Returns, exchanges and lost-parcel cover at MambaBuy
The return window in both of its official wordings, which items can go back, what a return costs, how cancellations work at each status, and MambaBuy's own Shipping Protection.
The return window, in two official wordings
MambaBuy's returns article states the window twice. In one place it says five days from the moment the order is warehoused, counted as 120 hours, and requested from your order page. In another it says seven days after the product is signed for, which it equates with five days after storage. We use the stricter version: five days from Stored.
Between five and ten days after storage you can still ask, but the result depends on the seller's agreement. After ten days a return may not be possible at all, and once a parcel has been dispatched abroad nothing can be returned.
Which items can go back
A no-reason return needs three things: the seller offers guaranteed returns, the item is in a condition to be resold, and it has been in storage no more than five days. Excluded outright: food, adult products, second-hand goods, custom-made goods, underwear (socks and leggings count), newspapers, goods bought from outside mainland China, items whose tags were removed at your request, orders of fifteen or more books, and sealed items that have been opened.
If the seller shipped free, you pay shipping both ways on a return, because the seller's outbound postage is deducted from the refund.
The bill for sending something back
A no-fault return or exchange costs the shipping to the seller, the shipping back from the seller, and a service fee. The service fee is waived on your first request in each calendar month. After that it rises in tiers: CN¥5 per return and CN¥10 per exchange for requests two to five, CN¥10 and CN¥15 for six to nine, and CN¥20 and CN¥25 beyond ten. MambaBuy says the tiers exist to discourage excessive returns and click-farm orders.
Return costs are taken from the refund; for an exchange, your balance must cover them in advance. Where the fault is the seller's, postage both ways is on them.
Cancelling at each order status
| Status | What happens if you cancel |
|---|---|
| Paid | Ask customer service to cancel. |
| Purchased, seller not yet shipped | MambaBuy cancels and the money returns to your balance. |
| Not stored, seller has shipped | MambaBuy asks the seller; if return freight is due, you are told first and it is deducted from the refund. |
| Stored, within five days | Return or exchange through the seller; refunds usually take 7 to 15 days, exchanges 7 to 20. |
| Stored, after five days | Only if the seller agrees; otherwise the item stays yours. |
Deposit orders follow Taobao rules and the deposit is not refunded; made-to-order items are agreed directly with the seller.
Shipping Protection, MambaBuy's own cover
Shipping Protection is run and paid by MambaBuy itself; the help article stresses it is not a commercial insurance product. It applies only to items bought through the purchasing service, sent on an official MambaBuy line, with the fee paid before shipment. The tier depends on declared goods value: CN¥35 up to RMB 3,000, CN¥70 up to RMB 6,000, and 2% above that, with a ceiling of RMB 10,000 per parcel.
It covers complete loss declared by the carrier, missing items shown on an unedited unpacking video, and seizure at the first customs clearance (except on EMS). It does not cover breakage of fragile or sealed goods, electronics that could not be inspected, theft after delivery, or jewellery and other valuables. Claims must be filed within seven days of the incident and documents within 72 hours; review takes up to 15 working days and payment follows after 30 working days.
Lost in transit: the compensation steps
If a partner carrier confirms a loss, MambaBuy says it tells you at once, and if the parcel is not found within 30 business days it starts compensation automatically, based on the protection you bought. It recommends taking the money as account balance; if you ask for it back on PayPal or Alipay, the transaction fees are yours. Without protection, the platform accepts no liability for loss.
False claims carry penalties: one month's suspension for a doctored unpacking video and two months for denying a delivery that tracking shows as signed.
