What was previously considered too discomfort to be regulated by the United States has become too great an economic force to be ignored.
The end of an American commercial rule in force has come into force since the 1930s, which allowed more than one billion small packages per year in the country. With this, winners and losers are already beginning to emerge, while increasing bureaucracy, costs and time affects global e -commerce – in another chapter of the reconfiguration of international trade promoted by President Donald Trump.
Since 2016, the limit for tariff exemption, known as “de minimis” (from Latin, “too small to import”), was $ 800 – a high level for global standards. The number of tax packages that entered the US shot, reaching almost 1.4 billion in 2024, a 600% jump in a decade, according to US customs (CBP). It is estimated that at least three rooms of these orders came from China, especially Shein and Temu.
Unique opportunity
Legacy Card: Far beyond a service
The model fell to the taste of Americans during the pandemic: cheap products, with fast delivery direct from the factory. But the flood of packages lit alerts in Washington – from unfair competition with small local businesses to the risk of drug entry such as fentanil or forced labor products.
“There is indeed bipartisan support,” said Greg Husisian, head of the international trade area at Foley & Lardner office in Washington. “The idea was to make it easier to send a $ 80 toy package from your grandmother, not allow a Chinese company to send tens of thousands of $ 12 t -shirts per day.”
The plans to harden the rules began in the Biden government. Trump made the change in May by eliminating exemption to products from China and Hong Kong. Before that, about 4 million exempt packages arrived in the US a day; Now this number has dropped to approximately 1 million, according to a high White House employee.
Continues after advertising
With the new rule, packages from other countries have also been taxed and need to track customs documentation.
The measure represents a new source of revenue for the US government, but at the expense of companies and consumers, which will bear the new charges.
The Congress Budget Office (CBO) estimated in 2024 that the end of exemption only for products from China would yield more than $ 23.5 billion in additional customs and customs rates over a decade. By Tuesday (27), CBP had already raised more than $ 492 million with packages that would previously enter without tax, according to a government official.
Continues after advertising
With an eye on this extra source of revenue, other countries accompany the American case as a test. The European Union is studying eliminating its exemption from € 150 ($ 175), while the United Kingdom assesses its current limit of £ 135 ($ 182).
Impact on exports
International sellers should feel the effects soon.
“These measures can threaten consumer sectors -oriented sectors and discourage small and medium -sized companies to sell to the US,” the British Trade Chamber warned in a statement published this week. “Companies used to export without barriers will face permanently higher costs.”
Continues after advertising
Among those who celebrate the change is Jim Tuchler, owner of GiftSforyouenow.com, a store in the Chicago region. He has seen his sales fall over recent years because of the competition of unknown salespeople on platforms such as Amazon and Ebay.
These competitors seemed to operate directly from Chinese factories, offering customization of products with margins that he classified as “inexplicable”. Since the exemption to China is over, Tuchler claims to have noticed an improvement in sales.
“Even with the increase in prices, the volume of orders and units sold is larger than last year,” he said.
Continues after advertising
But for the gear of global trade, the transition has been troubled. Packages sent by mail are shaped based on the current fare for the country of origin of the goods.
Another possibility is the payment of a fixed fee of $ 80 to $ 200 per item, calculated according to the reciprocal tariff imposed by Trump on the exporting country. This alternative, however, is only available for six months and tends to be more expensive.
More than two dozen national postal agencies have suspended the US, claiming CBP’s lack of clarity on how to meet documentation and payment requirements.
Continues after advertising
“These suspensions will continue until more information on how US authorities will operationalize these measures, as well as the effective implementation of the required changes,” the UN Agency Universal said in a statement.
CBP said it had a comprehensive strategy to ensure the application of the new rule and has been working with carriers and business partners to reduce the impact of change.
Commercial carriers
Products sent by private companies such as FedEx and UPS are also subject to all applicable tariffs, including those by sector and by country of origin.
Since the end of the exemption to China and Hong Kong, carriers such as UPS and Fedex have reported a drop in packet volume between US and China in recent balance sheets – affecting one of the most lucrative routes of companies.
Companies said they are adapting, including the collection of extra fees to deal with customs bureaucracy and tariff payments.
“We have dealt with volatility before,” said Mike Parra, CEO of DHL Express Europe, in an interview this month. “This one will also pass, and the fact is that we will adapt.”
Change of route
It is this kind of adaptation that moves the Mondo Cattolo, a store of religious articles located in front of the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome. The establishment, which sells thirds, candles and necklaces with crucifix to tourists from around the world, has seen growing the share of sales made directly to American consumers via the internet.
According to Fabrizio Enea, online sales manager, most orders sent to the US turns between $ 100 and $ 200. “Until the end of De Minimis, we could send without customers to pay fees or additional fees.”
Now the store has raised prices by 20% to cover new costs – including tariffs, more expensive freight and customs rates. Still, according to Enea, the measure pays off to maintain agility in deliveries and prevent customers from arising with charges directly.
Suspended orders
The interruption of postal services has led companies from around the world to shoot communications to customers in the US, warning of delays and price increases.
“The Danish brand ‘Knitting for Olive’ was the latest to announce that it can no longer send small orders to the US, generating panic among American fans,” wrote Danielle Romanetti, owner of the Virginia Fiber Space Store in an email to clients last week.
Although it says that its inventory is fueled, Romanetti fears the broader impact on the sector and on the sense of community that online trade provides. Often, she discovers new brands through customers who buy directly from countries such as Denmark, Spain and Peru.
Less options for the consumer
Florasense, based in Chicago, sells app -connected sensors that monitor plants and warn about water or light need. CEO Aabesh states that, despite importing most products in large volumes, the end of the exemption for Chinese products has already affected their expansion and innovation plans.
It also points out the impact of other rates that had already led the company to cut 20% of the team because of the tight margins.
The end of exemption also compromises the variety of products available to consumers.
Before, it was possible to launch a new item – such as gardening gloves – sending few units straight from the factory to the customer. Without Minimis, he said he had to cut 75% of the planned releases for next year.
©️2025 Bloomberg L.P.
