Although Aliexpress provides guarantees for the delivery of orders, a number of goods will never be delivered to the buyer and there are a number of reasons for this. One of them may be that the parcel did not pass customs.

We have already talked about what products.

If the parcel does not pass customs control, it is returned back to the sender. And the problem with customs clearance may not always be related to prohibited goods. The parcel may cause suspicion among customs officers for other reasons.

The goods being sent may not have a license or certificate, the invoice may be missing, the goods in the parcel may be considered counterfeit, or may be suspected of being a commercial shipment. In the latter case, you can try to import the goods, but you will have to pay a fee.

My parcel from Aliexpress did not pass customs, what should I do?

Depending on whose fault the package with the order from the Aliexpress website did not pass customs, further actions depend.
One thing is for sure - you will have to open a dispute.

If the parcel did not pass customs due to the fault of the seller, as additional documents to the dispute, contact the customs service and ask them for an official document stating that the parcel was returned due to violations by the sender, attach to the dispute screenshots from the pages of the services where they were tracked parcel.

When opening a dispute, indicate that you did not receive the goods due to problems with customs (Customs problems), and the required return amount is the cost of the order. Don't forget to attach the documents you received.

If the parcel did not pass customs due to the fault of the seller from Ali, the dispute will probably be fully resolved in your favor. If the failure to clear customs is your fault, the delivery cost may be deducted from you. If the seller provides evidence from his side.

Will the money be returned if the parcel from Aliexpress does not pass customs?

If your package with an order from Aliexpress does not pass customs, after completing the dispute process in your favor, you will be refunded the money for your purchase. Possibly with shipping costs deducted.
After the dispute is closed, the money is returned within the standard time frame - from 3 to 15 days.

In some cases, after the dispute is completed, the money is transferred to the seller even if the buyer has not received the goods.
Most often this happens when the parcel is subject to customs duties.

Each parcel is scanned at customs. If employees discover that the mail contains inappropriate (prohibited) items, it may be opened and inspected.
If customs officers doubt the declared value of the parcel, it can be opened and inspected.
If a customs officer sees a difference in the estimated value of the parcel and the price of the goods in one of the catalogs (he can use the Internet), then he can re-evaluate the contents of the parcel himself.
If customs officers discover that the parcel is “overloaded” or find out that the price of the goods exceeds the duty-free limit, then the parcel is sent to the recipient at the post office in the same way. A customs notification will be attached to the shipment, which will indicate the amount to be paid for exceeding the standards (duty).

Every AliExpress seller is required to guarantee timely delivery of goods. If you purchased an item from AliExpress.com but did not receive it within the timeframe specified by the seller, you are entitled to a full refund.

The maximum guaranteed delivery period for an order from Aliexpress is 60 days (90 days for delivery to Russia, 120 days for Brazil). If you purchase any product in this online store, your rights are protected in the event of failure to receive the product within the specified time frame.

One of the reasons for the non-delivery of a parcel to the buyer may be that it did not pass customs.
Previously, in our article Aliexpress customs, we talked about what goods cannot be moved across the border, as well as about customs rules and restrictions for Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Belarus.

If the parcel does not pass customs control, it is returned back to the sender.
In this article we will tell you what to do if your package with an order from Aliexpress does not pass customs.

Reasons why a parcel does not pass customs
From the seller's side:
- lack of a license or certificate for the product;
- lack of invoice;
- counterfeit products.

From the buyer's side:
- import of prohibited products (goods);
- in some cases, non-payment of customs duties (if value limits are exceeded).

What should I do if the packageAliexpressdidn't clear customs?
Depending on whose fault it is that the package with an order from the Aliexpress website did not pass customs, your further actions will depend.
Before opening a dispute, wait until the parcel returns to China, this will make it easier for you to argue your points in the dispute.

If the parcel does not pass customs due to the fault of the seller , as additional documents to the dispute, contact the customs service (find out by the hotline number) and ask them for an official document stating that the parcel was returned due to violations by the seller, and you can also additionally attach screenshots from the service pages where she was being tracked.

1. In the "My Orders" section on the Aliexpress website, find the order that you did not receive due to the fact that it did not pass customs.
Next to the product description, click the "Open dispute" button:

2. After clicking the “Open dispute” button, a window will open where you will be offered “Return only” or “Return of goods and money”. In our case, we press the button "Return only":

You should see a window like this in which you need to fill out a short form:
To the question “Did you receive the goods”? we answer - "No".

Problems with delivery of goods (Logistics tracking problem)
- Order protection expires, but the parcel is still on the way
- The transport company returned the order
- No tracking information (this item is often gray and unavailable due to the fact that the seller seems to have given a track, so if the parcel is not trackable, it is better to choose the first item, i.e. Order protection expires, but the parcel is still on the way)

Customs problems
- Customs duty is too high, I don't want to pay

Other
- The seller sent the order to the wrong address.

We indicate the return amount (order cost) and indicate the details of why you want to return the money (the reason for the dispute must be described in English; if you do not know English, then I advise you to use an online translator).

Also, as evidence, I advise you to attach a screenshot from the page where you can see the tracking route, as well as, if available, a response from the customs service.
After filling out this short form, click the "Submit" button.

All dispute is open.

3. According to Aliexpress rules, the seller is given 5 days during which he can accept your dispute or offer his own solution to the dispute and can attach his evidence, and if the seller does not react in any way, the dispute will automatically be closed in your favor.
If you come to an agreement, the dispute will be closed and you will need to wait for a refund for the purchase.

If the package did not pass customs due to the buyer's fault , then the delivery cost will be deducted from you since the package with the order will be returned back to the seller in China, but in this case, the seller of the dispute must also justify such a recovery. The seller himself must, as they say, take the initiative and then, after considering the aggravated dispute, you will be refunded either the full cost of the order or taking into account the deduction of postage costs.

If negotiations in a dispute do not lead to anything, the dispute will escalate. If the dispute escalates, it is referred to representatives of the administration of the Aliexpress website.
An aggravated dispute is usually resolved within a week and its decision can be both in favor of the buyer and in favor of the seller, it all depends on the reasons and arguments.

Will I get my money back if my package from Aliexpress doesn't clear customs?

If your parcel with an order from Aliexpress does not pass customs, then after the dispute process is completed in your favor, you will be refunded the money for your purchase.
After the dispute is closed, the money is returned within a standard period of 3 to 15 days to where you paid for your order (to your wallet or bank card).

If your parcel with an order from Aliexpress did not pass customs due to the fact that you did not pay customs duties, then after the dispute is completed, you will most likely receive a refund The cost of shipping the goods will be deducted.
In some cases, after the dispute is completed, the money is transferred to the seller, even if the buyer has not received the goods.
Most often this happens when the parcel is subject to customs duties.

Interesting facts about parcels at customs
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Each parcel is passed through a special X-ray machine (scanned), with the help of which its contents are examined. If employees discover that the mail contains inappropriate (prohibited) items, it may be opened and inspected.
-

If customs officers doubt the declared value of a parcel, they can open it and inspect it. If a customs officer sees a difference in the estimated value of the parcel and the price of the goods in one of the catalogs (he can use the Internet), then he can re-evaluate the contents of the parcel himself.
-

If customs officers discover that the parcel is “overloaded” or find out that the price of the goods exceeds the duty-free limit, then the parcel is sent to the recipient at the post office in the same way. A customs notification will be attached to the shipment, which will indicate the amount to be paid for exceeding the standards (duty).

Still have questions? ask your question at

According to postal rules, it is considered that until the parcel is delivered to the recipient, it belongs to the sender. Therefore, all responsibility for correctly filling out postal documents, searching for loss, receiving compensation for theft, etc. lies on the shoulders of the seller.

Plus, on Aliexpress, according to the buyer protection rules, if the buyer has not received the parcel, he can get back the entire amount he paid for the order. Moreover, buyers who no longer needed the product could simply not pick up the parcel from the post office and after 30 days it would go back to China, and the buyer would open a dispute and return the money. Moreover, there were no problems if suddenly the parcel did not pass through customs. And it didn’t matter for what reasons: be it goods prohibited for import, or stolen goods, or the need to pay customs duties. Previously, you could easily open a dispute, attach a screenshot of the tracking system, where it was clear that the parcel did not pass customs and went to the seller. In almost 100% of cases, the dispute was resolved in favor of the buyer. After all, he did not receive the parcel.

But recently, problems have begun for those whose parcels were turned away at customs or if the buyer does not want to pay the duty. When opening a dispute due to "Problems with customs" you will see a list of reasons why customs usually delays packages. Reasons such as: lack of invoice, licenses or certificates, undervaluation of goods, counterfeit goods are the responsibility of the seller. And goods prohibited for import and the need to pay customs duties lie on the shoulders of the buyer. That is, now, if you are not ready to do customs clearance and pay the duty, then you will get your money back minus the cost of shipping the goods.

If you escalate the dispute due to "Problems with customs", then most likely the Aliexpress administration will ask you to provide documents within 7 days stating that the parcel did not pass customs due to the fault of the seller.

The buyer receives a message with the following content:

“Please confirm with your local customs and provide official documents from them to clarify the exact suspended reason to AliExpress within 7 calendar days.

If we haven’treceived the official document from customs during this time, we would assume that you’re responsible for the shipping fee and compensate seller for the freight.”

(Please contact your customs office and provide official documents within 7 days explaining the reason for the detention of the package. If we do not receive official documents from customs within this time, we will consider you responsible for the cost of shipping the goods and compensate to its seller"

But this requirement is very difficult to fulfill within 7 days. Since the standard time frame for registering a request for a document is 3 business days. And the document itself can be prepared by customs officers within 30 days. That is, it is extremely difficult to meet the allotted deadline and the result depends not on the buyer, but on other persons.

Moreover, the fault may be entirely the seller’s. There were situations when the seller forgot to fill out a customs declaration, when he accidentally wrote in the cost of the shipment an amount that was one order of magnitude more than the real cost and the goods did not fit into the norms and it was necessary to pay a significant duty. There have been cases when the seller sent copies of tablets and phones that did not pass customs due to the fact that they were counterfeit. Or he significantly underestimated the cost of the goods, which was clearly visible at customs.

Unfortunately, over the past few weeks we have not yet seen a single positive outcome of the aggravated dispute due to "Problems with customs". In all these cases, when opening a dispute, buyers attached screenshots of the tracking service, where it was clear that the parcel was going back to the seller. And they described the situation in detail, that it was not their fault. Unfortunately, mediators require a signed and stamped document.

Outcomes of the dispute due to “the goods did not pass customs”

In the letter, the mediators say that if there is no evidence that the parcel did not pass customs due to the fault of the seller, the buyer will receive a refund minus the costs of delivering the goods.

But there are also situations when the money goes completely to the seller, although the buyer has not received the goods. Most often, if the goods are detained by customs or customs duties must be paid.

That is, buyers are ultimately left without money and without goods. Which is very disappointing.

How to open a dispute due to “Problems with customs”.

First of all, you do not need to rush to open a dispute. Wait until the parcel arrives in China. Then the seller will see that he will now receive his goods back and it will be easier for him to agree to a return.

Secondly, do not rush to escalate the dispute. Try to negotiate with the seller for a refund first. If the reason is clearly yours, then agree to a refund minus the cost of delivery of the goods.

If the reason is the seller, then you can request in advance, even before opening a dispute, a document stating that the parcel was unwrapped through no fault of yours. Then you will definitely be able to meet the required 7 days to provide evidence of the reason for the detention of the parcel.

Status on Aliexpress “Customs clearance failed”

Since the end of April 2018, strange statuses began to appear in parcel tracking on the Aliexpress website, indicating that “Customs clearance failed.” Of course, buyers are very worried when they see that their package has been detained at customs.

Have a question? Write it in the comments or chat

All parcels are delivered from China. Accordingly, there are many features that everyone should know about. Some users may have problems with customs for various reasons and have to. Let's find out in what cases this is worth doing and how not to end up losing.

In what cases should you open a dispute on Aliexpress if there are problems with customs?

When should you open a dispute on Aliexpress?

According to postal rules, until the parcel is received, it is considered the property of the sender. Accordingly, all responsibility regarding paperwork, search in case of loss, and so on, rests with the seller.

Moreover, according to the rules, if the client never received the goods, then he has the right to demand a full refund. Also, if the ordered item is no longer needed, then after 30 days the post office will send the purchase to the sender, and the buyer can return it via . Previously, there were no problems if the goods did not pass control at customs, it didn’t even matter for what reason. It was enough to send a screenshot that the parcel was returned and Aliexpress transferred money.

Although more often certain difficulties began to arise for those whose parcel was sent back or who do not want to pay the duty. If you open a dispute due to problems with customs, then you will have to choose one of the possible reasons.

For example, if a purchase does not have an invoice, license, certificate, it is a counterfeit or the price of the product is greatly reduced, then the seller is responsible for this. But the buyer must ensure that the goods are permitted for import and, if necessary, pay state duty. Thus, if you do not want to pay duty or fill out documents at customs, then the money can be returned to you, but they will only deduct shipping costs.

If you decide, then you will have to collect evidence within seven days that the parcel could not pass control due to the fault of the seller.

Street notes that it is very difficult to collect the necessary documents during this time, because only the request is registered within three days, and the documents themselves can take up to 30 days to prepare. That is, it is extremely difficult to fit into the framework and it is not even the fault of the buyer.

However, it is not a fact that the seller had nothing to do with it. It happened that the seller did not fill out the customs declaration or accidentally indicated the cost of the goods significantly higher and the purchase went beyond the limits and had to pay a large state duty. In addition, it also happens that the seller sends a copy of the brand, for example, a smartphone, but customs does not let it through, since it is counterfeit. Or the cost may be greatly underestimated, which is obvious to customs officials.

Unfortunately, practice shows that buyers are less and less likely to win disputes when returning goods from customs to the seller. Basically, when a dispute escalates, people attach a screenshot that the goods are going to the seller and write that it is not their fault. But the mediators stand their ground and ask for a document with a seal.

The emails state that if the required evidence is not available, a refund will be given but the shipping cost will be deducted. Although it also happens that the seller receives the funds in full, even if the purchase was detained at customs or a state duty must be paid for it. In the end, people are left without a purchase and without money, which is quite sad.

How to open a dispute on Aliexpress due to “Problems with customs”?

Aliexpress dispute - “problems with customs”

First of all, take your time. Please wait for the item to return to China first. Then the seller Aliexpress he will see that the package is coming to him and it will be much easier for him to agree to return the money.

Also, don't rush. It is better to try to resolve the situation directly with the seller. If you are sure that the package is being returned because of you, then agree to a return without shipping costs.

If the seller is at fault, then send a request in advance for a document that the goods didn't miss it through your fault and only then start. This way you can meet the allotted seven-day period to obtain proof of the seller’s guilt.

How to win a dispute on Aliexpress if there are problems at customs?

How to win a dispute on Aliexpress?

On one of the forums, a visitor claims that he won a dispute on Aliexpress in the following way:

1. To begin with, he sent a letter to the mediators saying that he lived very far away and would have to wait a month for an official response. Moreover, according to the World Postal Convention, until the order is received, all responsibility rests with the sender, and customs and postal agents did not notify the return in any way.
2. Additionally, screenshots were attached:

• Order from your personal account with a dedicated address
• Information from the tracking service, which shows that the purchase was detained at customs
• Also, a screenshot of Google maps was additionally attached, where the distance of the city of customs and the city of residence is marked

As a result, the aggravated dispute was won and no additional documents had to be provided. Remember, if you find yourself in a difficult situation and you do not have the opportunity to request the necessary documents, then try to repeat a similar scheme.

Video: Dispute on AliExpress - how to GUARANTEED TO WIN? Examples of disputes from experience