So, I've been bitten a couple times now by Aliexpress, but I'm now done with the site and I've come here to bitch about it because it'll make me feel better if I think I can hurt them with just a tiny bit of bad publicity. Won't really matter, but at least I'll have tried.

Ordered a KO Kotobukia Variant Venom, which is about a 40$ KO so I expected it to be pretty decent. Leg snaps off at the hip ratchet, right out of the box I paid extra for. I snap pictures, go to put in a claim. Ali website says I can't make a claim until more time passes. Okay, weird, but I wait.

I figure getting half my 40 bucks back is pretty reasonable, so that's the amount of the claim. Of course the seller is a dick and says it's not broken, despite my photos. I escalate to Aliexpress. This should be open and shut.

Today I get a response back from Aliexpress. Need more evidence, it says. Provide report from carrier or evidence you contacted seller within three days of delivery. Provide in 4 days or we will dismiss the claim. You've got to be kidding me, I sent annotated pictures just like the convoluted guide on the site.

I also noticed a new policy that Aliexpress now waits 20 additional days to act on Item Not Recieved claims.

This the third and last time Ive tried to resolve an issue through their claims process. I'm over this site making me jump through hoops and then trying to beat me with time traps, fine print, and arbitrary extra proof requirements anytime I have an issue. Aliexpress simply does not support the customer.

/rant

 

i have no clue why anyone would give that place money. its like going to the Nigerian prince and just giving him the money


unfortunate you did not come to the same conclusion sooner... but a lesson learned is invaluable

 

I only buy from Uncle Billy on that site. No one else

 

Me too. Ordered several times, never had a problem!

 

Same here, Uncle Billy is great and had nothing but good experiences with him, everyone else can leave the building.

 

Uncle Billy gets a plus 1 from me too. There are crappy sellers everywhere.

 

Thanks for the FYI. I know this topic probably get more views here than it would in the other categories, but this isn't really about 3P Transformers.

So you purchased a KO Play Arts Kai Variant Venom? Anyway, these PAK KO really isn't worth buying. I purchased a KO version of the PAK Advent Children Cloud Strife cause it seemed okay. But after messing around with it, Putting it in simple poses, he figure is falling apart. Since then, I got the real one and it is way better. Yes, it cost double the price but I feel like I am getting my money's worth with a better figure, better paint job. The paint job on the official one is much more crisp. It has highlights and shines. The details are sharper. If I were to throw a number out there, I would say that the KO version can only capture about 75% from the official. That extra 25% in details, the sharpness in the color and sculpt is worth it to me.

Variant Venom is now on sale over at HLJ and with cheapest shipping method, only cost about $85 USD. I know that's double the piece of the KO, but it's much nicer. I hope you get the refund and don't miss out on the HLJ sale for the real one. The sale is listed at 45% off.

 

Aliexpress is like Ebay. You have your shite sellers and your great sellers. As others have said, Uncle Billy is pretty much the only one I shop from myself.

You can't really blame Aliexpress, just the douchebag sellers who use it.

 

You can always make the claim through your credit card issuer

 

This, charge back.

Does Aliexpress not use paypal? If not, that should be a red flag right there.

 

They don't use PayPal because they're big and want to earn that money themselves, just like Amazon. That by itself is ok, but they need to provide better service.

 

Yeaaaaaah, I don't know about giving these guys my money. Had the app but got rid of it cause I never really use it.

 

I'd like to jump on the ae hate train.

I used to buy like 15 items a month from them. Took awhile to arrive but I'd say only had issues with 1/15 transactions. Their dispute resolution system was slow as hell but I was always satisfied in the end. Then something changed in their dispute policy where the buyer had to prove non receipt. Wtf?

Ae requested that I get a written report from the post office confirming non receipt. Why would the post office confirm something they had no record of?

Never using ae again

 

Lol that makes no sense whatsoever

 

I've shopped on Aliexpress for a long time. I've had a few seller try to burn me, but it alwaysworks out in your favor if you follow the right processes.

You should be able to get your money back. Send more pictures, or is that not worth the $20 you'd like? I don't think it's that obscene to send a few more photos.

 

Aliexpress is a great place if you use common sense.

You can usually simply check the feedback of a store before you order. This has never failed me. I have tried ordering a small item once in a while from a store with no feedback, or very little feedback, and they keep the money and run. I order from a place with a hundred+ feedback and I get my item and great support. That's why the feedback exists.

Can you please tell us which store you had a problem with? What was their feedback?

 

Most of my experience has been positive, but yeah, had one that was a total pain. Had a tracking number that worked till it got somewhere in Singapore, then after that had no movement at all. They tried waiting till that last minute to extend their buyer coverage, and I did that twice, giving them the benefit of the doubt. Then they tried only giving me back 50% of what I paid, when I never received anything. Eventually got it all back, but wow. Uncle Billy has always been reliable, and the sales in November make some of his prices really good (picked up DX9's Carry for about $125 after all of the discounts and coupons). Definitely a mixed bag, and you do have to pay attention to the feedback, which is why I haven't used them in a while.

 

I've only bought like three things off Aliexpress, one of them being a bootleg Supreme hat that should be on the way, and I've not had a bad time - however, I'm mega sorry for you, as this sounds way more serious. Can you open a dispute with your credit card provider? I've got that route in a pinch and it's helped before.

 

I've never used the site and thanks to this thread I never will.

 

I'm on the seller's side on this. You bought a KO and you broke it while playing with it. It wasn't broken during delivery.