How to Get a Refund on AliExpress
Hello everyone. To be honest, I haven’t bought anything on AliExpress for several months now. I’ve also heard that the dispute rules have become stricter and that sellers win more often. Still, if you’ve ordered something, it’s always possible to try to get your money back—it’s really not that hard. For some, this tip might be old news, but this method still works.
What You’ll Need:
- An AliExpress account that isn’t brand new
- At least some experience with making purchases
- Basic knowledge of English
Step-by-Step Process:
- Find sellers with tracking numbers that only show movement within China. Usually, these are shipping methods from Chinese companies. After the item’s status changes to “Shipped,” the tracking stops updating. People say these are getting rarer, but I’ve still found them. If you can’t find one, no worries—just buy from others with normal tracking. But with sellers who only provide a Chinese tracking number, this method works 100%.
- Buy the item and ask for a tracking number if you don’t get one right away. Chat a bit with the seller—ask how long the item will last, inquire about quality, thank them, and say you’ll come back later because you’re happy with their answers and can’t wait for your order.
- Wait for your item. Even if it arrives, keep extending the “buyer protection.” This feature lets you confirm receipt of the item later than the stated delivery time. Occasionally message the seller with something like, “Hey, I didn’t receive this item yet. What’s up?” The seller will reassure you that it’s on the way. That’s fine.
- After 2-3 extensions of buyer protection, open a dispute. Promise a negative review and demand a refund. Important: If your item costs up to $15, you can ask for a full refund. If it costs more than $15, it’s better to ask for a partial refund. Sellers are more likely to agree to this (for example, if the item costs $30, ask for at least $17 back, promising a good review and future purchases).
- You get both the item and the refund!
Note: I’ve received 80-100% refunds for chargers, headphones, t-shirts, various cables, flash drives, and other small items. Once, I bought a charger for $20 and got $13 back. You can also “damage” the item (get creative here) and send photos to the seller. This method works even better but requires a bit more effort.
This trick is as old as time, but it still works.