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Do I need to hire 3rd party quality inspector for Alibaba Trade Assurance??

jklmno

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Do I need to hire 3rd party quality inspector for Alibaba Trade Assurance?? Or I can just check it myself when it arrives in my country (Will Trade Assurance allow that)??
The info about this is not clear on the web. And Alibaba is not helpful either. I cannot even find their human customer service.
 
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23Infinity

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I always get inspections for my orders, this is doubly important if it's your first order from a new supplier. At the same time you have to ask if the order value makes sense, if you've only ordered $500 worth of goods, perhaps $800 in total including shipping, is a $300 inspection really worth it?

But if its $10,000? A no brainer to get an inspection.

Also, I strongly recommend you read @Walter Hay 's Proven Sourcing 3.0, it's immensely valuable for anyone doing any sourcing / importing. He has a great section where he details why you shouldn't really rely on Alibaba Trade Assurance to protect you.
 

Walter Hay

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Do I need to hire 3rd party quality inspector for Alibaba Trade Assurance?? Or I can just check it myself when it arrives in my country (Will Trade Assurance allow that)??
The info about this is not clear on the web. And Alibaba is not helpful either. I cannot even find their human customer service.
I have always suspected that Alibaba deliberately make the rules so complicated and extensive that very few people will read them, and even fewer who do read them will understand. The latest rules cover 52 pages.

This paragraph from my 2021 book explains why you won't find any clear help on the web: "I have found current blogs by people claiming to be experts on Alibaba and importing, that contain information on Trade Assurance but they quote the old TA scheme rules. One that was supposedly updated in September 2020 quotes TA rules from 2018. If their advice is followed buyers will be totally confused and will not be able to use TA."

The advice offered by @21Infinity is sound., and I would add that as a newbie importer it is very unwise to work blindfolded, when there are very costly mistakes possible. One of my book buyers wrote to me: "You have saved me $3,000."

Another new importer pleaded for help after she had ordered and paid for $4,000 worth of product only to find out too late that the freight cost was a lot more than the cost of the goods. My advice was to abandon the order and swallow the loss, rather than lose even more.

Walter
 

jklmno

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I always get inspections for my orders, this is doubly important if it's your first order from a new supplier. At the same time you have to ask if the order value makes sense, if you've only ordered $500 worth of goods, perhaps $800 in total including shipping, is a $300 inspection really worth it?

But if its $10,000? A no brainer to get an inspection.

Also, I strongly recommend you read @Walter Hay 's Proven Sourcing 3.0, it's immensely valuable for anyone doing any sourcing / importing. He has a great section where he details why you shouldn't really rely on Alibaba Trade Assurance to protect you.
Thanks for your reply but you have not answered one of my question.
Can I check the goods by myself in the destination (my country) without hiring 3rd party quality inspector?? @23Infinity
 
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jklmno

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May 7, 2021
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I have always suspected that Alibaba deliberately make the rules so complicated and extensive that very few people will read them, and even fewer who do read them will understand. The latest rules cover 52 pages.

This paragraph from my 2021 book explains why you won't find any clear help on the web: "I have found current blogs by people claiming to be experts on Alibaba and importing, that contain information on Trade Assurance but they quote the old TA scheme rules. One that was supposedly updated in September 2020 quotes TA rules from 2018. If their advice is followed buyers will be totally confused and will not be able to use TA."

The advice offered by @21Infinity is sound., and I would add that as a newbie importer it is very unwise to work blindfolded, when there are very costly mistakes possible. One of my book buyers wrote to me: "You have saved me $3,000."

Another new importer pleaded for help after she had ordered and paid for $4,000 worth of product only to find out too late that the freight cost was a lot more than the cost of the goods. My advice was to abandon the order and swallow the loss, rather than lose even more.

Walter
Can I check the goods by myself in the destination (my country) without hiring 3rd party quality inspector?? @Walter Hay
 

Walter Hay

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Can I check the goods by myself in the destination (my country) without hiring 3rd party quality inspector?? @Walter Hay
You can check them in your country but because that is not done in accordance with the Trade Assurance rules it only gives you reassurance if they are faultless, but no right to claim on the supplier if they are faulty.

Trade Assurance rules do not allow for such an inspection after delivery, regardless of who does the inspection.

My summing up of what is offered by Alibaba's Trade Assurance is: Nothing but false confidence.

It is designed to give the impression that they are protecting the buyers, but the rules are so heavily weighted in favor of the sellers that they almost always manage to avoid paying out on a claim. They know the rules with all the escape clauses.

Walter
 

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