Alibaba

robatwork

Anyone bought anything on Alibaba.com?

Bought some shoes online about 6 weeks ago from China. The China tracking website as well as the Royal Mail one says it's in Langley HWDC and has been since 18th April.

Royal mail can't tell me anything else - other than "ask the seller". Seller can't of course tell me anything either. How long can I expect to wait for this - if there is customs payable surely they should have let me know by now.....

ta

bod1467

In the grand scheme of things, you could probably file a chargeback claim for non-receipt of goods, since it is more than 15 days since you placed the order. (Assuming you paid by credit card or VISA debit card).

Not fair on the supplier perhaps, but you'd get your money back.

paddyrg

Alibaba or Aliexpress? Aliexpress is safer as it is paid by escrow and the seller bears the full risk. Could be all kinds of problems from mislabeled address to being stopped at customs for containing possible fakes to the website tracking not being updated! I once had to chase an Aliexpress seller for the correct tracking number, turned out the goods had already cleared customs and were due that day, but according to the tracking number given they were awaiting dispatch!

Can they check it's the right number, maybe?

robatwork

Ah yep it's aliexpress - already chased the seller but as they are showing in the UK there's not much she can do. Other than use a courier and not CN / Royal Mail where tracking seems to end at Heathrow... thanks for the replies

paddyrg

Could be that there's duty to pay on the import, and the duty demand notice ironically got lost in the post? Have you contacted the royal mail at Heathrow to see if it is something like that?

Rolandtheroadie

Alibaba is just really putting you in touch with sellers all over the world. The sales/products arnt really anything to do with them.

paddyrg

scotsman4th wrote: »

Alibaba is just really putting you in touch with sellers all over the world. The sales/products arnt really anything to do with them.

OP has indicated it was AliExpress, who do get involved, they provide an escrow service etc as frankly only the brave should go near Alibaba with so many scams!

soolin

paddyrg wrote: »

OP has indicated it was AliExpress, who do get involved, they provide an escrow service etc as frankly only the brave should go near Alibaba with so many scams!

I am a user of AliExpress as they are a very good source of very good cheap craft items that are used in a business that my friend runs. All my items are lower than the customs and duty rate and they ususally arrive in around 4-5 weeks.

However, I believe AliExpress are now in trouble as my stuff has stopped arriving. After 2 months I opened a dispute on one seller as they refused to refund, the dispute says my money is safe as it is in escrow and that the dispute team would contact me in 2 working days. That was nearly a month ago and I've heard nothing. On the various wholesale forums people have had disputes open for months and basically given up expecting a refund.

Checking other buyers on facebook the dispute apparently just sits there, the escrow is completely worthless and only a very small minority ever see their money. The contact us system has never worked- ever (and again that is echoed on the various buying groups and wholesale forums). I did track down an email for someone there (there are no email details on the site apart from the individual sellers) and have had several responses saying they would contact me- and they never do.

The best thing is that until I confirm delivery I cannot leave feedback for the seller, so theor reputation that AliExpress tell you to look for, is nonsense- as those sellers that do not deliver have no poor feedback.

I now have 2 disputes open, luckily for small amounts as I don't believe I'll ever see my money again.

Rolandtheroadie

paddyrg wrote: »

OP has indicated it was AliExpress, who do get involved, they provide an escrow service etc as frankly only the brave should go near Alibaba with so many scams!

I'd only really read the title and the op's op.

Perhaps I worded it wrong but what I meant was that Alibaba wasnt really who the praise/vent/warning was about and that the title was misleading.

I've paid quite a bit of money via Western Union to a gentleman in Pakistan that I got in touch with via Alibaba and had no problems. If it had went wrong, it would have been my fault, not Alibaba's.

None of the above (or my previous post) is a dig at the OP, I was just passing comment.

robatwork

paddyrg wrote: »

Could be that there's duty to pay on the import, and the duty demand notice ironically got lost in the post? Have you contacted the royal mail at Heathrow to see if it is something like that?

I tried to contact RM and they were less than helpful. Do you have a direct phone or email for RM? - I can find one for HMRC customs but guess I need to contact RM directly

soolin

scotsman4th wrote: »

I'd only really read the title and the op's op.

Perhaps I worded it wrong but what I meant was that Alibaba wasnt really who the praise/vent/warning was about and that the title was misleading.

I've paid quite a bit of money via Western Union to a gentleman in Pakistan that I got in touch with via Alibaba and had no problems. If it had went wrong, it would have been my fault, not Alibaba's.

None of the above (or my previous post) is a dig at the OP, I was just passing comment.

I think there is a huge difference though between buying something and paying by Western Union knowing you risk all your money if it goes wrong, and using a site that claims it keeps your money safe under a secure escrow service.

I have lost my money on AliExpress, not through my own fault about being reckless with how I paid, but because I trusted the site when it said that the escrow service was secure. No tracked delivery = money back under dispute. I have tracking from both my sellers, neither show as a valid number anywhere so my money *should* be safe.