What is the point of Trade Assurance if the contract itself is not protected?
I used Alibaba Trade Assurance because I believed that an agreement made and paid for through Alibaba would actually be protected. I agreed with a freight forwarder on approximately $5.2/kg DDP shipping to Turkey. Based on this agreement, I transferred my goods to the company and paid $733.20 through Alibaba Trade Assurance. After receiving my goods and payment, the company told me that my goods had been sent to the airport and would depart within a few days. Shortly before the planned shipment, however, they refused to perform the agreement at the agreed price and increased the price to approximately $28.5/kg, blaming changing market conditions. I did not cancel the order. I refused the new price and repeatedly asked them to honor the original agreement and ship my goods under the agreed terms. The dispute continued for months. During this time, I repeatedly explained that I did not ask the company to store my goods. I wanted them to fulfill the contract and ship them. My goods were seasonal products, so these months of delay also caused me significant commercial loss. Eventually, Alibaba refunded my $733.20 Trade Assurance payment. I appreciate that the payment was refunded, but the refund was never the main issue. My goods are still in the possession of the freight forwarder. Alibaba told me to resolve the goods directly with the same company that failed to perform the agreement. That company is now demanding additional money from me for storage and other costs before releasing my goods. This is what I cannot understand about Trade Assurance. I did not use Trade Assurance simply to get my money back if the supplier decided not to honor the agreement. I used Trade Assurance because I believed that a contract made through Alibaba actually meant something. If a company can accept my goods and payment, change the agreed price shortly before shipment, refuse to perform the agreement because of “market conditions,” and then leave me to recover my goods at additional cost, what exactly did Trade Assurance protect? Refunding the payment does not undo months of delay, the commercial loss caused by that delay, or the fact that my goods remain with the company that failed to perform the agreement. I expect Alibaba to review this case at a senior level and provide a concrete solution. Otherwise, I seriously question why a buyer should rely on Trade Assurance for an international transaction if the contract itself is not effectively protected.