AliExpress Return Policy: Refunds and Disputes

The AliExpress return policy looks confusing because it is really three policies stacked on top of each other: the platform’s Buyer Protection, the seller’s own return terms, and the Free Return programme that only some listings join. Once you know which layer applies to your order, the process is mechanical — and it works far more often than the horror stories suggest. This is the whole thing, step by step, with the deadlines that actually matter.

The three layers of the AliExpress return policy

Buyer Protection is the platform guarantee attached to every order: if the item doesn’t arrive, doesn’t match the listing, or arrives damaged, you can get a refund through a dispute that AliExpress itself adjudicates. It is the layer that matters — sellers can be friendly or hostile, but they cannot opt out of it.

Seller return terms sit on the listing page under “Returns & refunds”. They govern change-of-mind returns: whether the seller accepts them, and who pays the shipping. For a standard marketplace order, if you simply don’t want the item any more, you pay to ship it back — usually to China, usually costing more than the item.

Free Return is a badge on individual listings (all AliExpress Choice items carry it). It gives you 15 days after delivery to return the item at no cost, with a prepaid label to a local return hub, even for change of mind. It is the single most useful filter when you shop: if you are unsure about sizing or fit, only buy items with the badge.

Deadlines that actually matter

Two traps hide in that table. The 15-day clock starts when the tracking says delivered, not when you open the box — a parcel that sat at a neighbour’s for a week has eaten half your window. And the “not received” protection ends when the countdown ends, even if the tracking still shows movement; open the dispute before it expires and let AliExpress sort out whether the parcel is genuinely lost.

How to request a refund, step by step

1. Open the order in the app or on the site: Account → Orders → the item. Confirm the order status: “Delivered” means the 15-day clock is running; “Shipped” with an expired countdown means you can claim non-delivery.
2. Tap “Returns/refunds” (older interface: “Open Dispute”). Choose the reason precisely — “item not as described”, “damaged”, “missing parts”, or “not received”. The reason determines what evidence AliExpress expects, so don’t pick “other” to save time.
3. Choose refund only or return-and-refund. For low-value items — roughly under $15–20 — request refund only and explain that return shipping would exceed the item’s value; AliExpress approves this routinely. For pricier items, return-and-refund is the default, and on Free Return listings it costs you nothing.
4. Attach evidence (see the next section) and state the amount. Ask for the full amount unless the item is genuinely usable; partial-refund offers are the seller’s job, not yours.
5. Wait up to 5 days. The seller can accept, reject, or counter-offer. If they ignore it, the request auto-resolves in your favour. If they reject or lowball, move to escalation.

Escalating to AliExpress

Escalation turns a conversation with the seller into a case reviewed by AliExpress staff. On the dispute page, tap “Escalate dispute” (sometimes “Modify” → “Escalate”). It becomes available once the seller has rejected your request, let 5 days pass, or made an offer you refused. From here the seller’s opinion stops mattering; what matters is whether your evidence matches the reason you picked.

Decisions usually land in 7–15 days. Three outcomes are common: full refund without return, full refund on return with AliExpress covering shipping if the seller is at fault, or a partial refund when the item works but differs from the listing. You can appeal a partial decision once, with new evidence.

Evidence that wins disputes

• An unboxing video that starts on the sealed parcel and shows the shipping label before the box is opened. It is the single strongest proof for damaged, missing, or wrong items, and takes thirty seconds.
• Photos from several angles of the defect, the label, and the packaging; a shot of the item next to the listing’s photo makes “not as described” obvious.
• Screenshots of the listing on the day you ordered — sellers edit descriptions after complaints. The order page keeps a snapshot, but your own is faster to attach.
• Tracking screenshots for non-delivery, including a carrier page that shows “delivered” to the wrong city or no scan for weeks.
• Chat history with the seller. A seller promising a refund “after you close the dispute” is evidence in your favour, not theirs.

What sellers will ask you to do — and why you shouldn’t

The most common scam inside the dispute system is social, not technical. A seller messages you: “Please close the dispute and we will refund you directly” or “cancel the dispute and we send a replacement”. Once you close a dispute, you cannot reopen it, and the promised refund rarely arrives. Keep the dispute open until the money is in your account; a seller who genuinely wants to refund can accept the dispute in one tap.

A second pattern: the seller asks you to change the reason from “not as described” to “no longer needed”, which quietly converts a protected claim into a change-of-mind return that you pay for. Don’t edit the reason at a seller’s request.

Refund timelines by payment method

Once a refund is approved, AliExpress releases it immediately; the delay is on the receiving side. Cards are the slowest at 7–15 business days, and can take up to 20 around bank holidays. PayPal, where it is offered, is 3–5 business days. Wallet balances (AliExpress Pay, Alipay) show up within 24–72 hours. If nothing has appeared after 20 business days, the refund page shows a reference number your bank can trace.

Free returns: how the badge works in practice

On a Free Return listing you request a return-and-refund within 15 days, choose “no longer needed” or any other reason, and AliExpress issues a prepaid label to a local hub — in the US that is typically a domestic address, not China. Drop it off, tracking updates, and the refund releases after the hub scans the parcel. Conditions: the item must be in its original state with tags and packaging, not customised, and the listing must have shown the badge when you ordered. Free Return does not cover the original shipping fee if the order had one.

Chargebacks: the last resort, used carefully

If AliExpress rules against you and you believe the decision is wrong, a card chargeback is possible — but treat it as the final step, not a shortcut. AliExpress typically suspends accounts that file chargebacks while a dispute is still open or after a refund was already issued. File one only after the dispute is closed, with the AliExpress decision and your evidence attached to the bank’s claim.

Why refunds get rejected

• The dispute was opened after the 15-day window or after the protection countdown expired.
• Reason mismatch: “damaged” with no photos of damage, or “not received” while tracking shows a signed delivery.
• Evidence added late: AliExpress weighs what was in the dispute when escalation happened.
• The buyer confirmed receipt early. Never tap “Confirm received” before you have inspected the item.
• The buyer closed and tried to reopen a dispute.

Read the seller’s reviews for the words “refund” and “dispute” before you buy — it is the fastest way to avoid needing this guide. Our guide to spotting reliable sellers covers what to look for, and if the parcel is simply slow rather than lost, check the realistic shipping times before opening a dispute and what the tracking status really means; a “not received” claim filed while the parcel is still moving usually gets a wait-and-see response.

Frequently asked questions