Aliexpress customer service that isn't - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: GusGF
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 07, 2023, 10:28:31 pm
content: SUNSHINE S-918E LCD Blue Screen Splitter Heating Stage Separator PadSold by Pro Cellphone Repair StoreI've bought a few items from Aliexpress over the years so back in February I bought a heat mat for helping with fixing the odd mobile phone/tablet that might come my way. It arrived pretty quickly and like a lot of things I set it aside until I needed it as I had a few jobs lined up for it, but nothing urgent. BIG, BIG MISTAKEThen 4-5 months later I got around to using it. Shortly after I switched it on the display went funny and segment LEDs began to flash on/off randomly. In the end the only way to get it to supply constant heat to the mat was to keep one of the operating buttons held down. At this point I'd lost any control over the temperature. So straight back to Aliexpress to message the seller who suggested I repair it and they would send me the part as they wouldn't replace it. Great so I have to become an expert on a circuit I don't have a schematic on or understand. When I looked closer at the Aliexpress T&Cs I was shocked to find out customer protection ends15 days after delivery. On top of that you can only leave feedback for a seller up to 30 days after.I've opened the heat mat to find out what it looked like inside, see attached photo. One of the 2 circuit boards inside the metal box wasn't attached to anything and was loose and close to the 240v input at the top of the photo. This 240v input also had unshielded solder joints! What also seemed weird was this loose board also had two USB A ports so obviously this board at some point in the design was meant to be attached securely to the chassis or case. In this instance they'd used another dual USB socket mounted inside the metal box and connected by cables to the loose board?!So as a customer you are screwed on Aliexpress if things go wrong and you may be buying unsafe electrical equipment that is subject to little or no safety standards!!Incidentally I tried to attach a second photo but I was allowed only one even though it saysadd files by dragging & dropping

author: DavidAlfa
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2023, 10:58:24 pm
content: Yeah, always test the stuff shortly after reception!Customer service is opened during 45 days or so. During this time, if you receive the packet and its no good, just open a case.But if you wait 5 months for testing, yeah, that's warranty and you know how that works in Aliexpress.Most of the time you'll only get the money back if DOA (Dead on arrival) or dead withing few weeks.1 - If not working, make pictures/videos, open a case and most of the time you'll get your money back.2 - If crappy quality, cut some wire / remove some component to make it stop working / work weird, proceed with step 1.3 - Arguing you're not happy with the product greatly reduces your chances of getting a refund! Just do step 2.

author: GusGF
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 07, 2023, 11:09:10 pm
content: Quote from: DavidAlfa on October 07, 2023, 10:58:24 pmRookie mistake

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 07, 2023, 11:19:22 pm
content: QuoteWelcome to e-commerce platforms? You'd have a hard time finding a platform any better in this regard. Ebay and amazon are not different. Frankly you're lucky seller bothered to offer a part.

author: GusGF
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 07, 2023, 11:22:43 pm
content: Quote from: wraper on October 07, 2023, 11:19:22 pmWith Ebay and Amazon I've generally had much better customer service with the odd exception.As a novice electronics hobbyist I will probably be popping up on one of the other boards on here for help with getting this to work

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 07, 2023, 11:28:49 pm
content: Quote from: GusGF on October 07, 2023, 11:22:43 pmWhatever experience you had, their buyer protection time is about the same. After protection time ends, it's on sole discretion of the seller. If you order from Chinese seller on ebay and will wait this long before complaining, result will be the same, unless you stumble on unusually conscientious seller. The only longer term leverage you may have is CC chargeback, but it most likely will get you banned from the platform.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2023, 11:30:08 pm
content: I'd address the electrical safety issues first. However, if the mat is resistive, you could consider hooking it up to a regular bench power supply and regulate the temperature manually. It could be a safer option but either way, don't leave it turned on if you are not in the room.

author: magic
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 08, 2023, 06:28:03 am
content: Quote from: GusGF on October 07, 2023, 10:28:31 pmThe loose board is probably a generic USB charger PCB which they simply threw inside because they needed 5V for the control PCB (the one that's fixed with screws).

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 08, 2023, 06:40:09 am
content: Yep, rule 3 with aliexpress. Always check the goods are working and to spec before the automatically delivery confirmation occurs.Rule 1 and 2 are1. 92+% sellers only2. Never buy the cheapest option. Order by price and look for price groupings, pick the 2nd or 3rd lowest grouping, never the lowest.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 08, 2023, 09:35:15 am
content: Quote from: Psi on October 08, 2023, 06:40:09 amIME lowest price is totally fine unless you buy electronic components which you shouldn't buy there to begin with (unless no other reasonable choice). As buying at 3x the lowest price does not guarantee you won't receive the same cheapest fake shite.

author: magic
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 08, 2023, 10:33:56 am
content: Yeah, price doesn't guarantee anything.You need to actually evaluate each option based on provided images, declared specs, buyer feedback, and a healthy dose of common sense.

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 08, 2023, 01:48:31 pm
content: Quote from: wraper on October 07, 2023, 11:19:22 pmQuote from:https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/info/deliveryPerhaps you meant 'marketplace platform', which is a bit different to the vast majority of ecommerce?

author: GusGF
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 08, 2023, 02:27:37 pm
content: Yes you are most probably right about waiting 5 months to use something with regards to other platforms. My silly mistakeOn Ebay as a buyer you have up to 30 days to open a dispute and 60 to leave buyer feedback and on Amazon you have 30 days to return with an almost no questions asked policy and again you can leave feedback for up to 90 days after purchase. That's a lot better than Aliexpress.When I buy stuff on Amazon I always look at the negative feedback first and generally ignore the less informative 5 star ratings, at this point I'm pretty good at gauging what's genuine. On eBay I list all the feedback for the seller (100/page) and do a Ctrl+F for the product I'm buying to see what other people thought of it and their experience and I normally go back thru 5/600 reviews which takes me no more than a minute or 2. Gives me peace of mind.When it comes to feedback on Aliexpress I wouldn't trust them as far as I could throw them.

author: BrokenYugo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 10, 2023, 01:38:26 pm
content: Anything mains powered direct from china should be immediately disassembled on arrival for safety checks, before power up. Treat it like a kit somebody else with zero experience handling AC power half-ass slapped together and the outcomes improve, prices make more sense too.

author: GusGF
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 10, 2023, 04:31:23 pm
content: Quote from: BrokenYugo on October 10, 2023, 01:38:26 pmAbsolutely best advice I've heard on this thread. Love it and most probably true.Pile em high, make em cheap, nobody's really checking.

author: magic
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 10, 2023, 05:09:45 pm
content: Poor advice, unless by inspection you mean unwinding of transformers, replacement of fusible resistors and X- or Y- class capacitors, and so on

author: BrokenYugo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 10, 2023, 07:20:13 pm
content: Quote from: magic on October 10, 2023, 05:09:45 pmThere's no need to unwind anything with a small SMPS like that, just see that the transformer secondary isn't wound with that pink/yellow triple insulated wire and it can be assumed junk. AFAIK that's the only way to make the little ones legal, and that wire is always terminated with flying leads or an offset bobbin so it's easy to see.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 10, 2023, 08:57:17 pm
content: This mat doesn't look very good but thats fairly typical for these heaters.What I did was ground the metal enclosure section and run it from a dedicated GFCI outlet. Since there is really no way to protect from someone cutting into the heater element, unless you want to isolate the entire device.