Ali Express — Damaged item with bad customer service following my prompt claim

Address: See photo

I recently purchased a metal cafetiere from a vendor (Chansunrun Yaya Store) through Ali Express. The item arrived in what I would regard as insufficient packaging. Upon opening my package I wasn't really that surprised that the cafetiere had sustained three separate knocks. I immediately filed a claim.

I sent photos of the damage along with pictures of the packaging to support my claim.

I then waited and was informed by Ali Express that the photo of the shipping label was insufficient evidence to warrant a refund. I contacted the shipping company who informed me that unless the item had been lost in transit, that was all they were obligated to provide. This directly contradicted what I had been told by Ali Express. If their claims department require a certain level of documentation, then surely it is the duty of Ali Express to include this in their list of requirements to any partner organisation to avoid the same problems I have encountered. Why therefore is it down to the customer to bear the burden of proof when money has changed hands to third parties?

I then contacted the live "Customer (don't) Care" chat room. They escalated my claim which only resulted in the same outcome as my original claim. I was careful to check the time limit as stipulated by the "returns & refunds" T&C. I believe that Ali Express actually broke their own guidelines in my case.

As far as I am concerned, as a loyal repeat customer, I expected a better "duty of care" from Ali Express, (not to mention). the vendor, who dismissed my claim as a "logistics issue", failing to recognize that insufficient packaging was bound to result in damage sustained in transit.

I feel that to put it rather crudely, I have been shown the "middle finger" by both vendor and more significantly, Ali Express.