Shopping on Taobao - Oct 2024 Update Negative for Customers

[redslert]

Warning to others who shop on Taobao they have changed refund policy when you dispute purchases.

Previously customer service would side with shoppers and provide 100% refund, but policy have now changed since Oct and it will be refusal of refunds unless seller agrees.
The problem with this is that sellers demands that you return the product as new and it is almost impossible for you to mail the product back to mainland within reasonable cost.

The trick is to only purchase the CNY99 free HK delivery tag products which usually also support local-HK returns for CNY10 at the pickup stores. Without this local-HK returns it could cost you hundreds to return anything and becomes pointless to get any money back.

Writing this after experiencing a negative experience after this October policy update.
Seller sent me a dead product and customer service told me to go away... they could have sent me a brick and still retained my money without recourse.

aastocks.com/en/mobile/news.aspx?newsid=NOW.1387431&newssource=AAFN

[bhavkar]

Have you tried contacting the seller directly through the chat link in the products bought page and informed about the product issue? A couple of months back received a stand fan through another consolidator, on receipt found the grill damaged and I informed the same to the seller thru the chat and requested for replacement. Seller readily helped and sent the replacement to the consolidator's address and did not ask to return the damaged grill. You can try contacting the seller.

[redslert]

Have you tried contacting the seller directly through the chat link in the products bought page and informed about the product issue? A couple of months back received a stand fan through another consolidator, on receipt found the grill damaged and I informed the same to the seller thru the chat and requested for replacement. Seller readily helped and sent the replacement to the consolidator's address and did not ask to return the damaged grill. You can try contacting the seller.

Yes, previously I had similar experience from many sellers who just sent replacements because it was under old policy... many sellers were afraid of 100% refund hence they would be quick to resolve customer issues with parts/replacements etc.

Now policy shifts and customers are in the wrong and I think you will have a very different experience.
The balance has massively tilted to support sellers instead of customers.

In my case the seller demands I send the broken product back before getting refund or a new item.

[redslert]

You also have to put it into context of recent events.
Sellers were complaining Taobao taking advantage of sellers.

There's competition now with JD and PDD expanding heavily, and Taobao cannot 'win' customers at the cost of sellers. Taobao also cannot provide customers with excessive incentives because it is seen as anti-competitive.
Hence they will now shift focus on sellers while providing smaller incentive to customers.

Environment has changed.

I sit here witnessing China's anti-monopoly policy in action without the BS that goes along in the US/EU slow legal processes.

[mtkl]

Warning to others who shop on Taobao they have changed refund policy when you dispute purchases.

Previously customer service would side with shoppers and provide 100% refund, but policy have now changed since Oct and it will be refusal of refunds unless seller agrees.
The problem with this is that sellers demands that you return the product as new and it is almost impossible for you to mail the product back to mainland within reasonable cost.

The trick is to only purchase the CNY99 free HK delivery tag products which usually also support local-HK returns for CNY10 at the pickup stores. Without this local-HK returns it could cost you hundreds to return anything and becomes pointless to get any money back.

Writing this after experiencing a negative experience after this October policy update.
Seller sent me a dead product and customer service told me to go away... they could have sent me a brick and still retained my money without recourse.

aastocks.com/en/mobile/news.aspx?newsid=NOW.1387431&newssource=AAFN

I always buy under the assumption I will not return it. If it is too expensive/not-worth-the-risk, I buy it in HK where I know I can get a refund/exchange/service.

[TheDevil_666]

Well the low prices compensate for the hassle and risk.

[mengfei]

I, now, mostly shop for trivial stuff in PDD & their return/ refund policy has been very good so far.

for stuff like EVO & OTC meds I go to JD

[redslert]

I, now, mostly shop for trivial stuff in PDD & their return/ refund policy has been very good so far.

for stuff like EVO & OTC meds I go to JD

I never used PDD before, does it work the same as Taobao in terms of buying and consolidated ship to HK pick up point or do I need to use a thirdparty forwarder?

[BCD]

Has anyone used the new return procedure in HK?
I can't find the details of where to bring this or how to do it.
I have a seller being stubborn and not refunding a product that was most likely shipped to me already broken (with a glued piece to 'fix' it that broke in shipping)

[Cornmeal]

Has anyone used the new return procedure in HK?
I can't find the details of where to bring this or how to do it.
I have a seller being stubborn and not refunding a product that was most likely shipped to me already broken (with a glued piece to 'fix' it that broke in shipping)

I filled the"return" notified seller and nothing, it was not broken just a crappy product and didn't have the app it claims to for functionality.

Left a bad review.