How to Request a Refund on Taobao

Do you ever want to request a refund from taobao when you find somthing wrong? It is not easy as the pages are all in Chinse and you have no idea where to start,right?

In this step by step guide, I will show you how to properly request a refund from taobao. If you have purchased a wrong item or no longer wish to have it, you may request for a refund through the following details.

The two types of Refund from Taobao

Depending on the time of shipment and the conditions in which the items are received, You may request for a refund anytime before or after a transaction is made.

Return and refund

if you received the item or items are in the warehouse now and there are items need to be returned to the seller,you have to use this type of refund.

Refund only

if seller does not ship out the items yet,and no item is to be returned to the seller,you can use this type.

You can not use this type when your items already received by your warehouse.

Type #1 Refund from “Return/Refund(退款/退货)”

If this option is available, it means that the seller has not received the fund.

The status of the order is “payment has been made” and “items have been shipped.” You may immediately request for a refund.

Step 1. Find the item

Find the item that you want to return, click: Refund/Return(退款/退货)

refund01

Step 2. Select the style of refund:

Now you need to choose style of the refund

refund02

Return and refund(退货退款)

You click this option when there is a problem with the items, or if you no longer want the items and have reached a deal with the seller for a return.

Return procedures:

  • 1. Request for a return.
  • 2. The seller sends a return address to the buyer.
  • 3. The buyer returns the items and fills out the details of the shipment.
  • 4. The seller receives the items, refund completed successfully.

you will be provided a return address to received the return.if you are unable to return and provide the tracking number,you will not be given the refund.

Refund only(仅退款)

If you have not received the items, or if you have received the items but have reached a deal with the seller for a refund without returning the items, select the “Refund only” option.

Return procedures:

  • 1. Request for a refund.
  • 2. The seller accepts your application.
  • 3. Refund completed successfully.

Step 3. Fill out the refund from

Depend on what refund type you click,you will be taken to two different refund form:

Form 1: Form for Return and refund

if you click Return and refund(退货退款),you will see a form like below:

refund03

Two fields are required(* means required): Reason for return/refund(退货退款原因) and refund amount(退款金额).

Field 1: Reasons for refund

you should choose the real reason for refund,I listed the English version so you can choose it correctly.

  1. The seller sent the wrong item(卖家发错货).
  2. Faulty parts(配件故障).
  3. Malfunctions(性能故障).
  4. Scratched or broken upon arrival(收到商品时有划痕或破损).
  5. Pirated items(假冒品牌).
  6. Screen display problems(屏幕故障).
  7. Product not-as-described(版本不符).
  8. Missing functions(功能缺失).
  9. Not satisfied/dislike(效果不好/不喜欢).
  10. Others(其它).
Field 2: Refund amount

You can use the default refund amount unless you have a deal with the seller.

After filling out the form, just click “Submit application(提交申请)”.

Form 2: The Form for Refund only(仅退款)

If you click refund only,you will see this form:

refund05

Field 1

Have you received the items(是否收到货): not received(未收到货) or already received(已收到货).

Field 2

If you select “not received”, the reasons for refund(仅退款原因) include:

  1. Empty parcel / incomplete空包裹/少货.
  2. Haven’t received any delivery(快递一直未送到).
  3. Ordered too much / wrongly ordered / no longer want it(多拍/拍错/不想要).
  4. items were not shipped on time(未按约定时间发货).
  5. No tracking record of the shipment(快递无跟踪记录).
  6. Others(其它).
Field 3

If you select “already received”, the reasons for refund include:

  1. The seller sent the wrong item(卖家发错货).
  2. Faulty parts(配件故障).
  3. Malfunctions(性能故障).
  4. Scratched or broken upon arrival(收到商品时有划痕或破损).
  5. Pirated items(假冒品牌).
  6. Screen display problems(屏幕故障).
  7. Product not-as-described(版本不符).
  8. Missing functions(功能缺失).
  9. Not satisfied/dislike(效果不好/不喜欢).
  10. Others(其它).

Type #2 Refund from “After-sales application(申请售后)”

This works If The seller has received your payment and the order status shows “completed successfully”:

Within 15 days of a successful transaction, if for any reason you are not satisfied with the items you received, you may request for a refund or return via the “After-sales application.”

Step 1:

Login to: “My Taobao” – “Purchased items”, find the relevant order and click “After-sales applications(申请售后)”:

after001

Step 2:

Choose your desired style of application:

  • Return & Refund (退货退款)
  • Refund only (仅退款)
  • Exchange(换货)
  • Repair(维修)

refund004

Step 3:

after you choose the style,you will see a refund form for that style,you have to fill out the form and submit to complete the request process.

The form for Refund only

the form content is similar to the one I mentiond above,so I will only taking “Refund only” as an example:

After selecting “Refund only”, you’ll need to check whether “You have received the items” and fill out the relevant information as instructed (the same as Part1).

After that, click “Submit application.”

after003

Note: You can only claim a refund via “After-sales applications” within 15 days from the time payment has been released to the seller.After 15 days, you will need deal with the seller via aliwangwang.

Check the refund status

you may enter “My Taobao >> Manage Refund(退款管理)” and find the refund amount at “My refund applications”.

Click “check” to enter the refund details page, where you can check the time reminder.

refund06

If the seller does not respond to your request within 5 days, the system will automatically approve your application by default.

If you have selected to “return and refund”, then you will need to return the items.

Whereas if there is no returning of items needed, you will receive the amount of refund as stated in your application.

 

Follow Me On My Social Media.!

I am very active on various social media outlets as well as this blog. So social media is a much faster and more effective channel to communicate with me compared to comments section of this blog.

I also update my social media with the latest Taobao and 1688 articles, tips, rule changes, latest promotions, etc.

If you’re serious about buying from China, you can’t miss my social media.

Here are the social media accounts that I hold:

It only takes a few seconds to follow me, but one of my updates there may solve your problems and save you a huge amount of time and money!!

234 thoughts on “How to Request a Refund on Taobao”

  1. Hi Eric

    I bought my taobao and unfortunately the whole parcel consisting of several item went missing. How do I request for refund of the money paid for product and shipping fee? The whole journey on contacting customer services was a maze.

  2. Hello, if I request for a refund, will the money directly go back to my OCBC credit card or Alipay account? If it goes to Alipay then I won’t be able to get the money out.

  3. hi. the products i have received are poorly made and seller have agreed on a refund with goods return intact. firstly, i don’t know how to ship back to china from singapore. secondly, is it going to be expensive as there are two parcels containing car boot spoiler and car roof spoiler. i have already paid like sgd$53 to have it shipped over. now i have to pay to ship it back again right?

  4. Hi Eric!

    My item was damaged and after discussing with the seller, I am eligible for a refund. However, the seller insists on refunding me by sending me a 红包, and I was unable to accept it. Would truly appreciate it if you could help me out on how I can accept the 红包, thank you so much!

  5. Hi Eric.

    So I want to refund a product that I bought on 11/11 because I have found the same item for R2000 cheaper (about ¥1000). I’m not sure if I should apply for a refund because a) it’s been almost a month since I bought it and b) there’s nothing wrong with the product as far as I know. I haven’t used it though, just taken it out the box and turned it on. It’s a OnePlus phone.

    I just wanted to get your opinion if I am wasting my time or if there’s a possibility that I could get my money back.

    Thank you in advance

    1. Hello Daniel

      it is possbile if seller agrees,so you have to contact the seller for this problem.

      but since it is a phone which price changes frequently,most sellers unlikely give you a refund like this.

  6. hi eric … recently buy item from taoboa … seller inform item out of stock ..
    i request for refund but only have refunded amount of item and their local cost shipment … not include overseas shipment cost in the refund why..
    coz when i request for refund only amount of item + local china postage show …

      1. Hi Eric,
        I have requested a refund for my item. The seller agree and successfullt refunded my item fee and local shipping fee. But my 95 yuan ( international shipping fee) was not refunded. And I see one guy in this forum which had the same problem, You (Eric) said do not worry. It will also be refunded. But when I check my bank statement. Only item fee and local shipping fee was refunded. No International Shipping Fee. How do I solve this?

        Thank You

  7. Hi, I bought a wooden bed frame during 11/11 sales at $410 SGD. Due to unknown reason, the warehouse does not want to accept my bed frame. I have sent in a refund request and the person demanded $115 SGD for shipping the bed to and from the warehouse. The person said its 370RMB/方 and my bed frame is 1.8m, hence 576RMB (115SGD)
    The seller is at 江西 while the warehouse i at 广州.
    Do I have no choice but to pay the hefty shipping cost or do u have any suggestion that they can continue shipping it to me in Singapore.

    Your help is very much appreciated

  8. Hi Eric, I used my singapore credit card to buy some food goodies but ended up food seller told me to request for refund as they cannot ship to singapore. I had applied for a refund based on your screenshots. How does the seller knows how to refund me as they never ask for my UOB credit card number. I don’t have any bank from China. And my credit card will still show the amount I paid instead of the refunded money. I’m puzzle how they can refund me

  9. Hi, so recently I used my credit card and paid for a wooden foldable bed frame. But due to logistics issues, seller could not fulfill my order . So seller suggested I submit a refund application after 11/11 period.

    My question is if I go through with the refund process, will the money be (a) refunded back to my Singapore bank account that I used for my credit card or (b) refunded into ZhiFuBao (Alipay) account?

    I am worried somehow it might be refunded to Alipay account and the money will be frozen inside. This is because I do not have a Chinese bank account to fully verify my identity and activate the Alipay services, which means I cannot touch or use the funds inside the Alipay account.

    I have not apply for refund yet but trying to find out more about this issue.

  10. Hi Eric,
    I created my Taobao account a few years ago with my home address being input as the default address. In the past I bought some magazines but did not receive. Recently (about a month ago), I’ve also bought some items from some stores but have not received yet. I tried to contact the sellers this morning and they replied that my packages could not be shipped because my address is not correct/recognized. I went to my Taobao setting to check again my address information. Everything is correct but I don’t know the reason why my address showed to the seller with the city name at first position and my name after the zip code and my country name is not showed. I think this is the reason why the shipper could not ship my packages and return them to the sellers.
    Has any other customer told you that they met the same situation like me? I have many things to buy from Taobao but now I’m really confused and don’t know what to do.
    I hope to hear some advise from you.
    Thank you very much for spending time reading my message.

    -Hue Tran-
    P/S: Ah, I used Taobao app on Android phone.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top