If you sell with AliExpress suppliers and run into disputes or chargebacks, you already know the sting. Industry data shows the pressure is rising. For example, Chargebacks911 reports that ecommerce chargeback rates climbed sharply between 2023 and 2024 and that merchants win only about 45 percent of represented cases with a net recovery of roughly 18 percent. That means your documentation needs to be airtight. This guide gives you a step by step playbook to collect the exact evidence that marketplace teams, card networks, and PayPal analysts expect, plus a fast way to generate compliant invoices for every AliExpress order.
Know your AliExpress dispute windows first
Dispute deadlines control your options, so start here. According to the AliExpress Help Center article on opening disputes, buyers can usually open a dispute starting on the 11th day after the seller marks the item shipped. The window extends until 15 days after the promised delivery period ends or after you confirm receipt. The official Buyer Protection page adds that you have 15 days from the moment you confirm receipt to initiate a return or refund and that refunds typically arrive in 1 to 10 working days depending on the payment method.
Two practical takeaways for store owners and bookkeepers:
- Note the shipment date and the promised delivery date on every order. Your calendar should surface the 11th day after shipment and the 15 day window after the delivery period ends. If an item is still in transit with normal updates, AliExpress suggests opening a dispute only after the delivery time expires.
- If you paid with PayPal, AliExpress confirms you can also open a PayPal dispute, and PayPal allows up to 180 days from payment. If you choose the PayPal route, respond through the PayPal Resolution Center and follow PayPal’s evidence rules.
When a dispute becomes a chargeback, evidence standards change
AliExpress mediations are not the same as card network disputes. Once a cardholder goes to their bank, you enter the chargeback process and your evidence must meet network and acquirer standards. The Visa Dispute Management Guidelines for Merchants outline the dispute categories and stress that evidence should be complete, legible, timely, and provided in English or with an English translation. The same guide highlights that each step in the dispute cycle has strict time limits, and missing a deadline can lead to an unfavorable outcome.
Mastercard’s official Chargeback Guide Merchant Edition describes similar cycles and requires supporting documentation that is specific to the reason code, such as proof of delivery for merchandise not received or proof of refund when the cardholder claims a credit was not processed. The standard is not just that you shipped, but that you can show the who, what, when, and where in a way that an issuing bank analyst can easily verify.
The documentation that wins cases
Think of your evidence as a narrative that connects five core items to a single order number and cardholder:
1) A correct invoice or proof of purchase. This should include your business details, customer details, order number, itemized product lines, taxes and shipping, and clear totals.
2) The order record as it appears on AliExpress. Include the product page snapshot, SKU, options selected, and the seller’s stated delivery timeframe.
3) Payment confirmation. Reference the processor, transaction ID, billing descriptor, and authorization date.
4) Shipment and delivery proof. Trackable carrier data that shows the ship date, in transit scans, and a delivered status to the exact address used at checkout. When possible, add signature confirmation for higher value orders.
5) Communication and after sales actions. Include messages, support tickets, return instructions, replacement shipments, and any refunds issued with dates and amounts.
For PayPal, the requirements are explicit. As PayPal’s Seller Protection guidance explains, the company will ask you to provide proof of shipment or proof of delivery, generally within 10 days of their request. PayPal also clarifies what counts as proof, such as online tracking that shows the date of delivery and the recipient’s address matching the transaction details. For transactions over certain thresholds, PayPal requires signature confirmation. If you ship digital goods, proof can include system records showing the date the service was provided and that it was accessed by the buyer.
For card network cases, Visa’s guide emphasizes that your documents must be legible and that timeliness matters. The best practice is to create a single evidence packet per case with a table of contents, clear page numbers, and annotations that tie each proof item to the reason code. Do not assume the reviewer knows your workflow. Make it obvious.
Invoices that pass scrutiny, in one click inside AliExpress
AliExpress does not consistently provide a standard invoice outside of certain tax scenarios. For example, the AliExpress EU VAT help article states invoices are available for orders where VAT was collected at checkout and points users to My Orders, All Orders, then Download Invoice for those specific orders. That article, published in the AliExpress Help Center in French, confirms the path for VAT collected orders and shows an invoice download screenshot. In practice, many cross border purchases, historical orders, or non VAT collected purchases do not expose a complete invoice in a consistent format, which makes bookkeeping, tax filing, and dispute documentation harder than it should be.
This is exactly the gap AliBilling fills. Using our Chrome extension, you can place a true one click invoice button directly next to each order in AliExpress My Orders, for new and old orders alike. You can customize the company name, tax or VAT IDs, supplier details, and date formats, then download a printer friendly PDF in seconds. The setup takes minutes, and you can follow our step by step guide on how to download an AliExpress invoice. We support unlimited invoice downloads and offer live support, with flexible low cost plans listed on the pricing page.
Bookkeepers will appreciate the ability to standardize fields across multiple stores and geographies. If you need additional help, you can browse the FAQs or contact us. For legal and privacy questions, check our terms of service and privacy policy. If you are new to compliant operations, our posts on Tax Obligations 101 for Dropshippers and Dropshipping the Legal Way offer clear, non technical guidance.
Build a clean timeline for every order
Analysts resolve cases quickly when the story is clear. Create a neutral, time stamped timeline that does not argue, it documents.
- Order placed: date and time, order number, product name and SKU, paid amount.
- Authorization captured: processor transaction ID and billing descriptor.
- Order accepted by supplier: confirmation screenshot or status change.
- Shipping label created: date, carrier, tracking ID.
- First scan: origin facility scan and location.
- In transit scans: periodic scans with dates and locations.
- Final delivery: delivered status, address match, and signature where applicable.
- Customer contact: date and summary of messages, plus any resolutions offered.
- Refunds or replacements: dates, amounts, and related tracking if a replacement shipped.
Store this as a single PDF with your invoice at the front and the timeline on page two. Then add the remaining proofs in chronological order. The Visa merchant guidelines note that legibility and timeliness are critical, so ensure scans are readable and submit promptly. This format also satisfies PayPal’s request flow, where they ask for proof within a defined deadline.
The response playbook for AliExpress disputes and chargebacks
1) Try to resolve in platform. On AliExpress, contact the seller first to resolve issues and then open a dispute if needed. The Buyer Protection page explains the sequence: contact the store, file for return or refund, then track the application. Attach images or videos if you are claiming not as described or damaged.
2) Include your invoice and order record. Attach the invoice with matching order number and totals. If you used AliBilling, the order fields will match the order details exactly. The goal is to prove payment, itemized content, and the counterparties.
3) Provide shipping proof tied to address. For not received claims, include carrier tracking that shows delivery to the precise address the buyer used at checkout. For card disputes, showing an address match is a major factor. The PayPal Seller Protection page defines acceptable proof as carrier documentation including a delivered status and the recipient’s address that matches the transaction details, and it calls out signature confirmation for higher value transactions.
4) Show your return policy and after sales actions. If the dispute is not as described, include your policy from checkout and evidence that you offered a return or an exchange. Visa’s guidance makes clear that clear refund and cancellation disclosures at checkout help prevent and rebut disputes.
5) Escalate with your acquirer if it becomes a chargeback. Follow your processor’s representment workflow. The Visa guide and Mastercard guide both emphasize reason code specific evidence. Tailor the packet. For merchandise not received, focus on delivery proof. For credit not processed, focus on the date and amount of the refund and the credit reference number.
6) Watch the clock. Bank driven cases have strict time limits. Submit complete, legible evidence on the first try. Incomplete packets hurt win rates, and as Chargebacks911 summarizes, merchants win less than half of represented cases on average, so quality and speed matter.
Platform specific notes you should apply today
PayPal. The Seller Protection program can cover Unauthorized Transaction and Item Not Received when eligibility is met, and PayPal explains that they will ask for proof within a set deadline, generally 10 days. Keep signature confirmation for higher value items and always ship to the address shown on the transaction details, as PayPal’s guidance requires the addresses to match.
Card networks. Use Address Verification Service and CVV checks and enroll in 3DS where appropriate. Visa’s documentation explains that Visa Secure can shift liability on many authenticated ecommerce transactions when processed correctly. Make sure your billing descriptor helps customers recognize your name to prevent accidental disputes, something Visa highlights as a best practice.
AliExpress invoices. If AliExpress collected VAT in the EU or UK, you may find a download in My Orders, which the official EU VAT help confirms. For all other cases, or if you need consistent formatting across all orders and regions, use AliBilling’s one click invoices.
Operationalize it with a simple workflow
- Standardize invoice fields. Use one set of company, VAT, and supplier fields across all your orders so names and addresses match everywhere.
- Adopt consistent date formats. Align your invoice dates with shipping and bank statement dates, which reduces confusion for reviewers.
- Centralize files. Store invoice PDFs, tracking screenshots, and chat logs in a cloud folder per order. Name files with order number, date, and artifact type, such as 2025-03-028123456789invoice.pdf.
- Sync your storefront and fulfillment. If you operate on Shopify, consider streamlining your order management so shipping, notes, and refunds are tracked end to end. New users can start with Shopify and connect your existing AliExpress workflow to a clean documentation process.
AliBilling helps make this repeatable. By placing the download button beside each order in AliExpress and generating printer friendly PDFs in seconds, you save time while creating documents that accountants, auditors, and dispute analysts can understand at a glance. You can start anytime with flexible plans on our pricing page and reach us via contact for help with setup.
Mistakes that cost you cases, and how to avoid them
- No invoice or a messy purchase record. Always include a full invoice that ties to the order details and payment record. If the supplier cannot provide a compliant invoice, generate one with AliBilling so line items and totals are unambiguous.
- Address mismatch. Shipping to an address different from the one on the payment record will often void your protection. PayPal’s policy is clear that proof must match the transaction address.
- Illegible or incomplete scans. The Visa guidelines warn that illegible evidence or missing translations can lead to rejection. Export clean PDFs and, if needed, add a brief English annotation.
- Missing the deadline. Time limits exist at every step. Even strong evidence loses when it arrives late. Build a daily habit of checking your processor’s portal and the AliExpress dispute center.
- Weak product page and policy capture. Save a PDF of the product page and your checkout policy as seen by the buyer on the day of purchase. Visa recommends clear disclosure of return and cancellation terms at checkout, which helps both prevent and win disputes.
When you make documentation a habit on every order, disputes turn from fire drills into repeatable work. Your team simply pulls the invoice, timeline, tracking proof, and policy snapshot and submits a crisp, complete packet.
A final tip. Keep learning and iterate your process. Explore the AliBilling blog, including our walk through on how to download an AliExpress invoice, and share this playbook with your accountant or VA so everyone follows the same steps. The trendline on disputes is not slowing, and as Chargebacks911 notes, friendly fraud and consumer driven disputes remain a major driver of losses. The best defense is organized, consistent evidence, and the fastest way to create it is a reliable invoice and timeline for every order you place.
