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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think I'm entitled to a refund?

26 replies

Patapouf · 31/03/2015 17:58

I ordered a pair of leather espadrilles on aliexpress never again and was sent the wrong colour. I've copied and pasted the messages between us so I don't miss anything out. They are being incredibly rude, and threatening to have me blocked from the site with no refund if I don't acquiesce to their demands. For the record, I'm happy to return them but with aliexpress the buyer pays return postage, and I don't think I should be out of pocket because of the sellers error.

ME: Hello, the shoes arrived today but I have been sent the wrong ones. I ordered the apricot colour and I have been sent black.

SELLER: which color you got?
SELLER: send me photos

ME: Black. I ordered Apricot + pictures

SELLER: which size you got?
pls shot me photos from sole which i can see the size,thanks

ME: It says 42. But they are not a true EUR 42.

SELLER: our 42 size is suitable about 26cm foot length according our size table in our product description.
may you accept black color,or how to do?
i am very sorry for it

ME: My feet are only 24cm and I usually wear a EUR40/41, these shoes are too small though.
I do not want black shoes, which is why I ordered Apricot. I wanted to take them on holiday but a new pair will take too long to arrive by post. I would like a refund, as these are not the shoes that I ordered.

SELLER: do you have carton package until which you can see your address and tracking number in the paper,may you shot photo about that information for us? so that i can check if it is our post office mistake or not,thanks

ME: I think the tracking number is xxxx + photos

SELLER: ok,will check,reply you later

The next day:
ME: Can you confirm that you will be refunding my payment?

SELLER: ok,i am very sorry for it,now we accept refund 25usd,cancel the dispute. you can keep the shoes
another way if you dont want this shoes,pls damage the shoes and Throw away the shoes,we will refund all,
which one you want,wait you news

A few hours later..
SELLER: Now i have two ways to solve the problem.
1.we can refund you 25usd to close this dispute.
2.if you need full refund,no problem,just cut off the shoes like this photo attached, no need you return the shoes,just need your one minute to do it,we will full refund right away after you send me photos which prove you cut off the shoes,if you dont agree with it, i think you are a Greedy person, since you really dont accept black color,and the size is small for you,i think you cant wear it,pls prove to us you are not a Greedy person,we are not the first time meet this problem,we are very sorry for it, if the dispute escalate to aliexpress, we will also report you,at last you will lost all your money,and we will lost our shoes with shipping fee.pls consider about it within 2 days,thanks. Accompanied by photos of shredded shoes.

ME: I do not appreciate being threatened. You have made a mistake, you have not fulfilled my order and I demand a full refund. I am willing to return the shoes to you if you pay the return postage, but I believe the destruction is wasteful.
You are aware that you are wrong and trying to scare me into complying with your instructions. I think you are incredibly disrespectful to call me greedy, and I think you are a poor seller if you cannot fulfil a basic order for shoes.
It is simple, you have not fulfilled my order, I want a full refund.

SELLER: simply,you want to get a free shoes!!

ME: How can I be more clear?
i ordered apricot colour shoes, you have not sent me apricot shoes. I do not want any other pair of shoes. This is why I ordered the apricot colour.
YOU are at fault for sending me the wrong item. This is not my fault, I did not order these shoes.
I paid for a pair of apricot shoes.
i suggest you revise and modify your shipping procedure to prevent this from happening again, it is very disappointing for customers.

OP posts:
Original poster
Patapouf · 31/03/2015 18:00

The shoes were £30 btw, and still no reply since yesterday!

OP posts:
custardismyhamster · 31/03/2015 18:06

I sorta think there's a clear language barrier there, I don't think they are understanding that you intend to send them the shoes back

Glittertwins · 31/03/2015 18:07

If you paid by credit card, raise it as a dispute and provide all the evidence you already have. I think you would still be covered by Visa on a debit transaction. You didn't get what you ordered and shouldn't be out of pocket

DoJo · 31/03/2015 18:22

Can you escalate the dispute to Aliexpress? They seem to be trying to stop you doing that (presumably to protect themselves from being penalised by the bigger business) so clearly they know it won't go their way if it gets that far. Is there a mechanism for you to go above their head?

Original poster
Patapouf · 31/03/2015 18:29

I had already escalated it when that bizarre threat came through. This is the first bad experience I've had with aliexpress. I've ordered a few other bits and bobs and they arrived in good time, when this order took over a month.

Is it even possible for them to have me blocked?

OP posts:
hedgehogsdontbite · 31/03/2015 18:47

Why don't you just do what they've asked? They've said they'll do a refund as soon as you send a photo to show you've destroyed them.

Stratter5 · 31/03/2015 18:52

Wouldn't damaging them run the risk that the seller will then turn round an refuse to refund because you've deliberately made it so they are unsaleable if you return them, even though they've said to?

YourMaNoBraBackOfMyCar · 31/03/2015 18:57

No don't shred them! What a ridiculous suggestion from them. How wasteful. I've never heard of this company but will definitely not use them now. If you make a mistake then you do what you can to rectify it. It makes business sense. Not bulldozing the customer to your way of thinking. Hmm Maybe go on the trading standards website and see what's what. Op, whatever you do don't shred the shoes. They'll probably twist it and use it against you.

fascicle · 31/03/2015 19:18

I think asking you to shred the shoes could be part of their strategy to get you to keep them (the thought of cutting them up makes accepting them seem like a more valid option). Very strange customer service. Hope you get it resolved through the escalation process.

Original poster
Patapouf · 31/03/2015 19:45

I don't know if they just want proof I won't make a profit from their mistake by selling the shoes on by me shredding them. Seems so strange, if they won't pay for return postage then they've still lost the shoes, whether they are shredded or not.
I cannot shred them, it's so bloody wasteful! just not sure how not shredding them makes me greedy!

Also obviously I'd expect them to turn around and wiggle out of refunding me too so I'd be left shoeless (not that they fit me, destined for charity shop) and £30 poorer because they can't differentiate between black and apricot ffs

OP posts:
Original poster
Patapouf · 31/03/2015 19:46

Also, doubt trading standards gives two fucks about them, they are based in China.

OP posts:
TSSDNCOP · 31/03/2015 19:46

Presumably your contract is with Asliexpress. Sorry, I don't know who this is but i assume they're a website?

USD 25 is less than £30.

I would be onto my credit card company in the morning with a copy of the email.

TSSDNCOP · 31/03/2015 19:56

Then again I just read section 7 of the T&C and conclude that this is not a company I'd ever use.

Did you use a CC? That's going to be your only hope I reckon.

Original poster
Patapouf · 31/03/2015 20:52

It's kind of like eBay. Alibaba is the parent company and its a well know (apparently) business for wholesalers. Ali express is like their spin off for when you don't want 600 pairs of the shoes. They have their own version of PayPal, trying really hard to rival eBay.

I paid by debit card. It's not that much money but it's the principle. Plus the seller is a knob.

25usd is their idea of a reasonable refund, a token refund really. And apparently all they think I should have if I don't destroy the shoes.

OP posts:
Littlef00t · 31/03/2015 20:58

It sounds like it would cost them more than £30 to pay for the return postage. To be honest, if you can get a clearer email that states they will refund if you destroy the shoes, that's what I'd do.

No idea what happens if they don't refund though, doesn't sound like they are controlled by uk regulations.

Original poster
Patapouf · 31/03/2015 23:45

It feels wrong to destroy them and IMO they are being petty. Hopefully the dispute process will work Hmm

OP posts:
SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 31/03/2015 23:59

There's a clear language barrier but I too am assuming that your return postage will cost more than the shoes are worth to them. Which is why they won't pay for you to return them, but will (apparently) refund if the shoes are destroyed.

I've no idea why they need to be destroyed though - unless they think you are pulling a scam and actually intend to sell them on yourself?

Whatever their intentions, it's not quite the way to do business is it? Even a small seller gets further by being polite to customers (eBay business seller here!).

I'd say that they've left you with no choice but to see what the dispute brings - but I don't think you'll be seeing those apricot shoes Sad.

Original poster
Patapouf · 01/04/2015 00:12

S'alright I don't want the poxy apricot ones now. The sizing is an absolute joke, they are supposed to be an 8 (I'm usually a 7, but wanted room). No way is my foot going in there. Dsis who is a size 5 has just tried and can just about wedge her foot in. Plus they were for my holiday and they'd arrive long after Angry

OP posts:
MrsTerryPratchett · 01/04/2015 00:13

I used to work in a book warehouse and it was common, when books arrived damaged or unsaleable, for us to tear out a page to prove to the seller we weren't scamming them.

If the postage back and restocking, and possibly being out of season would make it uneconomical for them to bother, I see their point about you cutting them.

Original poster
Patapouf · 01/04/2015 00:44

Fair enough it's uneconomical for them to have them back but that doesn't explain why decent shoes should be destoryed. Tearing a single page out of a book isn't really the same as shredding shoes is it? It's still readable.

Obviously not a scam if I ordered one pair and they sent another. It would be another story all together if I ordered them and then claimed they were damaged!

OP posts:
MrsTerryPratchett · 01/04/2015 00:51

It makes the book or the shoes unsaleable, which is the point. I totally get your point, though but I can see why that's their policy.

fascicle · 01/04/2015 07:41

The problem is, even if the request to destruct the shoes didn't seem bizarre and wrong, there is a complete loss of trust between the OP and the seller, on account of their handling of this matter and their treatment of her thus far.

Original poster
Patapouf · 01/04/2015 08:12

^^ Yy

OP posts:
Original poster
Patapouf · 01/04/2015 08:37

Dispute has just been resolved in my favour. Followed by a message, 'ok, I'll refund you'.
Anti-climax or what!

OP posts:
mommy2ash · 01/04/2015 08:45

I don't think it is an odd request at all. to begin with the language barrier is a problem. the postage back to them is more than the shoes are worth. they don't want to refund you and you get to keep the shoes or give them away to someone that's not how business works. they probably get scammed a lot.just cut the shoes and get your refund. you have proof they told you to do this

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