Morgan M.

Here's an update on my encounter with AliExpress for the CCTV Camera I bought.

My order was for a CCTV Camera and I have been communicating with the Seller for over two months. This morning I received below reply from AliExpress. Bearing in mind the
CCTV Camera is defective and will not work, AliExpress offered to refund me 50% of what
I paid. This means I stand to lose 50% of what I paid.

Anyway, do read what AliExpress said to me -

QUOTE:

Please kindly understand that our mediation is on the basis that you provided enough
Evidence for your claim. If you failed to provide sufficient valid evidence eventually,
AliExpress Case Management Team could not consider your claim as requested.

Regarding your dispute about the order, Aliexpress can provide you two following options,
And we kindly invite you to choose one of them:

Option 1) 50% refund without returning goods. (We checked the information and
Supportive evidence you provided for this dispute, your claim about product can not work
Properly is accepted. According to the problem of the order, we can provide you this partial
Refund option. If you would like to get a full refund, we suggest you to choose Option 2.

Option 2) Return the goods for a full refund.
A). Return shipping cost: Please kindly note that if there is no agreement that seller pay
The returning shipping fee, according to the return policy that seller set for this order, buyer
May need to pay for the returning freight; thus a partial refund as compensation would be
A better choice if you would like to keep the product that still has certain value.
B). Return Address: If you choose this way, we will ask seller to provide the returning
Address. Please be aware that the returning address must be confirmed or provided by
Seller. If you send it to a wrong place, you will be responsible for the loss.

Please let us know your choice or other remarks within 3 calendar days. If you fail to
Choose or reach an agreement with seller before the deadline, we will close this dispute
Directly according to the option 1.

If the seller provides valid counter evidence as response, we might update options you
Could choose.

UNQUOTE:

As you can see from above, the buyer will ALWAYS be at the losing end. If the goods is
Faulty, the buyer can only expect a percentage of what he paid (in my case they are
Offering a 50% refund - this means I will lose 50%... and for what? I lose 50% of what I
Paid for a CCTV camera that will not work and is of not use or value to me. Is this
AliExpress gesture of "half a loaf is better than none"?

And look at the last line of AliExpress's reply to me "If the seller provides valid counter
Evidence as response, we might update options you could choose.". And this is not over
Yet, the Seller can still stop the 50% refund with some counter evidence.

Those who sing praises are usually those who buy simple and cheap products, things that
Are cheap, like household plastic products, toys, beauty products, etc. But once you get
Into higher value and into electrical or electronic goods, you stand the chance of
Encountering my experience as well as the experiences of many others like me.

Out of 10,000 buyers, say perhaps 500 have good experience with their orders. Is 95%
With negative and bad experiences acceptable?