Import charge

Question

I received an email for a $40 import charge on an item bought from Japan back in September, 2025. I am confused about this charge since there was no mention of it and everything on the transaction was paid.

eastlaneave · Answer

@robspur-11 Who is the email from? It may be a valid tariff charge if it is from the shipping company. The seller doesn't add or assess the duties/tariffs. Those are added by the US Government upon arrival. Tariffs are paid by buyers , they aren't paid by sellers. Tariffs are assessed by the country where the product is received , not the sending country. There is no longer an $800 de minimis exemption on imported items. That was removed as part of this Executive Order: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/07/suspending-duty-free-de-minimis-treatment-fo... Even though SCOTUS ended IEEPA tariffs, the de minimis exemption isn't restored to $800 since President Trump signed a new Executive Order https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/02/continuing-the-suspension-of-duty-free-de-mi... And, President Trump imposed new tariffs (10%) under Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act. https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/02/imposing-a-temporary-import-surcharge-to-add... So, there are still tariffs on everything imported to USA. Buyers pay a tariff, and the brokerage to collect the tariff. DHL, UPS and Fed Ex, etc. assess brokerage fees because they prepay the tariff at the dock and collect the tariff from the end buyer. See https://pages.ebay.com/tariffs/ and https://www.ebay.com/help/buying/-/-/international-purchases-shipping?id=4057#section2 It's a bad time to buy products overseas, unfortunately Let me know who the email is from.