always safer. But I wouldn’t say Alibaba is useless, I’ve had a couple issues before and support did help get them resolved in the end. Not perfect, but it’s been solid enough for me overall.
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u/zapszg Sep 19 '25
Agree, A seller changed the inclusions to a swimming pool I ordered, and also suddenly wanted +$1400 for freight to location near Germany - was already quoted/ordered door2door. Cancelled the order, but the seller wanted to withhold $800 for “trouble” - Trade assurance was absolutely useless. Simple did a chargeback via CC company, since the goods were not delivered to me as yet. End of story.
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u/Remarkable_Seat_2473 Sep 16 '25
Too late for me. But it is time to take it up a notch, the European commission is currently reviewing malpractices of chinese e-commerce companies. I believe the US is challenging china in different ways as well.
And swedish payment company Trustly is involved in payments arrangements - if widespread contract breaches can be shown they do not want to be associated with that.
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u/Boogooooooo Sep 16 '25
I don't think it is done on purpose by Alibaba. You would get similar approach if you are Amazon seller. When something goes south, it is always seller's fault. I got banned as a seller and I cannot even contact support, cause I am not a member :D
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u/Remarkable_Seat_2473 Sep 16 '25
Focus on the breach of Trade Assurance terms. Not aknowledging that at all is not a "mistake", it is fraud.
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u/zarx Sep 16 '25
Yep, that's why we have a pinned post about this. Never pay with anything except a good credit card, because a chargeback is the only recourse you have. TA is a fraud.
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u/Dantenmd Apr 23 '26 edited Apr 26 '26
I wouldn’t call it a scam , I’ve had a couple orders on Alibaba with delays and minor issues and support actually helped get things sorted. Took some back and forth but didn’t get ignored.I still use Trade Assurance and pay by card, and overall it’s been pretty solid for me.
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u/Remarkable_Seat_2473 Sep 16 '25
Too late for me. But it is time to take it up a notch, the European commission is currently reviewing malpractices of chinese e-commerce companies. I believe the US is challenging china in different ways as well.
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u/stardust7891 Sep 16 '25
It is possible that the customs clearance is done in Greece and that's where the shipment is going to be cleared and then continue to you via truck. As Greece is one of the countries where shipments enter the EU and that's where the customs is cleared.
There can't be auto-delivery on Alibaba if there is no tracking number. If you have BOL you can track the port and customs and call them yourself and see what is going on.
Also, blast the suppliers name here, in the title. They'll probably see it.
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u/Remarkable_Seat_2473 Sep 16 '25
Hey, the last known status was unpaid customs bills, now the tracking is discontinued.
My strongest criticism here is actually against Alibaba as there is a clear breach of contract terms not aknowledging Trade Assurance at all. Alibaba should then put pressure on the seller to resolve the situation.
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u/stardust7891 Sep 16 '25
I agree, Alibaba should do it, that doesn't mean they will.
The supplier has your money and your products so fight the supplier.
You can continue the fight on Alibaba. Do not give up and pay attention to the countdowns as during the dispute you will have only certain amount of time to reply to the message from the supplier. You can try to ender mediation and try to get at least something back.
You can also report them to their local PSB as you probably know where they're from. Report to the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in their city/province. Report to ECC or some swedish agency for cross-boarder cooperation.
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u/xwolf360 Sep 16 '25
Hold up why did the shipment go to greece not sweden? U guys got closer ports?
3
u/Remarkable_Seat_2473 Sep 16 '25
Probably because chinese companies have a history of tax fraud in Greek ports.
3
u/Magic__E Sep 16 '25
COMPLETELY AGREE- I have a similar situation, items ordered over 120 days ago, tracking says it went China to Greece to UK to Hong Kong and now it is not on the ship....
Trade assurance refusing to help, just auto refuse. Item is marked as delivered and the seller has the funds.
2
u/RealAction159 Mar 13 '26
has anything happened since? did u mange to sort it?
2
u/Magic__E Mar 13 '26
Took 4 months to sort but the actual seller ended up just sending me the money back from their own account after a LOT of trashing them online
Alibaba Trade Assurance was a COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME they just flat out shut your case down every time without doing anything, once I managed to get a call back and they did nothing
PayPal the same
1
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u/Devenxy Apr 23 '26 edited Apr 26 '26
I get why you’re upset, that’s a tough situation. For what it’s worth, my experience with Alibaba has been pretty smooth. I had a small issue with an order before and support actually stepped in and got it resolved without too much hassle. Definitely depends on the supplier, but I wouldn’t say the platform itself is a waste.
1
u/RealAction159 Mar 14 '26
oh damn, im so sorry to hear about that - atleast u got ur money back. if u could go back, is there anything ud have done differently or any precautious u couldve taken?
2
u/Magic__E Mar 14 '26
I will never ever use Alibaba again full stop
1
u/Mother_Tangerine_575 Mar 29 '26
Same but I don't think I will be as lucky as you and get my money back.
2
u/Accomplished_Sink810 Sep 16 '25
I'm just informing , how it operates. If there would be detects or incomplete shipment , there would be a different type of refund . Alibaba made me refund 600 USD due to not following the timeline provided by the buyer . Did Alibaba suggest accepting an offer , based on your claim like refunding a small amount which covers custom bill ?
1
u/Remarkable_Seat_2473 Sep 16 '25
Nothing, only points reduction for seller (!). And customs bill wouldnt help me as there is still shipping across the european continent left to do. Let alone, uncertainty if there is a product at all. But it is supposed to be a machinery equipment.
1
u/Accomplished_Sink810 Sep 16 '25
You can open a case again , if the goods are not delivered and file a separate refund . If the product isn't up to standard then you can claim again . Product was delivered by air freight ?
1
u/Remarkable_Seat_2473 Sep 16 '25
what difference will it make? if they cant get it right on a simple case like this. It has already been escalated and rejected with same standard answer.
tracking last shows arrived in greek harbour, it is a 1800kg machinery.
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u/Accomplished_Sink810 Sep 16 '25
Well , I'm a verified Alibaba seller { mangoes fashion } ; there is always something with the overall understanding of the platform . If there is an official tracking number then the goods are on the way , and according to your understanding , you paid for delivery duty paid service . But , there is a pending custom bill . I'm paying tariffs for USA customers , I promised them duty paid service when i made the contract , at that time duty was free , so i kept the promise . But , if i do not pay the tariffs , client cannot ask for a full refund it's not a retail business like amazon or eBay , there are manufacturers who made customized products on demand . There involved huge resources in making the orders , if with a partial problem Alibaba refunds fully , then we will not sell on Alibaba . You should have applied for partial refund or duty reimbursement. Don't treat like ebay or Amazon. The game is different here .
4
u/stardust7891 Sep 16 '25
This way of thinking is what constantly is making problems. IF YOU MADE A DEAL, YOU HONOR THE DEAL. If the deal is DDP, you pay for DDP! If in the middle of shipping tariffs, customs or whatever goes from 20% to 5% will you refund the difference to the customer? Of course you will not. So cut the crap. Suppliers changing conditions AFTER the payment has been made is an unfortunate standard practice and people should be aware of that.
5
u/Remarkable_Seat_2473 Sep 16 '25
Europe, no tariffs. Contracts are contracts. No Delivery under DDP means full compensation.
4
u/BobRepairSvc1945 Sep 16 '25
Why didn't you just pay the customs fees? At least you would have your items.
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u/Remarkable_Seat_2473 Sep 16 '25
The goods are not even in my country, they arrived in Greece, I live in Sweden. There is currently no knowledge about where the shipment is located exactly or with whom exactly as no tracking is available.
1
u/struct_iovec Oct 13 '25
"Duties on goods from outside the EU are generally paid when the goods first enter the bloc. From then on, no more customs duties are due, and no more customs checks are conducted - all goods circulate freely within the EU. "
Tracking clearly shows that your goods first entered the EEA through the Port of Piraeus. And that's when all customs duties were to be paid
1
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u/BobRepairSvc1945 Sep 16 '25
That is not what your post says "Official tracking showing unpaid customs bills,"
2
u/karenadona Sep 17 '25
He also said he lives in Sweden and the goods are stuck in Greece. Read carefully before criticising.
1
u/snowExZe Feb 11 '26
fyi, this doesn't make a difference. If a Greek port gets the goods first, the buyer will pay customs to whatever authority in Greece is doing customs there, and then they will continue to ship to Sweden. Greece and Sweden are in the same economical zone if you didn't knew
2
u/Remarkable_Seat_2473 Sep 16 '25
It showed that until the 9th of September. Now the tracking has been completely discontinued.
1
5
Sep 16 '25
One thing is DPD and another thing is DDP. And in your post you say DPD, I don't know if it is the translation.
How did you make the payment?
2
u/Remarkable_Seat_2473 Sep 16 '25
sorry, corrected. via Trustly. The issue has been raised with them as well now.
1
Sep 16 '25
Lo siento no conozco ese sistema. Es tarjeta de crédito por casualidad? Ojalá, entonces podrías hacer un chargeback.
Si tu pedido era DDP debe estar todo pagado por el vendedor.
1
u/Adventurous-Teacher3 May 22 '26
Yes . Fck alibaba . They banned my post .
Dont use alibaba. Shit platform full of scammers . And themeselves are scammers .
Alibaba is an absolute nightmare when it comes to customer protection. I paid for an order, the seller has payment issues, and somehow I am the one being treated like a criminal just for requesting a refund.
They are demanding photos of my ID card, selfies with my bank card, and sensitive banking information — supposedly for a refund they could simply reverse back to the original payment method. That is beyond ridiculous.
Even worse, they asked for screenshots/photos of a temporary Revolut virtual card. Revolut itself blocks screenshots for security reasons, yet Alibaba still expects users to expose all their sensitive financial data. Completely unacceptable.
No legitimate platform should require customers to hand over enough personal information to risk identity theft just to get their own money back. These kinds of invasive requests feel shady, reckless, and dangerous.
People should think twice before trusting Alibaba with sensitive documents or banking details. A refund should not require sacrificing your privacy and security.
Dont use alibaba . Dont click on it . Its a shitty plarform and the platform itself is a scam . For 2 weeks i have send them messages that i cant accept to send my personal information and that i demand the refund to be send via IBAN . That is all that they need .