For years, goods worth $800 or less could enter the US duty-free, one parcel at a time. Many foreign brands built their US business on it. That route has closed.
What changed
- An executive order signed on July 30, 2025 suspended duty-free treatment for low-value shipments from all countries, effective August 29, 2025.
- US Customs and Border Protection says those goods now owe all applicable duties, taxes and fees.
- In June 2026, a CBP rule extended the suspension indefinitely for shipments arriving outside the international postal network. Postal shipments are handled under separate rules.
- Congress has also legislated an end to the exemption from July 1, 2027.
- A June 2026 executive order directs that foreign importers of record be barred from informal entry, with tighter terms on formal entry. Customs has started first steps, and more is due.
- Personal gifts and personal-use articles are treated separately. Ordinary commercial sales are not.
What it means for your brand
Shipping single parcels from abroad used to avoid duty. Now every shipment owes it, and each parcel still carries its own international shipping and paperwork. For most steady sellers, that removes the main reason to ship one at a time.
What you owe depends on the product’s tariff classification and its country of origin. Tariffs have changed often since 2025, so two similar products from different countries can land at very different costs.
How to sell into the US now
- Hold stock in the US. Import in bulk once, then ship domestically. Delivery gets faster and shoppers see a normal US offer.
- Know your numbers. Confirm the tariff code and country of origin for each product, then re-run landed cost.
- Have a clear importer. Someone has to be responsible for the import. As your reseller, we arrange that side.
- Have your safety paperwork ready. Regulated products need a safety certificate, and since July 8, 2026 importers must file its data electronically, even for low-value shipments.
- Make listings US-ready. Inches and pounds, US plugs, US safety marks and American English.
Sources: White House executive order, US Customs and Border Protection, Federal Register, June 2026, Executive Order 14411, US CPSC, eFiling. General information, not legal or tax advice. Last checked November 2026.
