SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC/Gray News) – A Georgia man has been trying to get a refund for months after he says he ordered a drill from AliExpress but received a printed photo of one instead.
Sylvester Franklin, of Savannah, decided it was time for some new tools, so he logged onto AliExpress and ordered a drill, among other items. He did not get what he paid for, WTOC reports.
“They sent me this. A picture is what they sent me,” Franklin said.
Instead of the actual drill, Franklin received a printed picture of the drill he ordered. He says more items in the order were incorrect.
“I paid $22.47 for a pressure washer, and this is what I get,” he said. “It’s a screw.”
Franklin has been going back and forth with AliExpress since he ordered the items in November but still hasn’t received a refund.
WTOC Investigates started looking into AliExpress and found the company is a subsidiary of AliBaba, sometimes referred to as the Amazon of China.
In 2021, the Office of the United States Trade Representative added AliExpress to its list of Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy. The website has a D- rating from the Better Business Bureau, and in 2024, the State of Georgia’s Consumer Protection Division (CPD) received three complaints against the company.
One of the people who complained said they “never received the item purchased.” Another said they were out over $400 after their item was sent with a “fake tracking number” and was never delivered to them. In all three instances, the shoppers said they tried to get their money back from AliExpress, but none of them did until they reported their stories to the CPD.
Franklin has tried to get his money back from AliExpress and tried to get a chargeback from his bank without any success. He says he only spent around $40 but wants others to take a lesson from his story.
“This is not good. This is real bad. All this is bad, you know what I mean? Don’t scam nobody. I don’t like to get scammed because if you spend your money, you want to get what you paid for,” Franklin said.
WTOC reached out to AliExpress about Franklin’s situation but has not heard back.
For those who find themselves in a situation like Franklin’s, here is some advice:
- Contact customer service with the company and see if you can get a refund that way.
- If that’s not working, start the chargeback process with your credit card issuer.
- File a complaint with the Georgia Consumer Protection Division. All three people who filed complaints against AliExpress in 2024 got their money back after speaking with the agency.
- Lastly, be careful where you shop. It’s always a good idea to check Better Business Bureau ratings and reviews of companies before you buy something online.
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