An unexpected $54 fee caught small business owner Jennifer Scully off guard when a delivery driver showed up at her doorstep. The driver informed her she needed to pay the charge before receiving her package — even though she had already paid for shipping, she told Wisconsin-based news outlet WMTV.
“It was only about $200 worth of goods, so percentage-wise, adds a lot to the cost,” Scully told the outlet. She ultimately paid the bill because she needed the shipment for her business.
Until July, Americans could import up to $800 worth of goods from overseas without paying duties, thanks to the long-standing de minimis exemption. That changed when President Donald Trump issued an executive order earlier this year eliminating the exemption.
The 90-year-old de minimis policy, which allowed low-value packages to pass through customs without extra charges, officially ended on Aug. 29. According to CNBC, the tariffs are designed to encourage companies to relocate production and jobs back to the United States.
For businesses, the new duties have introduced some challenges. Some companies are absorbing the added tariff costs themselves, leading to increased prices for consumers. Others are passing those costs directly to customers at the point of delivery, resulting in surprise fees like the one Scully encountered.
For families trying to stick to a holiday budget, these fees can add up quickly. Items that once arrived duty-free — like toys, clothing, holiday treats or cultural items — may now come with an unexpected bill, according to CBS News.
Political scientist Jon Pevehouse told WMTV, “This is a tax on all of us. The Postal Service reported a 70% drop in packages coming into the United States over the last couple of months.”
What does this mean for holiday packages?
As families prepare for the holiday season, many Americans will be relying on gifts sent from relatives and friends across the globe. But this year, those familiar packages may arrive with something new attached.
Americans sending or receiving gifts from abroad this season should plan for additional charges. Packages that previously qualified for duty-free entry are now subject to tariffs regardless of the item’s value. Delivery drivers may require payment before releasing a package, and the only way to avoid the charges is to refuse the shipment and have it returned to the sender, WMTV notes.
What about travelers returning from overseas?
Travel agent Otehlia Cassidy explained that travelers can bring back between $200 and $1,600 worth of goods without paying duties, depending on the country of origin, as long as items are properly declared.
“My recommendation is, if you can stuff it into your checked bag, that’s the best option,” Cassidy told WMTV.
Beware of scams
With new rules and unexpected fees creating confusion, consumers are also being urged to stay alert. Tiffany Schultz of the Better Business Bureau noted scammers often impersonate major carriers like UPS, FedEx and DHL, attempting to trick recipients into paying fake tariff charges.
She advised shoppers to verify website links and if in doubt, to call the shipping company directly to confirm whether a fee is legitimate.