Path through this phrasebook: Home / Screens / After-sales and claims

After-sales screens: returns, refunds, insurance and delivery problems

Problems had their own corner of the personal center, with a status ladder of its own. These cards follow a return from application to refund, then the parcel-level claims and the insurance labels, and end with the phrases that should make you stop.

Mock-up of the archived after-sales list with its status tags, drawn by this site.

Applying for a return or exchange

An after-sales request started from the order line. The form asked what kind of help you wanted and why.

Field label

Apply for type

Seen on: First choice on the request form; the options are "Return and refund" and "Exchange goods".
Means: Money back, or the same item in another size or colour.
Your move: Exchanges depend on the seller still having stock; ask about stock before choosing one.

Field label

Please fill in the product application after-sales remarks

Seen on: Text box on the form.
Means: Your reason, read by staff and passed to the seller.
Your move: Point to a photo: "left sleeve seam open, see QC photo 3" works better than "bad quality".

Notice text

Return period

Seen on: Heading of the return rules.
Means: Items signed for at the warehouse within the last five days could be returned through this form; older cases went to customer service.
Your move: Look at photos the day they arrive. The window is short.

Notice text

Return Instruction

Seen on: Heading of the seller rules.
Means: Weidian sellers had five days to answer a return request and Taobao sellers three; after that, the system approved it for them.
Your move: Note the date you applied. Silence from the seller counts in your favour after those days.

Notice text

refund to your balance within 12 days

Seen on: Tail of the refund timing line.
Means: Once a seller agreed, the money came back to your agent balance, not your card, within 12 days.
Your move: Plan to spend or withdraw it; it does not go back to the original payment method by itself.

Notice text

domestic shipping fee for return

Seen on: Phrase inside the first return rule.
Means: If the item had no quality problem, you paid the courier cost of sending it back to the seller.
Your move: For a change of mind, compare that cost with the refund before applying.

The after-sales status ladder

Each request showed one of these tags. They do not all appear; a smooth refund skips the review ones.

Status tag

To be processed

Seen on: Fresh request.
Means: Not yet looked at.
Your move: Wait one working day.

Status tag

To be reviewed

Seen on: Staff are checking the request.
Means: They may ask the warehouse for more photos.
Your move: Answer messages quickly; reviews stall without replies.

Status tag

Review not passed

Seen on: Request refused at review.
Means: Staff or the seller would not accept the reason given.
Your move: Read the refund remark for the reason, then reply with a photo if you disagree.

Status tag

To be returned

Seen on: Approved, item waiting to go back.
Means: The warehouse will post it to the seller.
Your move: Nothing to do but keep the after-sales number.

Status tag

Subject to refund

Seen on: Seller has the item back.
Means: The seller is due to pay back the agent.
Your move: The 12-day refund clock runs from the seller's agreement.

Status tag

Refund Pending

Seen on: Money on its way to your balance.
Means: Final stretch.
Your move: Check the balance records rather than the order line.

Status tag

After sale completion

Seen on: Closed request.
Means: Refunded or exchanged.
Your move: Compare the refund amount with what you paid for the item.

Status tag

After sale cancelled

Seen on: Closed without action.
Means: You withdrew it, or it timed out.
Your move: If you did not withdraw it, ask why before the return window closes for good.

Parcel claims, insurance and customs notices

Problems after the parcel left China were handled on the parcel side, with different wording.

Clickable button

Parcel request after sale

Seen on: Action on a delivered parcel.
Means: Opens a claim for the whole parcel rather than one item.
Your move: Have the parcel number and your unpacking photos ready.

Notice text

within 3 days of receiving the package

Seen on: Part of the reminder shown on delivered parcels.
Means: Any parcel problem needed reporting no later than three days after delivery, backed by the unboxing photos and video.
Your move: Film the unboxing of every parcel, label side first.

Field label

Insurance premium

Seen on: Label among the parcel cost lines, with "Peace of mind protection" as the product name.
Means: Optional parcel cover. The rate and the claim rules were not archived; an amount box with an allowed range was.
Your move: Read the cover terms before paying for it; without them you cannot tell what is covered.

Notice text

risk of being taxed

Seen on: Phrase from the customs reminder on parcels.
Means: A parcel opened at your country's customs may be taxed. Refusing to deal with the tax notice can lead to a costly return.
Your move: If a tax notice comes, answer it. The agent's screens could not settle customs for you.

Notice text

Third-party logistics carriers are responsible...

Seen on: Opening of the delivery responsibility line.
Means: The carrier, not the agent, delivered the parcel. If it was lost, the agent offered to help with the carrier claim rather than paying itself.
Your move: This is why insurance terms matter more than the route's speed.

Phrases that should make you stop and read

Most interface lines are routine. A few are worth stopping on, because they mean money or time is about to be lost. Across all nine chapters, these are the ones we would never click past:

No returns/exchangesOn the product page: size twice before buying.
Pending to pay differenceOn the order list: decide whether to pay or cancel.
Contain invalid goodsOn the parcel builder: the item is already in another parcel.
The logistics categories do not matchOn the freight estimator: the route refuses your goods type.
Payment information is delayedOn the payment page: do not pay twice.
Do you confirm acceptance of the defective product?On the warehouse: accepting ends the easy return.
Free storage for 300 daysOn the warehouse: set a reminder for the end.
{amount} yuan per timeOn the rehearsal package: ask the fee before submitting.

The eight stop phrases from this list, each tagged with the screen it appears on. Arrangement by this site.