I've ordered several items from aliexpress and haven't had a problem. If I did have a problem, I would have withheld payment, since payment doesn't actually get done until the buyer receives and is satisfied with the product (though you provide your CC# when you order). I'm sure they know the bad reputation buying from China has so they're doing this to overcome that. I made a small purchase first, then bought several more of the same type of items (cycling kit) from the same seller after that purchase went well. You do have to take a "buyer beware" attitude but my experience has been good.
I would also like to point out that not all of my eBay experiences, especially in the early days and certainly not from Eastern European countries, were wonderful. Ah, the adventure of globalization at the personal level!