About Alibaba.com 's Trade Assurance

                        About Alibaba.com 's Trade Assurance

Alibaba group provide more and more service with buyers and sellers by alibaba.com, in 2014, Trade Assurance was bron,this is very good service for both of buyer and seller, LML Metal Products Ltd. (www.lmlmetalproducts.cn) Also got Trade Assurance service from alibaba, the Trade Assurance amount is 17000USD$ in the first year,this amount will be bigger and bigger in the next monthes,so what's Trade Assurance and how to use Trade Assurance,read on.

1. What is Trade Assurance?

Alibaba.com Trade Assurance aims to enable every buyer to trade with confidence. It serves to protect your payment and ensure suppliers fulfill their promises regarding shipping dates and meeting product quality requirements (as stated in your purchase order). If suppliers have found to have breached these contract obligations, Alibaba.com will compensate 100% of your Trade Assurance Amount.

2. What does Trade Assurance cover?

It covers orders placed under the following conditions:

1) Orders are placed with suppliers who have agreed to participate in the Trade Assurance program,

2) The order is placed online via Alibaba.com,

3) You payment should be paid to the supplier’s bank account which is designated by Alibaba.com.

3. What are the benefits of Alibaba.com Trade Assurance?

1) Safe payment: Get your payment covered by Trade Assurance Amount

2) The supplier adheres to your contractual obligations regarding order quality & timely shipment

4. What is the Trade Assurance Amount? How is it worked out?

The Trade Assurance Amount is granted by Alibaba.com to those suppliers who agree to join Trade Assurance and promise to abide by the Trade Assurance service requirements. Based on the supplier’s qualification status and their transaction volume from the past 6 months, Alibaba.com will grant the supplier a Trade Assurance Amount, which can be used to protect buyers’ payments made to suppliers.

5. Does the Trade Assurance service charge fees?

The Trade Assurance service is free for both buyers and suppliers.

6. As the service is free for both buyers and suppliers, where does the refund payment come from?

The refund payment for the Trade Assurance Amount, if not paid by the supplier, comes from Alibaba.com and/or its affiliated company. If a dispute related to shipment delivery time or quality is deemed to be the fault of the supplier, Alibaba.com will first refund the buyer, and then recover the amount from the supplier. In case of supplier non-payment of the debt, Alibaba.com will bear the loss.

7. How can I or my company use Trade Assurance?

You need to search for suppliers bearing this icon . Place an online order via Alibaba.com with this type of supplier and make the payment to the verified supplier‘s bank account which Alibaba.com has designated.

8. How do I protect my payment (initial payment)?

Negotiate with your supplier and confirm the payment amount you want protected. Make sure it is covered by the Trade Assurance Amount when you confirm the order with the supplier.

If the supplier doesn’t ship on time or the order quality does not meet your requirements contained in the contract, and your initial payment is protected under the Trade Assurance Amount, you will receive a 100% refund.

9. How do I ensure my order is shipped on time?

a) Make sure you have inputted the shipping date in the contract. In case the supplier doesn’t ship or doesn’t ship on time, submit a claim. After you submit a claim, the supplier should respond to the buyer and/or offer a solution. If the issues cannot be resolved, you can ask Alibaba.com to step in and make a determination.

b) If the supplier is found to be liable, then you will receive 100% refund of your Trade Assurance Amount. Alibaba.com will then seek reimbursement from the supplier.

10. How do I find the suppliers who will participate in Trade Assurance?

You can refine your supplier search with the Trade Assurance icon , and identify the suppliers with the same icon. Make sure the supplier you place an order with is one with a Trade Assurance icon.

11. How can a buyer confirm whether an order is covered by Alibaba.com Trade Assurance?

The buyer should place the order online through Alibaba.com with the qualified suppliers that have the Trade Assurance label and icon  with the Trade Assurance amount displayed along with their product listings. Input & confirm the shipping date when placing an order and timely shipment will be ensured under Trade Assurance. Once you select “I also want to use Trade Assurance to ensure order quality”, make sure your order quality requirements are clearly contained in the contract. The quality requirement should be measurable and detailed.

12. Why should suppliers participate in Trade Assurance?

1) The Trade Assurance Amount shows the supplier's qualifications and trade history

2) Suppliers who participate in Trade Assurance will attract more buyers and orders via Alibaba.com.

About Contracts

1. Why do I need to place an order online via Alibaba.com?

Placing an online order via Alibaba.com will help us to identify and track each order in case there is a dispute. The online contract with clear shipping dates and quality requirements will assist with making a judgment regarding a dispute.

2. How do I use the Trade Assurance Amount to safeguard my payment?

You need to negotiate and confirm with the supplier the initial payment amount, and make sure it is covered by the Trade Assurance Amount. Make sure the supplier has an adequate Trade Assurance Amount to cover your payment. This amount will be frozen when you confirm the order.

3. How is this Trade Assurance Amount related to Alibaba.com Trade Assurance?

The Trade Assurance Amount is the amount that will be protected in your purchase order. This agreed amount will be reserved for the buyer when an order is placed with the supplier. This amount will be frozen when you confirm the order. We suggest that you make sure this frozen Trade Assurance Amount is equal to the initial payment (deposit) you will make before shipment. If suppliers don’t fulfill their promises regarding shipping dates and product quality as stated in the contract, you can submit a claim right away. After you have submitted a claim, the supplier should respond and offer a resolution. If the supplier doesn’t offer any resolution and you are not able to resolve the issue with your supplier, Alibaba.com Trade Assurance will be exercised, and this Trade Assurance Amount will be used to reimburse you for 100% of your protected payment amount.

4. Under what circumstances is my payment safe?

The payment which is covered by the Trade Assurance Amount is protected. Make sure you have confirmed with your supplier the payment amount you want to be protected, and that an equal Trade Assurance Amount has been frozen in the contract. Please make sure you have placed an order only with a supplier who has agreed to participate in the Trade Assurance service, and the order is placed online via Alibaba.com.

5. How do I include quality requirements in the contract?

Firstly, negotiate and confirm with your supplier agreed quality requirements. These agreed quality requirements should be measurable and actionable. They will be used for the designated inspection company to inspect the goods quality in case there is a quality dispute. Make sure your supplier has agreed to the requirements in the purchase order and you have confirmed the order, with the agreed quality requirements, before payment.

6. What if there are no agreed quality requirements in the contract?

If there are no agreed quality requirements, Alibaba.com’s system will remind you when the supplier asks for your confirmation of the order. You can request the supplier modify the purchase order and input agreed quality requirements. If you don’t have any quality requirements but choose the ensure quality service, we will provide a standard inspection requirement for you to confirm in the purchase order. If it does not meet your quality requirement expectations, you should use the “Request supplier to modify order” tool to request the supplier to input your quality requirements in the contract.

7. What if the agreed quality requirements are not clear?

If your agreed quality requirements are not clear and are not quantifiable and actionable, in case of a dispute, we will adopt a third-party inspection company’s recommendation of industry standards as a basis for determination.

8. How do I agree a shipping date with my supplier?

Input the shipping date in the purchase order and make sure it is confirmed by both you and your supplier.

About Payment

1. For my order, who do I make payment to?

Follow the instructions in the online order process and pay into the supplier’s bank account, which has been designated by Alibaba.com.

2. Does Alibaba.com hold the payment?

Alibaba.com does not hold the payment. It will be paid to supplier’s bank account which has been designated by Alibaba.com.

3. If the supplier’s Trade Assurance Amount is not enough to cover my initial payment, how can I ensure payment safety?

Please make sure you are aware that only the payment amount which is covered by the supplier’s Trade Assurance Amount can be protected by Alibaba.com.

4. If I want Trade Assurance to cover the entire payment for this order, what can I do?

You can negotiate with your supplier to use the supplier’s Trade Assurance Amount to cover the whole order payment amount, and then make the entire payment at the one time, into the supplier’s bank account which has been designated by Alibaba.com.

About Quality

1. How does Trade Assurance protects my order if there are issues with product quality ?

Firstly, it is an optional service. You have to click the “I also want to use Trade Assurance to ensure order quality” in the purchase order and make sure you have chosen this service. Once you select “I also want to use Trade Assurance to ensure order quality”, make sure your order quality requirements are clearly contained in the contract. The quality requirement should be measurable and detailed.

a) Before shipment: We recommend you strictly control the quality of the goods before shipment. If the order quality can’t meet the quality requirements before shipment, you can submit a claim. After you submit a claim, the supplier should respond to the buyer or offer a solution. If the issues cannot be resolved, you can ask Alibaba.com to step in.

b) Alibaba.com will step into your case. Alibaba.com has designated three inspection companies (SGS, TUV Rheinland & Bureau Veritas) to conduct a third-party inspection of the order under arbitration. You can engage one of them to perform an inspection of the quality of your order. You are required to pay the inspection fee upfront. Alibaba.com’s arbitration determination will be influenced by the third-party inspection company report. If the supplier is found to be responsible, then you will receive a 100% refund of your initial payment.

2. If I fail to include a quality requirement or clear quality requirement, what will happen?

If there are no agreed quality requirements on the purchase order, you will be reminded for such when the supplier asks for your confirmation of the purchase order. You can request the supplier to modify the purchase order by using the “Request supplier to modify order” on the system and allow the supplier to put in the product quality requirements. If you don’t have any quality requirements, we can provide you with a standard inspection requirement for your confirmation in the contract.

About Shipment

1. How does Alibaba.com ensure each shipment and shipping date on the documents are real?

The supplier will use Alibaba.com’s affiliated company's trade export services to export the goods, and therefore all data are retrieved directly from Customs and their data will likely be real and reliable.

About Claim

1. If I have a transaction dispute, how and when can I file a Trade Assurance claim?

You can initiate a dispute from the transaction section in “My Alibaba”, and the disputes entrance will be accessible to you once the order payment has been made.

2. Is the refund process complicated?

The refund process is simple, easy and quick. There are 4 simple steps: Submit Claim – Request for Alibaba.com to make a determination– Alibaba.com makes a decision - Refund.

If a buyer has a transaction-related issue, submit a claim right away. After you have submitted a claim, the supplier should respond to the buyer or offer a solution. Typically, buyers and suppliers can quickly resolve most issues on their own without Alibaba.com’s intervention. If the buyer and supplier can’t reach agreement, Alibaba.com will step into the case if either party files a request for Alibaba.com to make a determination.

3. When does Alibaba.com get involved in a trade dispute?

After a buyer submits a claim, the supplier has 15 days to respond and offer a solution. If the supplier can’t offer a resolution or does not respond to buyer, then the buyer can request Alibaba.com step into the caseand make a determination.

4. In a quality dispute, what’s the relationship between Alibaba.com and the inspection company Alibaba.com designates?

The inspection companies designated by Alibaba.com are fully-independent from Alibaba.com.

5. How long does a Trade Assurance claim typically take to resolve?

After you submit a claim, there are 15 days for the supplier to respond and offer a solution. If there is no agreement between you and your supplier, Alibaba.com will step into your case and make a determination. For late shipment disputes, the dispute determination process normally takes 7 days.

Welcome all of LML Metal Products Ltd. 's customers use alibaba 's Trade Assurance,if you have any more questions,please contact by email sales@lmlmetalproducts.com