Online shopping has become a convenient platform for people to shop from the comfort of their homes and buy goods , commodities. Although this convenience attracts risks, many fraudulent activities in various e-commerce platforms are occurring. Scams can range from fake products, non-delivery of items to misleading advertisements or deceptive pricing.
A US man, Sylvester Franklin aged 68, from Georgia, was shocked after he received a photograph of a drill he had ordered from AliExpress, instead of the actual tool, according to a report in the New York Post. Mr. Franklin ordered the DIY appliance and a pressure washer for $40 from the budget online store, based in China, back in November thinking he had grabbed a steal deal.
Weeks later, when in December Mr. Franklin received the delivery, he found that the company had shipped a printed out picture of the item, folded and put inside the package. “I paid around $40 – all I got given was a picture of the drill and a screw. I was very upset. I contacted them for a refund straight away,” said Mr. Franklin. “This is not good. This is real bad. All this is bad, you know what I mean?” he added.

Frustrated by the scam, Mr. Franklin attempted to contact the retailer but to date, he has received no proper communication; a refund would be a pretty distant possibility. “Don’t scam nobody. I don’t like to get scammed because if you spend your money, you want to get what you paid for,” he lamented.
As the tale went viral, people on social media shared similar anecdotes while some others joked about Mr. Franklin’s decision to order stuff from an unreliable website, “That is a very common scam and happens a lot on sites like eBay and FB marketplace as well,” said one user, while another had fun at Mr. Franklin’s expense: “I’ve had generally positive experiences from AliExpress. Last month I ordered a picture of a Ferrari for $1.09 and they sent me an actual Ferrari.” A third commented, “I think the bigger problem is him thinking he’s getting a real power washer and drill for $42.”

AliExpress, a subsidiary of Alibaba, is often referred to as the “Amazon of China.” Despite its wide catalog, customers across the globe complain about the shoddy practices of retailers on the platform. According to the Better Business Bureau, AliExpress has a D-rating and has failed to respond to 1,131 complaint(s) filed against the business.
Many of these cases happen due to the platform’s reputation for unreliable sellers and terrible customer service. Cases like Mr. Franklin are common, and people feel cheated and frustrated by such situations. The popularity of online shopping has made it crucial that such platforms improve their practices and consumers should remain vigilant.