A shopper was confused when AliExpress sent him a photo of a drill instead of the $40 tool he ordered, feeling deceived.
A shopper named Sylvester Franklin recently experienced a surprising situation when he ordered a drill from AliExpress.
Instead of receiving the actual tool he paid for, he got a photo of the drill.
This incident has left him feeling frustrated and confused.
The shopper ordered a $40 drill from AliExpress but only received a photo of the tool
In November 2024, Sylvester, a 68-year-old retiree from Savannah, Georgia, decided to purchase a drill and a pressure washer.
He found these items on AliExpress, an online marketplace known for its low prices.
Sylvester spent $40 for both items, hoping to use them for various home projects.
When the package finally arrived on December 9, he was excited to open it.
However, his excitement quickly turned to disbelief.
Instead of the drill and pressure washer, he found only a picture of the drill and a single screw.
Sylvester was taken aback by this unexpected outcome.
Reaction to the mix-up
Feeling cheated, Sylvester wasted no time contacting AliExpress to request a refund.
He believed that he had been treated unfairly and that the company should take responsibility for the mistake.
“I paid around $40 — all I got was a picture of the drill and a screw,” he said.
His disappointment was evident as he spoke about the incident.
As a former mechanic, Sylvester is used to working with tools. He felt that he deserved to receive what he paid for.
“When I pay for something, I expect to get what I paid for,” he stated.
The mix-up made him feel as though he had been taken advantage of by the online retailer.
The customer service experience
After reaching out to AliExpress, Sylvester encountered a frustrating situation.
He reported that he had not received any response from the company regarding his refund request.
This lack of communication only added to his frustration.
Sylvester expressed his disappointment, saying, “They have not got back to me.”
The situation left him feeling powerless.
As a retiree, he relies on his fixed income and does not appreciate losing money on a product that never arrived.
Instead of tools to assist with his home projects, he was left with an image that served no practical purpose.
Social media reactions
This incident has garnered attention online, with many people expressing their disbelief at what happened to Sylvester.
Social media users have shared their own experiences with online shopping, some recounting similar mix-ups.
People empathize with Sylvester, understanding the frustration of poor customer service.
One user said: A new drill and a pressure washer for 40 bucks sounds too good to be true.
Apparently, it was. Some personal responsibility in this case
The second user wrote: Did you really think you were going to get that kind of drill and accessories, along with a pressure washer, for $40?
I guess it would be a neat, but expensive experiment to see what you actually get for Alli Express, now you know.
The third user said: $40 for a cordless impact driver and a pressure washer?
Didn’t that sound a little too cheap? As in not gonna happen cheap?
Another user commented: This happened to me with a mail-order bride. But it actually turned out to be a bargain.
Someone commented: This story had me cracking up, who orders from these shady sites?
Dude is a “repairman” in GA, just take a ride to Home Depot and spend the money for what you want