Brands and artisans are left in a lurch after international carriers stop shipments to the U.S.

""I felt sick to my stomach," he told Modern Retail. "I was immediately faced with the prospect of trying to figure out how to help my wife pay the bills and the mortgage, put food on the table, et cetera. I was scared, frustrated, and anxious, all the while having to pretend everything was fine, because my almost-3-year-old was standing right there getting ready for our fun gymnastics class.""

"Rose said Australia Post had previously charged him about $17 to ship to the U.S., much cheaper than the $100 or so to ship using DHL or FedEx. Using a different carrier to circumvent this change could crush his business, Rose said. So, before leaving with his daughter for her gymnastics class, Rose jumped on Reddit to say goodbye to fans of his brand Rose Leather Crafting, which he started as a side business in 2014 while studying at university."

"Rose is one of many business owners who have been left in a lurch after postal services around the world - including in the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Japan, India and South Korea - temporarily stopped shipping packages to the U.S. All did so before Aug. 29, when the U.S. fully rolled back the de minimis exemption, which had allowed packages valued under $800 to enter the country duty free. Low-value goods are now subject to whatever tariff rate applies to their"

In late August, Brisbane leather crafter Chris Rose discovered he could no longer use Australia Post to send wallets and card holders to American customers. About 90% of Rose's customers are in the U.S., and the halt triggered immediate financial fear for household expenses. Australia Post previously charged about $17 to ship to the U.S., compared with roughly $100 using DHL or FedEx; switching carriers threatened to crush the business. Rose started the brand in 2014 while studying and posted on Reddit before leaving for a gymnastics class. Postal services in many countries temporarily stopped U.S. shipments before Aug. 29, when the U.S. fully rolled back the de minimis exemption, making low-value goods subject to tariffs.

Read at Digiday