# Low price does not equal low quality: after-sales service is the real threshold

In [1688]( www.1688.com When sourcing products online, a common pitfall for beginners is getting caught up in the allure of "low prices," only to be deterred by concerns about unreliable after-sales service This kind of dilemma is all too common in today's fiercely competitive market. But from another perspective, the platform is no longer the rough-and-tumble, wild west it once was Today's low prices and high value are more a result of improved supply chain efficiency, not cheapened services

To put it bluntly, the after-sales service of those stores that focus on cost-effectiveness does not entirely depend on the boss's conscience, but is tightly controlled by a cold "product experience" indicator system. This system directly links to traffic allocation and store weight. For buyers, understanding this set of rules is far more valuable than focusing on the few cents of price difference. It's like a magic mirror, helping you screen out those merchants who rely on fake orders and tricks.

# Core risk control metric: how to safeguard with quality refund rate

In [1688]( www.1688.com When it comes to sourcing inventory, you can put aside things like positive review rates and repeat purchase rates. the only real moat that can truly back you up is the "quality refund rate in the last 30 days." This isn't just a vague feeling; it's a hard, cold fact down to the last sub-order.

The platform rules are crystal clear: the numerator for this metric is the "total number of sub-orders for refunds/exchanges where the buyer's initial refund reason was related to quality, within the last 30 days." the denominator is the "total number of paid sub-orders within the last 30 days."

data source: [ ✅ [product experience] quality refund rate] https://peixun.1688.com/space/l2AmoYb53knMgzdb/detail/MNDoBb60VLrOoyeeuKr0qeKL8lemrZQ3 )

Here's a crucial detail: if a buyer initially selects "quality issue" when requesting a refund, even if they later agree to change the reason to "no longer wanted" or any other reason, the charge will still be attributed to the seller. The evaluation period runs from t-30 to t-1, essentially providing near-real-time feedback on a livestream seller's quality control performance for the past month.

For stores focusing on low prices and high value, if this metric turns red, forget about participating in promotions – you might even see your organic traffic cut in half. Therefore, when you are selecting products, you can completely treat the "quality refund rate" as a veto item. Compared to those glowing reviews you can actually make happen, this data is much more expensive to fabricate, and therefore, much more genuine.

# After-sales response standard: closed loop from delivery to return and exchange

It is not enough to just look at the refund rate. after-sales experience is a systematic project, and logistics timeliness and problem handling speed are equally important. 1688 there are clear freight and express delivery time standards for different routes. since merchants have labeled it as cost-effective, they must promise and achieve the corresponding delivery and delivery time.

express delivery_route time limit standard download

When you really encounter after-sales problems, what do reliable and cost-effective stores usually do?

• respond quickly: the response speed of pre-sales and after-sales directly affects the judgment of the "quality problem rate". Merchants who are slow to reply to messages often have poor quality control. [data source: [ ✅ [product experience] quality problem rate https://peixun.1688.com/space/l2AmoYb53knMgzdb/detail/NZQYprEoWoer1wddI0zylQ9kJ1waOeDk )】 product accuracy verification: in the event of a quality dispute, merchants must meticulously verify the product against the title, product details page, and size chart, item by item. Often, what's perceived as a "quality issue" is actually a mismatch in expectations stemming from unclear descriptions. [data source: [ ✅ [product experience] quality refund rate] https://peixun.1688.com/space/l2AmoYb53knMgzdb/detail/MNDoBb60VLrOoyeeuKr0qeKL8lemrZQ3 )】
• return and exchange processing: if it is confirmed to be a quality problem, a refund or exchange must be completed within the specified time limit. While successful exchange orders don't factor into the quality refund rate numerator, this precisely reflects the merchant's willingness to absorb the cost. [data source: [ ✅ [product experience] quality refund rate] https://peixun.1688.com/space/l2AmoYb53knMgzdb/detail/MNDoBb60VLrOoyeeuKr0qeKL8lemrZQ3 )】

In addition, now [1688]( www.1688.com The communication channels with the taobao domain have been successfully established. You can see the complete history of chat records in the buyer's workbench, so you no longer have to worry about message loss or after-sales disconnection due to different account systems. This is equivalent to leaving a complete chain of evidence for the right to defend oneself.

[function notification] taobao domain account cannot communicate with 1688 merchants

# Turn after-sales service from a promise into verifiable data

Ultimately, when it comes to [1688](... www.1688.com ) to find low-price and cost-effective sources, don’t listen to what the merchants say, but look at the data. Prioritize suppliers with a lower-than-average refund rate for quality issues and clear, reliable delivery time commitments.

True value for money isn't just about being cheap; it's about striking the right balance between price and reliability. Before your next purchase, consider checking out the seller's "product experience" panel. Let the data check for you, it is much safer than betting on luck based on your feelings. After all, every penny saved on trial and error costs is real profit.