US man orders drill from Chinese website, gets only a printed photo of the item

A US man ordered a drill from Chinese website but received only a printed photo.

A Georgia man was left in disbelief after ordering a drill and receiving nothing but a printed photograph of the tool instead. According to a report by the New York Post, Sylvester Franklin, 68, had purchased a drill along with a pressure washer for $40 from the Chinese online marketplace AliExpress in November, believing he had found an unbeatable bargain.

A US man bought a drill from Chinese website but was shocked to receive only a printed picture instead(X)

However, when his package arrived in December, Franklin was stunned to find that instead of the actual drill, the retailer had sent him a folded-up picture of the item along with a single screw.

"I paid around $40 – all I got was a picture of the drill and a screw. I was very upset. I contacted them for a refund straight away," Franklin told the media.

A frustrating battle for a refund

Franklin attempted to reach out to the retailer for a resolution but has so far had no success in securing a refund. Expressing his disappointment, he said, "This is not good. This is real bad. All this is bad, you know what I mean?"

The 68-year-old urged online sellers to act with integrity, stating, "Don't scam nobody. I don't like to get scammed because if you spend your money, you want to get what you paid for."

Social media outrage

As the bizarre incident gained traction online, netizens flooded social media with their reactions.

One user sarcastically commented, "At least they sent a screw – maybe they expect him to build the drill himself!"

Another quipped, "AliExpress be like: ‘What more do you want? We sent the full drill… in 2D.’"

Some sympathised with Franklin, with one person writing, "This is why I never buy from these shady online marketplaces. Lesson learned!"

Another frustrated user shared their own experience: "Happened to me once, but I got a picture of a handbag instead. These sellers need to be held accountable."

Meanwhile, a user joked, "Maybe if he prints out a picture of money, he can get a refund?"

AliExpress’ track record

AliExpress, a subsidiary of Alibaba and often referred to as the "Amazon of China," has long faced criticism over questionable business practices. Despite offering an extensive range of products, the platform has a reputation for unreliable sellers and subpar customer service.

According to the Better Business Bureau, AliExpress holds a D-rating and has failed to respond to over 1,131 consumer complaints, reinforcing concerns about the risks of shopping on the platform.