I order quite often from Mandarake (Japan import to US). Not one time - never have I had to pay tariff/duty. Received two packages last week - nothing. Now, on a $500 value (3 toys) I'm forced to pay $139.22. This is only after I had to call bc DHL was trying to charge me a bunch of additional fees for a total $230.22. This is like shooting yourself in the foot bc your shoe doesn't fit...get it!! WE pay the tax.
My best advice right now is to continue to ship through EMS/SAL/Airmail and avoid using any private couriers (DHL, FedEx, UPS, etc.) until we have more information on which importers are consistently applying the import duty fees. I should have an example for an import from Japan over $800 USD total value through CBP/USPS in a few days.
And remember, people WILL continue to use the confusion to take advantage, like in Radin’s story. Stay vigilant.
Email from HLJ: The link for more information: https://support.hlj.com/hc/en-us/articles/45909734687257-Suspension-of-Selected-US-Shipping-Methods
It's weird, I ordered some t-shirts from Human Made earlier this week and they only shipped DHL, they came yesterday with no charges. I also had a little padded envelope come in by Yun Express from China and no charges on that. I'm wondering if some of this is regional, maybe areas with higher volumes of packages are slower to adopt to keep things moving and manageable.
Sometimes I’d get hit with a bill from FedEx or DHL weeks after delivery. It is pretty random though.
I had two deliveries via EMS yesterday: (1) $300 of toys from Toy Underground - no charges (2) +1000 of clothing from Canada - no charges DHL is charging and adding their own ridiculous fees. Always prefer DHL shipping but would avoid and try EMS for now.
From the article, ""While we are working diligently to scale up and manage this increase, shipments over USD 800—regardless of origin—may experience multi-day delays." I am currently experiencing this. The processing time is quite different from just a few months ago. Previously, I would have a package arrive at an ISC hub city (Chicago, NYC, etc) and then receive a transfer scan to inbound customs within a minute. My recent package arrived in ISC Chicago and has sat there for a couple business days now without any further update.
DHL Sent me an invoice by email and a text notification. When I called about receiving two different amounts, they immediately changed to the lower price. I paid online. What was supposed to be 2 day international shipping took 8 days. Another fun one. EMS shipping from Canada: USPS worker rings my doorbell, and hands me a "missed delivery" slip - he has my package, but can't give it to me bc there are duty (tariff) fees. The kicker: they have no way to accept payment!!! So I have to go top the post office to pay the fees and get my package. Great delivery service doooofs...
Super 7 just added an 8% fee to all non-apparel items due to the tarrifs. I imagine sim fees will begin to happen with other retailers as well
Disclaimer: this is not financial or legal advice. For entertainment purposes only. EMS Japan Posted: 4/14/2025 Contents type: Sale of goods (note: parcel was not marked as "Gift") Description of contents: multiple entries of "Plastic toy (no batteries, no adhesive)" with individual values in JPY Total Value: Clearly noted in JPY well above the $800 USD de minimis threshold No tariff or fee was applied to receive this package. Processing time through customs took about two additional business days compared to previous packages: 04/19/2025 11:14 Item presented to import Customs ISC CHICAGO IL (USPS) UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 04/23/2025 09:12 Item returned from import Customs ISC CHICAGO IL (USPS) UNITED STATES OF AMERICA If I receive a post-delivery tariff bill or fee, I will update the thread but I am not expecting one at this point.
small package( value under $800) from post office or courier from China still no problem for me at the moment. Entertainment Earth added charges for pre-order already placed too
I think i'm starting to understand the "art of the deal"...take out a gun, shoot yourself in the dick until the clip is empty, then threaten others with the empty gun.
@deafmetal Do you think if we mark our parcels as a "gift" when sending or receiving from a road, that the tariff is avoided? Thank you for the update!
Hi Grace, CBP publishes import rule thresholds for gifts that would supposedly apply in this case: "Gifts worth up to $100 may be sent, free of duty and tax, to friends and relatives in the United States, as long as the same person does not receive more than $100 worth of gifts in a single day. If the gifts are mailed or shipped from an insular possession, this amount is increased to $200." All that said, I am not sure how often this is actually enforced. As Alan mentions, exemptions like this would only apply for personal shipments between friends and not from the proxy services where they refuse to mark custom forms as "gifts".
Thank you Mark and Alan! I just sent a parcel to Canada, and on the customs form, marked it as toys (no battery) and a gift, value =$100. Hopefully the recipient won't have to pay a tariff.
De minimis law being removed beginning on May 2nd, on Chinese and Hong Kong postal items only. Other countries may be added later.
BREAKING: UPS announces they will cut 20,000 jobs this year because of the economic conditions under Trump. Edit: It will cut 20,000 jobs and shut 73 facilities to lower costs in an uncertain economy and to brace for a potential pullback from its largest customer, Amazon. Such a significant step makes UPS the first big U.S. company to respond through large scale layoffs to slowing trade as a result of the sweeping tariffs.
