New Buying From China (incl AliExpress) guide discussion

Doc_N

higgers1991 said:

Hello, I'm thinking of buying products from Aliexpress but I am just quite concerned about whether there are any safety issues? Im thinking if if any hazardous substances or whether their electronics are dangerous. I was wondering whether these products will comply to UK regulations and follow the law?

One thing you can be very certain of is that there's very little chance of anything sold on AliExpress complying with UK laws and regulations.  Yes, there are safety issues, and yes, there may be hazardous substances and electrical risk. 

There's also a fair chance that the goods won't arrive, though there is a refund procedure with AliExpress itself.  A lot of fake reviews, and a lot of fake products. 

I've used it a few times, but only with the very greatest of awareness and caution.  Unless you're prepared to take the same approach my advice would be to avoid it.  There are some decent sellers in there (as with ebay) but it's tricky telling them apart from the bad ones. 

jogu

higgers1991 said:

Hello, I'm thinking of buying products from Aliexpress but I am just quite concerned about whether there are any safety issues? Im thinking if if any hazardous substances or whether their electronics are dangerous. I was wondering whether these products will comply to UK regulations and follow the law?

Yes, there's massive safety issues, it's completely unregulated - you're skipping all UK safety regulations by ordering from AliExpress. If customs inspected the majority of AliExpress orders they'd get destroyed due to not being legal to sell in the UK, but because it's millions of low value packets customs can't inspect them - customs only have time to examine a very small percentage of large commercial orders that come into the country.

Things that may need particular caution are anything that:

1. Runs off mains electricity (high risk of fire / electrocution)
2. Is worn against skin (due to potentially containing chemicals/dyes/etc that are known carcinogens or otherwise dangerous)
3. contains lithium ion batteries (due to high risk of fire / venting dangerous vapours)

I have bought some things - e.g. replacement LED chips for a broken floodlight or particular replacement batteries that aren't available from a UK seller, although in many cases you can pick these kind of things up at a similar price on eBay from a "UK" seller.

Paulscarbs

I have bought some things - e.g. replacement LED chips for a broken floodlight or particular replacement batteries that aren't available from a UK seller, although in many cases you can pick these kind of things up at a similar price on eBay from a "UK" seller.

Purchasing from a UK seller is no guarantee that the product complies with UK/EU safety regulations.

jogu

Paulscarbs said:

I have bought some things - e.g. replacement LED chips for a broken floodlight or particular replacement batteries that aren't available from a UK seller, although in many cases you can pick these kind of things up at a similar price on eBay from a "UK" seller.

Purchasing from a UK seller is no guarantee that the product complies with UK/EU safety regulations.

Agreed - but legally it has to and you generally get better protection as a buyer on eBay buying from a company with a UK presence (compared to a Chinese based seller on AliExpress). It would be much better to buy from a proper UK seller, but sadly some particular components I've needed to repair some electronic items just aren't available from UK sellers.

It depends on the risk level of the item. Electrical items (like USB chargers) run a real risk of catching fire or electrocuting someone, I will only buy those from the big brand names from reputable sellers. The risk still isn't zero but reputable sellers will generally institute recalls etc if an item does turn out to be dangerous.

Doc_N

Dorris33 said:

Spam - and you're using an advertising link.  Whereabouts in China are you?  

wrf12345

New rules from Jan 1st (apply to EU as well), £15 waiver has finished (ok if bought this year, though), goods up to £135 free of import taxes and VAT BUT online market places (or individual vendors) have to collect the 20 percent VAT even if outside the UK (good luck with that I would have thought). Goods over £135 individuals have to pay VAT and tariffs if applicable plus customs charge to collect it. Incidentally, customs charge such as £8 from Royal Mail can not be charged just for opening the package to check contents, only charged if there are taxes to pay. Either refuse to pay it or appeal via Royal Mail site.

BTW, my experiences have been positive with aliexpress, had three missing items and all were refunded even when tracking showed as delivered.

New tax regime means more cost for stuff under £15 but between £15 and £135 it will be cheaper as no £8 customs charge and you used to have to pay VAT before (now pay by aliexpress etc).

Be interesting to see if the overseas companies do actually pay it, according to the govn they are supposed to register for VAT in the UK.

chaoszone

I notice that AliExpress are now slapping VAT on at checkout.

Paulscarbs

Somebody has to pay it given the new rules.

Doc_N

Aaahhhhh........those sunlit uplands of Brexit.

troffasky

Hash tag taking back control....this was an unpleasant surprise ordering something from AliExpress today. Would have been nice to experience some benefit from Brexit.

If they just included VAT in the pre-checkout price like "proper" websites do, I probably wouldn't have even noticed this change. Even at +20%, every part I'm buying for a small electronics project is cheaper on AliExpress than eBay, and not just one seller for each thing, every listing on the first page of results for each part.