Regrettable experience buying from alixpress.com

[Baldinggettingold]

I used paypal and ordered from alixpress.com. Order was below $10. My paypal is linked to my credit card. Now I have been slapped with $10 fee by credit card company for order of less than $10! Credit card company is saying paypal or alixpress or both used the transaction as cash advance transaction not as sale transaction so I have been charged $10! I used paypal to buy from alixpress in same way but was never charged any fee by credit card company.
Alixpress is giving me runarounds and paypal has not replied even after 2 weeks! Also no phone number to contact paypal.I know $10 is not much but this has surprised me.

 

[Baldinggettingold]

Correction it is aliexpress.com and not alixpress.com.
Aliexpress.com customer service agents may have poor English language skills. After repeatedly telling same things over and over again including providing order number and the corresponding amount charged and why I was charged $10 fee by credit card company for payment made through paypal the agent asked me whether I have already paid through paypal and bought the item from aliexpress.com! They could he giving me runaround to simply frustrate me too!

 

[Acmemfg]

who is the credit card company?

 

[phishsublime]

1 (888) 221-1161 is the number for Payal, I've called them several times over the years and they have always been helpful.

 

[CapnPanther]

1 (888) 221-1161 is the number for Payal, I've called them several times over the years and they have always been helpful.

My experience has been the same.

 

[Baldinggettingold]

1 (888) 221-1161 is the number for Payal, I've called them several times over the years and they have always been helpful.

thank you. I did not know this. Is customer service available 24 hours a day 7 days a week?

 

[Baldinggettingold]

who is the credit card company?

Chase

 

[JackJ]

I ran into this exact same issue using a Chase card as the payment for PayPal purchases at Aliexpress. I was trying to take advantage of some great sales on 11/11, but made two separate purchases, each slapped after the fact with this $10 “cash advance” fee. I applaud you for contesting it since it’s bogus, but I decided to avoid the hassle, learn the hard way from the experience, and stick with proven (to me) vendors in the future.

 

[Rrose Sélavy]

1 (888) 221-1161 is the number for Payal, I've called them several times over the years and they have always been helpful.

Totally. I have called and spoken to PayPal CS dozens of times over the years, and they are usually very helpful.

 

[Atlantic59]

I've seen posts about this on several other forums. These charges are imposed by your credit card company because you are using a credit card on "peer to peer" transactions. Not only do you incur a stupid, excessive fee, but interest begins accruing immediately rather than after a grace period.

You can avoid this ripoff in several ways. You can link your Paypal account to a debit card. You can link your Paypal account to your checking account directly. You can transfer money from your checking account to your Paypal account in advance to cover the cost of future purchases.

 

[Hydguy]

I've seen posts about this on several other forums. These charges are imposed by your credit card company because you are using a credit card on "peer to peer" transactions. Not only do you incur a stupid, excessive fee, but interest begins accruing immediately rather than after a grace period.

You can avoid this ripoff in several ways. You can link your Paypal account to a debit card. You can link your Paypal account to your checking account directly. You can transfer money from your checking account to your Paypal account in advance to cover the cost of future purchases.

Or they can dump Chase and go with a card that doesn't bend you over.

Never has my card company charged me a fee for using PayPal, and I still get my 2% cash back, even when I do F&F payments.

I haven't used a bank in almost 20 years. Strictly credit unions.

 

[Baldinggettingold]

I've seen posts about this on several other forums. These charges are imposed by your credit card company because you are using a credit card on "peer to peer" transactions. Not only do you incur a stupid, excessive fee, but interest begins accruing immediately rather than after a grace period.

You can avoid this ripoff in several ways. You can link your Paypal account to a debit card. You can link your Paypal account to your checking account directly. You can transfer money from your checking account to your Paypal account in advance to cover the cost of future purchases.

There is a problem here. Like I wrote in one of my posts, I have bought from aliexpress.com using paypal linked to my chase credit card before and no fee was charged by the chase credit card company before. Chase told me like I wrote the $10 fee was charged because either aliexoress.com or paypal or both treated by purchase from aliexpress.com as c’CASH ADVANCE’ transaction and NOT as ‘Sale’ transaction. I still don’t know why anyone of these 2 or both would treat the purchase as ‘Cash advance’.

 

[FarmerTan]

There is a problem here. Like I wrote in one of my posts, I have bought from aliexpress.com using paypal linked to my chase credit card before and no fee was charged by the chase credit card company before. Chase told me like I wrote the $10 fee was charged because either aliexoress.com or paypal or both treated by purchase from aliexpress.com as c’CASH ADVANCE’ transaction and NOT as ‘Sale’ transaction. I still don’t know why anyone of these 2 or both would treat the purchase as ‘Cash advance’.

I'm no Chase fan (not even in NASCAR!) but this sure sounds like a scam on AliExpress' side of the transaction.

 

[BigD]

I know it costs a bit more, but I'll only by from a vendor that has it in stock in either the US, Europe, or Canada. Just too much Wild West going on to buy from South East Asia, and my family lives there.

 

[StillShaving]

I always use my Credit Card directly on Aliexpress and have never had a problem.

Though I am one to avoid Paypal anytime possible. Both because of negative personal experience with the company and I don't see any benefit from adding a middleman that may want a piece of the action.

 

[emwolf]

I've seen posts about this on several other forums. These charges are imposed by your credit card company because you are using a credit card on "peer to peer" transactions. Not only do you incur a stupid, excessive fee, but interest begins accruing immediately rather than after a grace period.

You can avoid this ripoff in several ways. You can link your Paypal account to a debit card. You can link your Paypal account to your checking account directly. You can transfer money from your checking account to your Paypal account in advance to cover the cost of future purchases.

linking directly to checking avoids a lot of credit card pitfalls and paypal fees too.,

 

[ackvil]

linking directly to checking avoids a lot of credit card pitfalls and paypal fees too.,

But it also limits your protection to PayPal. A transaction via a debit card is the same as paying by cash.

I have a Chase credit card linked to PayPal and I have never had an issue like that.

In fact, when the Pandemic first hit and masks were sold out I placed an order with a company that supposedly was in the U.S. but, in fact, was in Hong Kong. The masks and gloves I ordered were to be shipped "within 24 hours" and I paid for express shipping. A week went by and I got a shipping notice that the carrier was waiting for the shipment. After a month went by I raised a dispute with PayPal and Chase. Chase responded to my complaint immediately while PayPal said it was waiting for a response from the vendor. After two months went by I investigated and found numerous complaints against the vendor for never sending the merchandise. I sent copies of these complaints to PayPal and Chase. Chase credited my account but PayPal never responded. Four months later the merchandise was in LA and a week later I received it. I finally heard from the vendor who asked to be paid less the express shipping fee which I did.

 

[Atlantic59]

There is a problem here. Like I wrote in one of my posts, I have bought from aliexpress.com using paypal linked to my chase credit card before and no fee was charged by the chase credit card company before. Chase told me like I wrote the $10 fee was charged because either aliexoress.com or paypal or both treated by purchase from aliexpress.com as c’CASH ADVANCE’ transaction and NOT as ‘Sale’ transaction. I still don’t know why anyone of these 2 or both would treat the purchase as ‘Cash advance’.

Aliexpress payments go through their own middleman payment service, called Alipay. So, you are not paying the merchant directly, you are paying to Alipay. They are coding transactions from Paypal as a peer-to-peer transfer instead of a sale. As I understand it, this change was made just a few months ago.

You may be able to get the fee waved by Chase, but only as a "goodwill" gesture.

 

[xiletero]

I used Aliexpress once and it was a disaster.....lies, lies and lies.... . I finally fought and got refunded!! Never again will I buy anything from them.....nightmare. Better pay more and get it from a reputable seller where you live

 

[SliceOfLife]

Yeah it seems to me this is on your credit card not PayPal or Ali, I run my credit card through PayPal constantly when I just don't feel like going to get my wallet because I don't have my credit card numbers memorized and I've never been charged a fee for cash advancing. They're trying to stick you with a BS fee because they hope that you won't fight it.

The only thing, make sure you're running it as a credit card being processed through paypal, not as PayPal funds with your credit card as the source... because that is a cash advance if you're paying the vendor with PayPal funds and you have PayPal set up to tap your credit card as a source of funds.