Pancho wrote:
How do you know? I understand you were charged by EBay but how are you
extrapolating this to everything?

Aliexpress say:

"From 11PM 31 December 2020, AliExpress is required by law to collect UK
Value-Added Tax (VAT) at the applicable rate and remit to the UK tax
authority when goods are sold to UK customers (i) where the goods are
located outside the UK at the point of sale with a consignment value of
GBP135 or less, or (ii) where the goods are in the UK at the point of sale,
but sold by an overseas seller. For more information, please visit:"
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/vat-and-...1-january-2021

It seems reasonable that as IT tracking systems improve VAT would be
added, but if they are doing this to every Aliexpress sale to the UK, it
would be in Aliexpress' interests to handle it at point of sale, like
Ebay did for you.

It's the law for them to do that - UK law now, rest of EU in July.
(the EU postponed their date due to the pandemic, the UK didn't due to
Brexit)
https://www.pwc.lu/en/newsletter/202...ules-2021.html

Theo