I am buying all kinds of stuff...from electronics, to survival gear, to various accessories (eg Starlink mounts, Motorcycle crash bars, car parts etc) on a monthly basis for the last 3 years.
I had problem once and it was refunded in about 20 days. Returning stuff is not a realistic option though. The key for successful purchases is to buy products that have dozens or hundreds of positive reviews. See the score, find some good reviews describing the product extensively and everything will be OK.
I have the issue of 50% of all orders not getting shipped at all.
There is refund, but no cost for the sellers and ultimately you cannot trust AliExpress.
Freak occurrence? Just look for the cheapest price for a week and you'll fall into this trap. No package for you!