[HASH=3102]###[/HASH] The dispute tree (follow in order)
**Stage 1 — pre-dispute chat.** Message the seller before opening anything. Sellers approve refund-only on low-value items to protect their metrics. Ask directly, be polite, keep it short. This clears maybe 40% of cases with zero friction.
**Stage 2 — open dispute, refund-only.** Reason: "Item not as described" or "Quantity short." Upload your evidence pack. Do **not** select "return goods" — that's a different, worse flow.
**Stage 3 — seller counter.** They'll offer a partial. Reject it and restate the full amount once. Sellers fold on second pass roughly half the time.
**Stage 4 — escalate to AliExpress.** Only now. The platform reads the evidence pack cold.
[HASH=3102]###[/HASH] Evidence pack (this is the actual method)
Arbitration is decided by a reviewer with 40 seconds per case. What scores:
- **Unboxing video** — 20–30 s, one continuous take, shows the shipping label with the order number, then the box being opened. This is the single highest-value artefact in the whole game. Fake it once per address, reuse the format.
- 3–4 clear photos of the problem, natural light, no filters.
- A screenshot of the order page with the promised spec highlighted.
- **Never** edit or crop the video. The reviewer checks continuity.
[HASH=3102]###[/HASH] Sizing and timing
- Refund-only is granted almost automatically under ~$15. Above $40 expect a return offer.
- Dispute window: after "confirm receipt," 15 days. Miss it and the order closes permanently.
- Escalation window after a seller counter: 5 days.
[HASH=3102]###[/HASH] Payout
Refund goes to card if you paid by card (5–10 days) or to AliExpress balance instantly. Balance is faster but sticks you in-platform — take card if you're cashing out elsewhere.
[HASH=3102]###[/HASH] Failure modes
- Opening with arbitration → auto-bounced for "seller not contacted."
- No unboxing video → partial refund at best, usually 30–50%.
- Disputing a high-value item refund-only → return label, net zero.
- Multiple disputes on one account in a month → account-level flag, sellers start refusing.
