What it is
Trade Assurance is Alibaba's order-protection program. When your order is covered, Alibaba holds your payment and only releases it to the seller when the order terms are met. Think of it as escrow with rules.
What it covers
- Payment protection — if the seller never ships, you get your money back.
- On-time dispatch — if the seller misses the agreed ship date, you're covered.
- Product as described — if the part arrives materially different from the agreed specs, you can claim.
What it does NOT cover
- Fitment guesses. If you ordered the wrong size for your car and the part matches the listing, that's on the buyer. Confirm year, model, trim, and VIN with the seller first.
- Buyer's remorse. Changed your mind? That's not a claim.
- Expectations beyond the contract. Only what's written in the order terms counts — verbal promises in chat help, but the invoice rules.
How to file
Contact the seller first and give them a chance to fix it — most disputes settle here. If that fails, open a claim from your order page with photos, the invoice, and your chat history. Document damage with unboxing video; claims live or die on evidence.