🔍 1. Judging a seller before you buy
The product listing is marketing. The seller is the thing to assess.
- Store rating and age. A store trading for years with thousands of orders is a different risk from one opened last month.
- Order count on the item itself, not just the store - a specific listing with hundreds of sales is a far safer bet.
- Read the 3-star reviews. Five-star reviews say little and one-star reviews are often about shipping. The middle ones describe the actual product.
- Buyer photos beat seller photos. Filter reviews to those with images and you see what really arrives.
📏 2. Sizes, and why the size chart matters more here
Clothing and shoes are sized for the Asian market and generally run smaller than UK equivalents. Ignoring this is the most common reason a first AliExpress order disappoints.
- Use the chart on the listing itself, in centimetres - not the S/M/L label.
- Compare against a garment you already own, then check our size conversion charts.
- When between sizes, go up. Returns to China rarely make financial sense.
💷 3. What it really costs
- The exchange rate. The listed price is converted - see the currency converter.
- Import VAT. Usually collected at checkout, but not always - the import tax page explains when.
- Shipping. Free shipping is often the slowest option; paid shipping is sometimes the better deal overall.
- The basket minimum trap. Adding an item you did not want to unlock a coupon is not a saving.
⏱️ 4. Delivery expectations
Set these before you order, not after. The method chosen at checkout decides almost everything - see delivery times for the ranges, and tracking for what the statuses mean once it ships.
🛡️ 5. When something goes wrong
Most problems are recoverable if you act inside the Buyer Protection window. Photograph everything on arrival, message the seller first, and open a dispute before the deadline - the full process is on the refunds and disputes page.
✅ 6. The short version
- Buy from established sellers with a long order history on that exact item.
- Read the 3-star reviews and the buyer photos.
- Measure in centimetres, and size up when in doubt.
- Check the delivery estimate for your address before paying, not the generic one.
- Film the unboxing of anything expensive.
- Never let the Buyer Protection date pass while you wait for a seller to reply.
❓ FAQ
Is AliExpress safe to buy from in the UK?
It is a large regulated marketplace with a Buyer Protection scheme that holds your payment until you confirm delivery. The risk is not the platform but the individual seller, which is why store history and item-level order counts matter.
Do I pay customs on AliExpress orders to the UK?
Import VAT usually applies and is normally collected by AliExpress at checkout for lower-value orders. Higher-value orders can attract charges on delivery instead - see our import tax page.
Why is AliExpress so cheap?
You buy directly from sellers close to manufacturing, without the layers of importer, distributor and retailer that sit inside a UK high-street price.
What should I not buy on AliExpress?
Anything where a counterfeit or a safety failure matters - branded goods at implausible prices, electrical items you cannot verify, and anything you need by a specific date.
Does AliExpress size run small?
Generally yes, for clothing and shoes. Use the centimetre measurements on the listing rather than the letter size, and size up when between two.
General guidance for UK buyers - not legal or tax advice