AliExpress: item arrived damaged or defective

Collect

• order number
• photos or video of the damage and packaging

Steps

1. Contact the seller first, then file a Return/refund request on the order within 15 days of receipt.

   OnlineAliExpress Buyer Protection (how to file a Return/refund request)

2. If AliExpress does not refund, dispute the charge with your card issuer.

Facts you can cite

• Deadline

  An order that "arrived damaged/shortage" is covered by Buyer Protection within 15 days.

  Source: aliexpress.com, verified 2026-10-13

Rules in force

• Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act
  15 U.S.C. 2302, 2310; FTC Disclosure and Pre-Sale Availability Rules

  Federal law for written warranties on consumer products. Warrantors must disclose warranty terms in simple language, may not void a warranty because the consumer used another brand of parts or service (unless those are free or the FTC grants a waiver), and may not disclaim implied warranties when they give a written warranty. Consumers can sue for breach and may recover attorneys' fees.

  Source: ftc.gov, verified 2026-10-12

  1 citable point

  • Policy

    Under a "full" warranty, service must be free, available to anyone who owns the product during the warranty period, and the warrantor must replace or refund if it cannot repair the product after a reasonable number of tries. It may not limit the duration of implied warranties or impose unreasonable duties, such as requiring return of a registration card.

    Source: ftc.gov, verified 2026-10-12

If that fails, escalate

Go up one step at a time. Keep the reference numbers and dates from each contact.

1. Customer service

   OnlineAliExpress Buyer Protection (how to file a Return/refund request)

2. Supervisor

3. Written complaint

4. Card or bank dispute

   Fair Credit Billing Act billing-error and purchase-dispute rights (Regulation Z)

   Electronic Fund Transfer Act error resolution and unauthorized-transfer liability (Regulation E)

5. State agency

   Your state’s attorney general. Find it in the list of state agencies (also as JSON: states/<code>.json, for example states/ny.json).

6. Public complaint

   RegulatorBetter Business Bureau

Watch out

Related

• Item arrived damaged or defective at other companies
• Retail and online shopping — how complaints work
• AliExpress: refund request
• AliExpress: lost package