$5,000 Lost, No Machine Delivered, No Protection from Trade Assurance
I purchased a mini excavator through Alibaba specifically because of Trade Assurance. I paid a USD 5,000 deposit believing Alibaba's buyer protection would protect me if the seller failed to deliver the machine described in our contract. Before shipment, the seller sent photos and videos claiming the machine was completed. However, the seller's own evidence clearly showed that it did not match the Proforma Invoice. The engine installed was not the engine specified in the contract, and several contracted features were missing, including the radio, cabin curtains, and the agreed hydraulic thumb configuration. These are straightforward, verifiable discrepancies with no ambiguity, and the evidence comes directly from the seller's own photos and videos. Despite these clear discrepancies, Alibaba continued to maintain that the seller had fulfilled the contract. I submitted screenshots, videos, correspondence, and the relevant contract clauses. Alibaba still issued a USD 0.00 refund decision, with the only explanation being that "the merchant has demonstrated the ability to fulfill the contract." No evidence was identified to support that conclusion. I appealed and requested a higher-level review. The final decision repeated the exact same statement, word for word. My later request for a review of how the case was handled received yet another copy-and-paste response that did not address any of my evidence. The machine was never shipped, yet the seller keeps my USD 5,000 deposit. As a result, I have neither the machine nor my money. Trade Assurance is marketed as buyer protection, but in my case it was handled through template responses instead of a genuine review of clear, verifiable evidence. I relied on Trade Assurance for protection, but when the seller's own evidence showed that the machine did not match the contract, Alibaba still refused reimbursement and allowed the seller to keep my USD 5,000 deposit. Case No. 100052039103 | Order No. 299409167001026028