AliExpress launches free-returns program in eight markets

Inside Retail Asia

12th Sep 2019

Alibaba Group’s global online marketplace AliExpress is to offer free return and refund for participating categories across eight countries.

Buyers in main areas of eight pilot countries including Russia, France, Germany, Spain, the UK, the US, Canada and Australia will be first to participate in the new program.

Products participating in the new program range from consumer electronics, jewellery, shoes to cosmetics products. Under the new policy, customers in the eight countries with an eligible address will see a “free return” sign on the webpage of the eligible products. Customers can request a free return and refund for those products within 15 days of receiving their order.

According to the return and refund policy, products must be returned in new and unused condition. In addition to products such as mobile phones, underwear, food categories, and customised products, products priced over US$1000 are excluded from the program.

Customers can go to local post offices to return unwanted products and expect to receive their refund in as little as three days. The processing time varies depending on the payment solution they used to buy the product.

Cheer Zhang, the head of Global consumer and market operation at AliExpress, says the objective of the new policy is to improve the shopping experience and give consumers more confidence to explore the platform’s wide range of brands and products.

The new “free return” program is an upgrade from a previously launched “local return” program that had been operating in seven countries. Under the previous plan, customers had to cover the delivery fee for the return orders.