Takedown Rejected or Counter-Noticed on Alibaba or AliExpress: What to Do Next

A complaint on Alibaba's IP Protection Platform (IPP) can stall in two ways. It can be rejected during review, usually because a document or a link is wrong. Or the seller can file a counter-notice disputing it, and if the platform accepts it, the listing stays online. In both cases you get a short window to act, and what you can still do depends on how complete your first complaint was.

This guide explains why complaints are rejected, how counter-notices work on the international IPP (AliExpress, Alibaba.com, Lazada, Miravia) and on the Taobao and Tmall Group IPP, how to respond step by step, and when to escalate beyond the platform. For the reporting process itself, see our guide to reporting counterfeits on Alibaba and AliExpress.

How Alibaba handles a disputed complaint

The platforms act as intermediaries. Alibaba.com's rules say that when a notice meets the legal requirements, the platform forwards it to the seller and protects the seller's right to submit counter-notices and appeal materials. It then reviews the evidence from both sides. The rules add that the platform does not adjudicate the substantive merits of IP disputes and that its decisions do not replace those of courts or authorities.

On the international IPP, the seller is entitled to three opportunities to appeal after a complaint is accepted. If an appeal succeeds, the IPP says you may file a counter-appeal within 180 days. The platform reviews both parties' materials each time, and the time each round takes depends on the case.

Why complaints are rejected before a seller replies

Many complaints never reach the seller. The most common causes:

Problem	What you see	What to fix
Right not verified or expired	The complaint cannot be based on it, or the right shows Authentication failed	Upload proof of renewal, assignment or change
Links fail validation	Verify Listings flags links	Remove dead links, duplicates of open complaints and AliExpress.ru links; stay under 300
Wrong reason	Rejection citing the complaint type	A copied photo is copyright, not counterfeit
No objective basis	Rejection for insufficient evidence	Add a comparison, test purchase or patent analysis
Not an IP issue	Rejection as out of scope	Price, distribution and contract disputes are not accepted
Wrong territory	Rejection on jurisdiction	Use a right valid where the listing is offered

Read the reason in Check complaint details before you do anything else. Then file a new, corrected complaint. Resubmitting the same links while the first complaint is open fails validation, because the IPP rejects duplicates automatically. Our IPP evidence guide covers the documents that most often cause trouble.

How counter-notices work on the international IPP

When the platform accepts a seller's counter-notice, it tells you by email and in your IPP account, where a Counter-Appeal link appears next to the complaint. The notification states how long you have to respond. The seller's explanation and documents are available in your account.

Three rules shape your response:

• The listing stays live unless and until you successfully rebut the counter-notice, so respond as early as you can.
• Your rebuttal is limited to matters raised in the counter-notice. You cannot bring new points that you could have made in the original complaint.
• The seller replies last. After your rebuttal, the seller can answer, and the platform then makes a final decision.

Lazada's guide adds one more route: if a counter-notice is accepted and you disagree after reviewing the seller's documents, email protect_ip@alibaba-inc.com with further evidence.

How to respond to a counter-notice, step by step

1. Open the case. Go to Manage Complaints, select the platform, open Check complaint details and find the entry showing that the seller responded.
2. Read the seller's materials. Typical counter-notices include an authorization letter, a purchase invoice from you or a distributor, or a claim that the product does not use your mark.
3. Check the deadline. Note the response period from the notification and put it in your calendar.
4. Test each claim. Is the authorization real and current? Does the invoice cover this product and quantity? Is the product in the photos the one you actually make?
5. Decide. If the seller's evidence holds up, withdraw the complaint. If it does not, prepare a rebuttal.
6. Write the rebuttal. Click Counter-Appeal and answer each point in order, with documents: a letter confirming that you never issued the authorization, proof that the invoice does not match, or a comparison showing the differences.
7. Follow the final decision. After the seller's reply, the platform decides. Record the outcome and the case number.

On Taobao, Tmall and 1688

The Taobao and Tmall Group IPP follows the same logic with tighter timing. After a complaint is upheld, the seller can appeal or correct the listing within a set period. You can review the appeal, withdraw if you accept it, or object and ask the platform to rule on both sides' materials. If you disagree with the ruling, the handbook says you can take the case to a competent court.

The same FAQ lists three reasons a reported URL can still be live: you accepted the seller's counter-notice, the platform accepted it, or you withdrew the complaint.

Withdrawing a complaint

Sometimes withdrawal is the right answer, for example when the seller turns out to be an authorized reseller. On the international IPP, a complaint that has not been processed yet can be withdrawn from Manage Complaints. Once it has been processed, you email aidc-ipr@alibaba-inc.com from your account address with the complaint number; a Withdrawal Letter template is available on the platform. On Lazada, withdrawing a complaint reinstates the listing.

When to escalate

• The platform keeps reinstating a seller despite solid evidence. Email the IP team with the case number and your additional evidence.
• A whole store is built on your brand. Send a store infringement complaint to aidc-ipr@alibaba-inc.com instead of filing listing by listing.
• You want to take legal action. After a successful takedown, the international IPP can disclose limited registration details about the seller if you sign a commitment to use them only for legal action. A formal cease and desist letter is another step to discuss with counsel.
• The seller holds a court or administrative decision in its favor. On the Taobao side, the platform forwards such decisions to you and may lift the measures it took.

This is general information, not legal advice. Court or administrative action in China or elsewhere requires a lawyer qualified in that jurisdiction.

The limits of handling disputes by hand

Counter-notices arrive by email to the registration address and in the account, with deadlines counted in business days. If the address belongs to someone who has left, or cases are spread across two IPP accounts, deadlines are easy to miss. And a listing reinstated after a counter-notice, or a new listing from the same seller, only shows up if someone checks.

How Valigard can help before you report

Valigard keeps a record of each listing you found with your official product photos: the URL, a saved and timestamped copy of the page, the price and the seller's details. In the counterfeits list, you log each complaint's status (Not reported, Reported, Gone or Relisted), its case number and notes, and "Check which are still online" shows which reported listings are still live or came back.

Valigard does not send reports or answer counter-notices for you, and it does not act as a law firm. It does not determine with legal certainty that a product is counterfeit and cannot guarantee that a platform will uphold a complaint.