Sylvester Franklin, of Savannah, Ga., did what millions of Americans do every year: he bought something online. After deciding it was time to buy some new tools, Franklin logged on to AliExpress and ordered a power drill. What he wound up getting was merely a photo of the drill he ordered. Since November, Franklin has been going back and forth with AliExpress, but still hasn’t received a refund. In 2021, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) added AliExpress to its list of Notorious Markets for Counterfeit and Piracy. The website has a BBB rating of D-, and the State of Georgia’s Consumer Protective Division has received complaints against the company. One consumer paid $400 for an item that was sent with a fake tracking number and was never delivered. In all instances, shoppers tried to get their money back from AliExpress, but none did. Franklin tried to get a chargeback from his bank, without success. The only thing he can do now is file a complaint with the Consumer Protective Division and hope for the best. His is a cautionary tale for consumers to make sure they check out the companies from which they plan to order products and services.
You Don’t Always Get What You Pay For
Sylvester Franklin, of Savannah, Ga., did what millions of Americans do every year: he bought something online. After deciding it was time to buy some new tools, Franklin logged on to AliExpress and ordered a power drill. What he wound up getting was merely a photo of the drill he ordered. Since November, Franklin has been going back and forth with AliExpress, but still hasn’t received a refund. In 2021, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) added AliExpress to its list of Notorious Markets for Counterfeit and Piracy. The website has a BBB rating of D-, and the State of Georgia’s Consumer Protective Division has received complaints against the company. One consumer paid $400 for an item that was sent with a fake tracking number and was never delivered. In all instances, shoppers tried to get their money back from AliExpress, but none did. Franklin tried to get a chargeback from his bank, without success. The only thing he can do now is file a complaint with the Consumer Protective Division and hope for the best. His is a cautionary tale for consumers to make sure they check out the companies from which they plan to order products and services.