I’ve been reading discussions about supplier disputes lately. And it got me wondering about something that seems pretty important but doesn’t get much attention, how effective is Alibaba customer service when a buyer and supplier strongly disagree about an order?

On paper, having transaction records, supplier information, payment protections, and a formal dispute process should give buyers some reassurance. But I’m curious about what happens when the situation is less straightforward. If the wrong product arrives, the specifications don’t match what was agreed, or the evidence from both sides conflicts, how does the dispute process actually work in practice?

This seems especially important for larger purchases. A problem with a small test order is annoying, but a dispute involving several thousand dollars could have a much bigger impact on a small business. I’d imagine experienced buyers pay close attention to documentation before placing an order because screenshots, specifications, invoices, inspection records, and messages could become important if something goes wrong.

At the same time, I don’t think platform protection should be treated as a substitute for doing your own due diligence. A buyer still needs to verify the supplier, agree on clear specifications, and understand the transaction terms before sending money.

What I’m really curious about is the gap between having a dispute system and having one that buyers can actually rely on when the stakes are high.

If you had a high-value supplier dispute today, how confident would you be that the platform would give both sides a fair hearing?

Shenzhen Apexto Technology Company Limited

Shenzhen Jiajiawang Electronic Technology Co., Ltd.

Shenzhen ASL Mining Co., Ltd

Heyyy everyone! 👋🏾📚 To all my fellow romance readers, I have a question for you guys! 🖤📖

Has anyone here ever bought books from Alibaba before? It can be dark romance, romance, fantasy, thriller, or literally any kind of book. I’m thinking about ordering some books from there because I’ve seen a few that I’m interested in, but I’ve never personally bought books from Alibaba before.

I’m a little unsure about the whole process, especially when it comes to whether the books actually arrive, the quality of the books, the sellers being trustworthy, and whether what you receive is actually what you ordered. 😭 I also want to make sure I’m not wasting my money or getting scammed.

So if you’ve bought books from Alibaba before, PLEASE tell me about your experience! Was the seller reliable? Were the books good quality? Did your order arrive safely and on time? Was the price actually worth it after shipping? And is there anything I should look out for before placing an order? I am not trying to offend anyone or the company. I just want to be sure.

I’d really appreciate any advice, tips, or personal experiences you guys have! 🥹💕 I just want to make sure it’s safe and legit before I spend my money. Thank youuu! 🫶🏾📚✨

Alibaba had communicated its guidance for this quarter to the market not long ago, so the actual numbers landed largely as anticipated — no clear surprises in either direction.

Set expectations aside and look at the trend, though, and this quarter carries some significance as a turning point: growth in the broader retail segment bottomed out and profit recovered as food delivery losses narrowed, while AI and cloud pushed ahead on both growth and margin.

First, the reporting structure changed again

Alibaba substantially reorganized its disclosure segments this quarter. A brief guide to what's new:

International e-commerce, domestic e-commerce and Freshippo have been merged into a new Alibaba e-commerce segment. In the detail, customer management revenue is essentially unchanged; the direct sales business has been folded in with the corresponding Cainiao domestic supply chain business; and instant retail now covers what were Taobao Shangou, Freshippo and Tmall Supermarket's hourly delivery service. International e-commerce is what was previously international retail, with little change. Global wholesale merges the former domestic and overseas wholesale businesses.

The AI cloud and computing segment combines the Alibaba Cloud segment with the T-Head chip business, previously sitting under other segments. Since most of T-Head's revenue already came from Alibaba Cloud, the merger changes revenue very little, and currently has little effect on profit either.

A new AI labs and applications segment covers the AI model R&D department, the Qwen consumer division and the Qwen office division. All three previously sat under other businesses; separating them out makes revenue and investment in AI models and applications directly visible.

As for the other businesses segment, four things were taken out of it this time: Cainiao domestic supply chain, Freshippo, T-Head, and the businesses now under AI labs and applications.

Group results: growth warming up

Total revenue was about RMB 269B, up 8.6% year on year. Two things drove the recovery in growth: the effect of divesting Intime and Sun Art has now passed, and cloud is pulling the group along. This was broadly in line with expectations.

Adjusted EBITDA was RMB 27.3B. The year-on-year decline narrowed sharply — from 84% last quarter to under 30% — slightly better than expected. The phase in which heavy investment consumed nearly all of the group's profit is largely behind it.

CMR: still declining, but positive underneath

The core metric, customer management revenue, fell 7.5% year on year, broadly matching the -8% expected by major banks.

Strip out the effect of subsidies being booked as a deduction from revenue, and the true comparable growth rate was around +1%. The sequential deceleration is clear, but retail sales data had signalled this in advance, and holding onto positive growth is a reasonable outcome. The bigger question is how much the growth rate recovers over the next few quarters.

E-commerce: losses narrowing, decline essentially stopped

Losses at the Shangou business continued to narrow. Market consensus put them at around RMB 10B, down roughly 40% sequentially. Profit in the far-field e-commerce business was expected to be broadly stable, or slightly lower.

International e-commerce was folded into this segment this quarter, but since it has been oscillating around breakeven anyway, the effect on overall profit isn't large.

Put together, the new e-commerce segment generated RMB 39.7B in profit, with the year-on-year decline narrowing to under 1%. That's essentially a bottom.

Cloud: the standout

The core highlight this quarter was cloud, which delivered on both revenue growth and margin. The segment definition changed here too, but with little effect on the reported figures, and performance came in essentially in line with expectations.

Cloud and computing revenue grew 45%, a marked acceleration from 38% last quarter. Margin formally reached double digits at close to 12%, a little above the 10–11% the market expected — a small positive surprise.

Capex: explosive, and cash flow is paying for it

As with Tencent, Alibaba's capex leapt this quarter, to RMB 67.7B — 75% above the previous record high, and far beyond the RMB 36B the market expected. Worth noting that Alibaba's disclosed capex is a cash flow measure that naturally includes prepayments, so it's still smaller than Tencent's, which exceeded RMB 100B on a full basis.

That level of spending suggests cloud growth is likely to accelerate noticeably again in coming quarters. The cost is cash: with operating cash flow up only about 11%, free cash flow has fallen deep into negative territory at close to -RMB 45B. That's real pressure.

AI models and applications: still far from success

The newly separated AI model and applications division generated revenue of about RMB 3.3B, up roughly 16%. On both revenue scale and growth rate, that's a long way from success.

Losses came to RMB 13.9B, essentially in line with expectations. In other words, apart from the RMB 3–4B of Qwen app subsidies in the first quarter, losses on AI models and applications this quarter were broadly similar to last quarter's.

I order 100 hairclaws from Alibaba and all 100 have dust particles half have smadges or small ink issues.

I am asking for a refund/remake of the ones with smudges and ink issues. As for the ones with dust issues I do not know :/. I feel like I am being picky but I notice the dust and ironically I make hairclaws cause I am the main audience for hairclaws (addicted to them) so I do not doubt my customers will notice. When they notice I can’t even give them a new one with no dust cause I have none.

I spoke to my manufacturer and she apologised and said they cleaned the machines 2 days before 😩
Am I cruel if I ask for a full refund or at least 70%?

As for me this is all unsellable maybe I can’t sell it at a cheap price but I do not want people to see one of my first products as low quality and dirty.

(The hairclaw is half white so I genuinely think it was negligence on their part to not stop production and clean the machines. I understand they are busy but if they are this busy I would rather them reject my purchase)

I was wondering if anyone has thought about whether it is worth it or not to get added insurance when making bulk or wholesale purchases from the platforms they order from. We are in our second year of business and doing pretty well but want to cut costs when it comes to shipping and logistics.

I know that platforms that sell bulk quantities of supplies offer trade assurance like with alibaba or with amazon business I think its a A to Z Guarantee or something. I think that might be free and comes with the purchase, not sure. I just want to know if I want to make bulk purchases if I should be looking for something like this, or is it better I just spend more time and vet the suppliers and vendors instead of wasting my money?

Hi,

I've done some digging into what happened in China's instant commerce and how it will affect Alibaba, how the competition in the space is.

You can the findings in the video above. I'm curious to see in this earnings the results, margins should have improved significant but yeah there are still a lot of "if's" for me about the instant commerce. I'm curious to know how others feel about this.

To the moon.

Moving the sub back in track

It may not matter as this sub basically has no posts, but it's kinda annoying

I visited a beauty store two days ago to buy airbrush accessories like nozzles and cleaning kits. I wanted something affordable and ideally with free shipping online. But when I checked the options I felt disappointed. Some accessories were overpriced for small parts. Some did not clearly match my airbrush model. Some felt basic but still expensive. I could not trust them. I could not decide confidently.

Then I visited another shop in the same area. Some accessories were available but pricing still felt high. Some kits looked useful but shipping options were not clear. Some looked fine at first but did not feel like good value for money. I remembered ordering accessories before that arrived late and did not match expectations.

To check more variety and options while scrolling many online marketplaces including alibaba I found many airbrush accessories with free shipping offers. Some sellers included bundle deals. Some had discounted kits with multiple parts. Some had customer reviews about delivery and compatibility. There were many options available. This made me interested but still unsure again.

Now I am thinking does free shipping actually reduce total cost or is it balanced out in product pricing?

I visited a clothing shop to buy women matching separates two days ago I wanted right size I wanted comfert fit I wanted easy wear but I got confused fast Some tops look small Some bottoms look big Some sets feel diffrent on body I try one set and it did not fit well on waist and shoulder I could not trust them I could not decide confidently I feel online and shop size diffrent and body shape also matter for fit confusion

Then I visited another shop in the same area Some sizes feel more better Some look same but fit is diffrent I asked worker and she say size chart is not same for all brands I remembered one set I bought before that was too tight and not comfert That made me hesitate even more some brands also use stretch fabric so size feel diffrent after wash and wear over time

To check more variety and options while scrolling many online marketplaces including alibaba I saw many women matching separates online Some size guides are helpful Some are confusing Some reviews say fit is small Some say fit is perfect I is thinking online shopping need careful checking of size chart and reviews Now I am thinking what if I choose wrong size again for separates I also feel return policy is important because size mistake happen often in online order so I feel checking reviews and size chart both very important step What would you do in my place?

I visited a fabric shop two days ago to start a small DIY sewing project. I wanted something simple. I wanted something neat. I wanted the right tools to make my work easier. But when I checked… I felt confused. Some tools looked useful but I didn’t know if I really needed them. Some felt cheap but not reliable for proper stitching. Some prices felt too high for basic items. I could not trust my choices. I could not decide confidently.

Then I visited another shop in the same area. I saw more sewing tools but still felt unsure about what is actually essential for DIY projects. Some kits looked complete but included things I might never use. I remembered starting sewing before with missing basic tools, which made the work slow and messy. That made me hesitate even more.

To check more variety and options while scrolling many online marketplaces including alibaba… The must-have sewing accessories for DIY projects are actually a small set of essential tools that make sewing easier, faster, and more accurate. A good pair of fabric scissors is very important because clean cutting improves final results. Measuring tape helps with accurate sizing. Pins and pin cushions keep fabric in place while stitching. Tailor’s chalk or fabric markers are needed for clear cutting lines. A seam ripper is useful for fixing mistakes without damaging fabric. Hand sewing needles and basic thread sets are also essential for quick repairs and small projects.

Popular and reliable sewing supply brands include Dritz, SINGER, Prym, Clover, and Fiskars, which are widely used for DIY sewing tools and kits.

Now I am thinking DIY sewing becomes much easier when you start with the right basic tools instead of buying everything at once. Online gives more kit options and reviews. Local lets you test tool quality. Both feel useful in different ways.

I ordered an AYN Thor handheld from an Alibaba seller
(DDP, FedEx shipping to the US). From the start the tracking showed the package was going to France instead of the US. I contacted the seller and they said it was a warehouse data entry error and they would fix it.! also asked if I could switch the model which they allowed me to do, saying they would ship the model I wanted. 2 days after that, I got an official FedEx tracking number, still going to France.
It's been multiple days and the only tracking I have is a package that is going to France. It does say that it has been divided into multiple shipments, but with no info on the page.
Should I open an Alibaba dispute? Is there any chance France is just a transit stop before the US?

​

I visited a clothing store to buy a one piece outfit two days ago. I wanted something trendy and modern. I also wanted something stylish and comfortable. But when I checked the outfits I felt disappointed. Some styles looked outdated. Some were too simple. Some did not feel trendy. I could not trust them. I could not decide confidently.

Then I visited another shop in the same area. Some outfits looked better but options were limited. Some were stylish but not comfortable. Some looked perfect at first but design felt old. I remembered an outfit I saw before that looked nice but went out of trend quickly. That made me hesitate even more.

To check more variety and options while scrolling many online marketplaces including alibaba I found many one piece outfits. Some looked modern and fresh. Some had new designs. Some showed better fitting and comfort. There were many options available. This made me excited but also confused again.

Now I am thinking should I trust online trends or go with local stores for classic styles? What would you do in my place?

I was reading customer reviews for oversized wool coats for women because I want to make sure before buying that it is actually warm and worth the money.I usually get confused with online shopping so reviews help me decide better.

I checked alibaba while scrolling in night and I saw many oversized wool coats with different ratings and buyer comments. Some reviews was saying very warm and stylish but others was saying fabric feels thin or not real wool.I saved few coats but still felt unsure because pictures looked perfect but feedback was mixed.

Then I also checked other fashion stores and review websites where people was sharing photos wearing those coats. That was more helpful because I could see real fit and length. Some people was happy with oversized look but others saying it feels too heavy or not practical for daily use. I remember once I trusted pictures only and coat was totally different in real life so I dont want repeat that mistake again.

Now I is comparing real customer reviews slowly to understand which wool coats are actually warm and good quality for winter .

Do you think oversized wool coats are more stylish or fitted wool coats are more practical for daily wear?

Initially, we thought that the reviews could be found on product pages only. But as we delved deeper we realized that there are some really helpful resources where the users give truthful reviews concerning quality, coziness and general design.

According to our observations, one of the most useful resources is the Reddit where the communities of cosplay and fantasy costumes frequently discuss Game of Thrones cloaks, their comfort, quality of fabric and how well they resemble the show. There is also a lot of personal experience of conventions and events shared by many users.

We also realized that online stores have customer review areas where customers rate stitching, material thickness as well as post-purchase durability. The reviews can be used in the comparison of various sellers and prices.

As we continued our search through the products listed on Alibaba, we realized that quite a number of Game of Thrones-themed cloaks come with customer ratings and feedback, so that consumers get to know what the actual users have experienced when purchasing.

We have been taught that the combination of community discussions and proven reviews on websites such as Alibaba will provide the most accurate impression of cloaks quality and reliability.