Warning about Aliexpress

RomfordNavy

Having been buying reasonably successfully for a few years now from Aliexpress I feel I should warn others of my most recent experience of a £600 purchase. Unfortunately I have now been forced to request a refund from the credit card merchant.

You can make up your own minds, all communications with AliX below:

9/8/26 – message to AliX:

Further to your email of the 09 August 2026 10:03:

None of these points listed have anything to do with me so why are you using them as a reason to deny a refund?

Also

• “Import customs clearance completed, Fri | Jul. 10 02:41”
• Item was purchased “VAT paid” therefore there should be no customs duties to pay.
• I have not received any communication from UK Customs.

From: AliExpress Customer Service [mailto:AEbuyerservice@aliexpress.com] Sent: 09 August 2026 10:03

Hi Sir/Madam,

Thank you for contacting AliExpress.

We are sorry to inform that your appeal request was rejected. The package was unsuccessfully delivered due to the failure of Customs clearance. The reason might be:

1. Certain required document is missing, such as invoice, import license or certification etc;
2. Penalty generated because of wrong customs value;
3. Betray of intellectual property rights or counterfeit products
4. Non-government institute detained the shipment;
5. Restricted product.

Since there is no valid document proved package detained reason, we have to release full payment to seller accordingly. Please notice that it is the buyer's duty to do normal customs clearance and pay the tax. As the shipping information shows the package is still detained in your local customs, we kindly suggest you to finish the customs clearance and collect the package as soon as possible.

Note: Please do not reply to this email/message due to reply can not be received in this mailbox. If you have any further question, please visit our Help Center at https://service.aliexpress.com/page/home?spm=a2g0o.home.1000001.2.650c2c25YXjwwE&pageId=17&language=en

Thanks,

AliExpress Customer Service  

Aug 8, 07:09 GMT

The request is now complete

Aug 8, 07:09 GMT

A solution has been reached

AliExpress's solution:

No refund

Aug 7, 15:05 GMT

The buyer uploaded further supporting info

Request description:

This obviously not correct as your tracking system states that:

• "Import customs clearance completed Fri | Jul. 10 02:41"

I have had no notifications from UK Customs so therefore have no means of contacting them. Aside from that these were purchased as VAT paid so there should be no additional import VAT to pay.

Aug 7, 07:10 GMT

AliExpress provided a new proposal

Aug 5, 14:01 GMT

The buyer uploaded further supporting info

Request description:

what response are you waiting for?

Jul 31, 21:19 GMT

The buyer uploaded further supporting info

Request description:

This refund is currently listed as 'Waiting for your response', what is the further delay?

Jul 29, 22:40 GMT

The buyer uploaded further supporting info

Request description:

What are you currently reviewing? This item was ordered on the 26th June and it still hasn't arrived.

Jul 28, 11:14 GMT

The buyer uploaded further supporting info

Request description:

What more information do you want? I have not received the item, can't take a picture of an item I haven't received!

Jul 28, 03:10 GMT

AliExpress provided a new proposal

Jul 27, 12:41 GMT

You submitted a new request

Your proposal:

Refund

Jul 27, 12:41 GMT

Request submitted

Request description:

No tracking updates for 15 days after shipping

Item ordered: Jun 26, 2026

born_again

Also

• “Import customs clearance completed, Fri | Jul. 10 02:41”
• Item was purchased “VAT paid” therefore there should be no customs duties to pay.
• I have not received any communication from UK Customs.

VAT is not the duty that custom levy. There is also import duty to be paid on certain items, & delivery co will bill you for these not HMRC

RomfordNavy

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82102009#Comment_82102009

Interesting, didn't know that, I assumed that import duty would be collected by HMRC. This being the case how do HMRC obtain that duty from the delivery company, what if said delivery company didn't collect the duty for HMRC?

How do I even know who the delivery company is?

Spikeygran

Items imported will incur a customs percentage (depending on type of goods) and VAT when valued over £135. So if you paid VAT up front you would get a separate customs fee.

When the goods come into customs the item is handed over to a postal company who process the items through customs and add a fee for their services (on top of customs tax and vat).

If its royal mail you usually get an email request to pay the bill for customs and their fee (used to be £9 - £12) which has to be paid before the item is sent out to you. Did you get an email that you maybe thought was spam so ignored?

I will now only buy items from overseas if its impossible to get them here. By the time VAT, customs, fees, wrong or broken items delivered, and especially the lack of usable warranty are taken into consideration, its rarely worth it.

born_again

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82102083#Comment_82102083

https://www.gov.uk/goods-sent-from-abroad/tax-and-duty

RomfordNavy

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82102519#Comment_82102519

Nope not had any emails from Royal Mail or anyone else regarding this.

Spikeygran

Did you get a tracking number when the goods were dispatched (that’s assuming they were actually sent)?

If so try entering it into this app ( I've used many times) as it usually manages to identify the courier for the UK part of the journey. The courier might be able to supply some explanation, if the email has gone astray they could be waiting for your response.

https://parcelsapp.com/en/tracking

Hopefully if the credit card claim will be successful, thats a lot to lose. 😟

sturat3200

Amazon.co.uk or any local store is alwyas a good option rather than AliExpress!

RomfordNavy

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82103568#Comment_82103568

No tracking number. Last message on Alix tracking was: “Import customs clearance completed, Fri | Jul. 10 02:41”