Shopping Discussion

umidigi smartphone from AliExpress

  • Last Updated:
  • Mar 30th, 2020 3:40 pm
Newbie
Dec 1, 2018
9 posts
4 upvotes

umidigi smartphone from AliExpress

In February of this year (2020) I purchased an umidigi F1 smartphone from the umidigi official AliExpress store for $201.26 cdn. Rather than ship the phone that I had purchased, instead, they shipped an entirely different phone that is $60 cdn cheaper on the excuse that they didn't have the colour that I had specified. I initiated the dispute process and requested a refund for the difference in price between the two phones. The seller will not cooperate and I'm currently awaiting a response from AliExpress to settle the matter. I just want to let people know how things are done in that part of the world so please be careful. I will give you a follow up as to how AliExpress handles this. If I cannot get a refund, when one is certainly deserved, then, as a precaution, I will cancel my credit card and remove my account from AliExpress. It is better to be safe than sorry.
Note that the seller was the aliexpress official umidigi store
Last edited by honestyfirst on Mar 30th, 2020 3:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Thread Summary
AliExpress sided with the seller because I could not provide a video of the unboxing of the product. I had no idea that one would be required and consequently, I'm out $60. The seller surely knew what they shipped to me and they knew that I paid for a more expensive phone. And that is very dishonest and egregiously unfair. Now that I know whom I'm dealing with, I've cancelled my credit card and deleted my account from AliExpress. There is a lesson here, that the standard of conduct that we observe in the West is not shared everywhere. Let this serve as a WARNING
10 replies
Sr. Member
Jan 17, 2013
778 posts
379 upvotes
Good luck and post outcome when known.
Deal Expert
User avatar
Jun 12, 2007
20807 posts
6622 upvotes
London
honestyfirst wrote: .... Rather than ship the phone that I had purchased, instead, they shipped an entirely different phone that is $60 cdn cheaper on the excuse that they didn't have the colour..
The F1 is an older phone from early last year 2019. What phone did they ship?

Is this the official Umidigi store on Aliexpress or 3rd party?
Newbie
Dec 1, 2018
9 posts
4 upvotes
They sent me the A5 Pro, which is an inferior phone. For example the F1, which I wanted, has 128 gig memory but the A5 has only 32 gig. Moreover, the A5 was selling at the time for $99 u.s., which worked out, at the time, to about $140 cdn, which is $60 cdn less than what I paid for the F1. I shall post the result of AliExpress's arbitration in this matter.
Deal Expert
Aug 22, 2011
41801 posts
30056 upvotes
Center of Universe
Credit card chargeback.
Deal Expert
Feb 24, 2007
15169 posts
2743 upvotes
vkizzle wrote: Credit card chargeback.
Chargebacks don't seem to work in this instance. I think OP has a better chance of resolving this by dealing with AliExpress and Buyer Protection, as long as he has filed his claim within that 15 day period.
Deal Addict
May 11, 2007
1211 posts
920 upvotes
Kitchener
honestyfirst wrote: In February of this year (2020) I purchased an umidigi F1 smartphone from the umidigi official AliExpress store for $201.26 cdn. Rather than ship the phone that I had purchased, instead, they shipped an entirely different phone that is $60 cdn cheaper on the excuse that they didn't have the colour that I had specified. I initiated the dispute process and requested a refund for the difference in price between the two phones. The seller will not cooperate and I'm currently awaiting a response from AliExpress to settle the matter. I just want to let people know how things are done in that part of the world so please be careful. I will give you a follow up as to how AliExpress handles this. If I cannot get a refund, when one is certainly deserved, then, as a precaution, I will cancel my credit card and remove my account from AliExpress. It is better to be safe than sorry.
Dont panic and wait till you get a response from Aliexpress, cus aliexpress is pretty good with disputes and generally side with a buyer. If the seller does not respond by the deadline, Aliexpress will credit you back your purchase price/difference.
Newbie
Dec 1, 2018
9 posts
4 upvotes
caraj4u wrote: Dont panic and wait till you get a response from Aliexpress, cus aliexpress is pretty good with disputes and generally side with a buyer. If the seller does not respond by the deadline, Aliexpress will credit you back your purchase price/difference.
Update:
They're requesting the package that it came in. We wife threw that out. They say that they will deny my claim. So you're wrong. I will be cancelling my credit card and closing my aliexpress account as a precaution because one impropriety could lead to another.
Last edited by honestyfirst on Mar 26th, 2020 3:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Newbie
Dec 1, 2018
9 posts
4 upvotes
UPDATE: AliExpress sided with the seller because I could not provide a video of the unboxing of the product. I had no idea that one would be required and consequently, I'm out $60. The seller surely knew what they shipped to me and they knew that I paid for a more expensive phone. And that is very dishonest and egregiously unfair. Now that I know whom I'm dealing with, I've cancelled my credit card and will be removing my account from AliExpress. There is a lesson here, that the standard of conduct that we observe in the West is not shared everywhere. Let this be a WARNING to anyone dealing with AliExpress and, in particular, the Official AliExpress Umidigi store.
Last edited by honestyfirst on Mar 26th, 2020 6:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Newbie
Dec 1, 2018
9 posts
4 upvotes
This is the official Aliexpress umidigi store was the store that I dealt with as to whether the F1 is from 2019 or not I don't know.

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