Assessment from £450
Problems with a Chinese Supplier
Moulds held back, goods not delivered, defective batches, a deposit that never came back. Before you pay lawyers, find out whether the company is real, whether it has assets, and whether it will talk.
Typical cases
- A factory refuses to release your moulds or tooling, or demands a "release fee"
- You paid a deposit and the goods never shipped
- A batch arrived defective and the supplier stopped answering
- A supplier owes you a refund or credit note
Bought through Alibaba?
Trade Assurance claims have strict time limits: Alibaba asks buyers to open a refund request within 30 days of delivery (60 days for Enterprise buyers), and only orders placed and paid on Alibaba.com are covered. Contact us as soon as something goes wrong. We prepare the claim, the evidence and the messages to the supplier in Chinese and English. See our guide How to get your money back from a Chinese supplier.
How we help
- Assessment (from £450): is the company still registered, who owns it, does it have other judgments or enforcement cases, is it on the dishonest-defaulter list, and what do your documents say? You get a clear view of whether pursuing it is worth the cost.
- Negotiation in Mandarin: we contact the company, set out your position in writing in Chinese, and look for a settlement. Many disputes move once the factory deals with someone who understands its position and language. You choose the fee: a fixed fee agreed in advance, or a success fee of 10–15% of what is recovered.
- Escalation: if needed, we brief and coordinate a China debt-collection agency (usually paid only on success) or a Chinese lawyer. For moulds, Chinese courts can freeze a factory's bank accounts while a dispute runs.
We do not give legal advice or bring court proceedings ourselves. Where legal action is needed, it is carried out by independent lawyers.
Read more
Supplier wants the balance early, or kept your deposit? · Bulk order worse than the sample? · Paid a changed bank account?
Chinese factory holding your moulds? What to do · How to get your money back from a Chinese supplier
How to verify a Chinese or UK company: including how to protect moulds and payments next time.
Supplier gone quiet?
Start with what to do in the first 72 hours when a Chinese supplier stops answering.
Common questions
Can I get my deposit back from a Chinese supplier?
Sometimes. It depends on whether the company is real, still trading and has assets, and on what your contract and payment records show. Our assessment tells you whether it is worth pursuing before you spend more.
How do you charge for negotiating with a Chinese supplier?
After an assessment from £450, you choose a fixed fee agreed in advance or a success fee of 10–15% of what is recovered.
What if I paid through Alibaba Trade Assurance?
Act quickly. Alibaba asks buyers to open a refund request within 30 days of delivery, or 60 days for Enterprise buyers, and only orders paid on Alibaba.com are covered. We prepare the claim, evidence and messages in Chinese and English.
My factory will not release my moulds. What can I do?
Gather proof of payment and ownership, then negotiate in Chinese. If that fails, a Chinese lawyer can apply to the court to preserve the moulds or freeze assets while a dispute runs.
Are you a law firm?
No. We assess, negotiate and coordinate. Court action and legal advice are handled by independent lawyers.
Tell us what happened
Send the company name and your documents. We'll tell you honestly whether it's worth pursuing.
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