Step 1 — Document immediately
Film the unboxing before you touch anything: sealed box, shipping labels, damage as you find it. Photograph the part next to the packing slip and the invoice specs. Timestamp everything. Claims are won on evidence, and evidence rots fast.
Step 2 — Contact the seller first
Message them the same day with photos and a clear ask: replacement, partial refund, or return. Most established sellers will negotiate — a replacement shipment or a 20–40% refund for cosmetic damage is a common settlement. Keep every message inside Alibaba's chat.
Step 3 — File a Trade Assurance claim if they won't fix it
Open the claim from your order page. Attach the unboxing video, photos, invoice, and chat history showing the seller's refusal or silence. Be specific about the remedy you want and why the order terms support it.
Step 4 — Know the realistic outcomes
- Partial refund — most common for cosmetic damage or minor spec misses. Take it if the part is usable.
- Replacement — best for wrong or non-functional parts from a seller you still trust.
- Full refund — usually requires returning the part, and return shipping to China can eat half the refund. Do the math first.
The last resort
If Trade Assurance fails and you paid by credit card through Alibaba, a chargeback is the final lever — but it burns the bridge with the platform and the seller. Use it only when every other path is genuinely dead.