From the Alice FAQ: "Why was I charged sales tax on my Alice order?

Alice.com is a marketplace that enables you to buy direct from multiple manufacturers without a retail middleman. Because of this direct relationship, we need to collect and remit sales tax in all jurisdictions. The sales tax will be calculated based on your ship-to zip code and therefore, you won't see it in your Order Summary until you enter your shipping location. You will see the final sales tax amount before confirming your order on step 3 of checkout."

I don't think they had a presence in CA though I could be wrong.