U.S. imports previously valued at $800 or less will no longer enter tax-free after elimination of the de minimis exemption. Shipments under this change will face charges ranging from 10% to 50% of declared value, with a temporary six-month flat duty of $80 to $200 per parcel. Consumers may experience sticker shock, and retailers may cover some costs depending on policies. Difficulty locating country-of-origin information and uncertainty among postal services, carriers and merchants could cause delays and hiccups. Shoppers should check origins, tariff rates and who covers duties to avoid unexpected fees.
That era is about to end. On Friday, the United States plans to eliminate a tariff exemption that allowed imports worth $800 or less to enter the country tax-free. With the sundowning of the "de minimis" exemption, such shipments will incur charges that range from 10% to 50% of their declared value or, for the next six months, a flat duty of $80 to $200 per parcel.
Customers won't necessarily be on the hook for paying all of the import taxes on their orders, depending on where they shop, what they buy and how much of the cost retailers decide to foot themselves. But given the confusion foreign postal services, private shipping companies and merchants have expressed about the new duties, some delays and other hiccups may be inevitable.
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