Problem at AliExpress

[dirknerkle]

I ordered some parts from Ali Express in early December 2022, and they were scheduled to be delivered by January 9th. However, my local post office intercepted them and returned them.

The package was addressed properly to my address, but because there were multiple orders (from 3 different Ali Express sellers) the 3 individual shipments were apparently consolidated into one. After a couple days, I received information from Ali Express' shipping that an attempt to deliver the package was denied. I contacted my local post office, requested a trace on the tracking number and here's my reply:

ALIEXPRESS_returned_pkg.png


I have requested refunds from Ali Express, but more importantly, I'm hoping they will look into the matter further. If their shipper is not paying the bills, this would obviously be a huge problem for them. So for all of you who may order from Ali Express, be forewarned.

Trouble is, I really wanted the things I ordered!!!! ARRGGHGHHHGGHGHHHH!!!

[1pet2_9]

Sometimes with Ali you have to just eat the cost. I have been happy with my orders shipping DHL so far to date.

[munu]

I feel your pain. Last year I ordered some stuff with my address clearly listed and the same address I used with Aliexpress before. I live in a house so there is no confusion about apartment number, mail box and such. I don't recall teh exact details but the package was marked as undeliverable and 'stored' at the 'local' post office. I asked Aliexpress for a refund. They asked me to contact the seller. The seller referred me back to Aliexpress. Aliexpress told me the package is at the 'local' post office and I should go and pick it up. The problem is that the 'local' post office was in a city some 1h car drive (assuming no traffic) away. And there wasn't any contact information for that 'local' post office, either. Run around and run around. I eventually got a refund when I got the credit card involved but even that was some process (submit claim, provide additional proof which I already provided, wait for the response from Aliexpress, provide support documents again, etc). From then on I only use paypal to pay for larger amounts (for smaller amounts I would not even bother anymore) as paypal seems to have a more streamlined process to resolve such issues. Btw, I just placed a few orders with Aliexpress for the radio project so I haven't abandoned them.

[DrNeutron]

It seems this is a pretty common practice now with aliexpress to consolidate shipments.
So far, the last few batches of shipments I made have been delivered by Canada Post with no issues.
I wonder if your post office is blocking individual shippers or all Aliexpress shippers due to fraud complaints.

[1pet2_9]

I would be more afraid of Canada Post than I would of AliExpress.

[ChiefWarrant]

I guess I will scrap that order I was working on.

[ben&bobbi]

The part i don't understand is the package was almost in your hand, it made it that far and now they are going to double the shipping cost/effort back because the shipping cost might not have been paid.

[dirknerkle]

The problem may be some middle-man shipping service that AliExpress has contracted as opposed to AliExpress itself (or the individual vendors). So my thought is that if I order only one item instead of several items from different vendors, there won't be a reason to consolidate a shipment and it might go through.

That's my hope. I re-ordered one of the items today, and I won't order the other things until this one has been shipped. I'll let everyone know if my theory works. Fingers crossed because I really want these things!!!

[RichieNorthcott]

I'm not sure what the situation is in US, but I've notice for UK they now add tax to all orders at the time of purchasing. It used to be the case that for low value orders you would probably get away without paying the import tax, for larger orders you would end up with a bill to pay at the parcel depot plus an admin charge. I haven't placed any large orders since this change come in.

[1pet2_9]

It wouldn't surprise me if the China vendors declared one package, and then other vendors lumped theirs in the same shipment. "Oh, there's been a mixup. I apologize for the confusion."