Tariffs for Japan

[vinvin.pzc52jhli]

Want to order a watch from Japan today Sunday April 6th 2025 I live in Texas United States. Will there be a tariff to put on my purchase? 

[mudshark61369]

@lacemaker3,

Thanks for the link, but it still doesn't give any specifics about whether or not all Items coming from a country will face the tariffs or only selected categories of items.  Not to mention if buying a Used item from another country will have their tariff applied or not.   Too bad the OP didn't say whether or not they were buying a new or used watch. 

[lacemaker3]

@mudshark61369,

I have not seen anything to suggest that tariffs would depend on the date of manufacture, just the date of import. So there's no reason to expect that an item's age or if it is new or used will matter.

There was a recent thread from someone who tried to purchase a large order of antique inventory, more or less at the last minute. The shipment (not an eBay purchase) was slightly delayed, and there was a large assessment of tariffs due on the delivery. So the tariffs were applied to antique items in that case.

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Jewelry/New-tariffs-already-hitting-antiques-NOT-excluded/m-p/35022893...

The currently available information is that tariffs will be at least 10% on most if not all imports (valued over $800, at the moment), but could be higher in some cases. Buyers will find out when they get the bill.

https://pages.ebay.com/tariffs/

Sellers are advised to make sure that the item location, and place of manufacture, for their items is specified and correct in their listings.

[pikabo-icu]

---

@lacemaker3 wrote:

The currently available information is that tariffs will be at least 10% on most if not all imports (valued over $800, at the moment), but could be higher in some cases. Buyers will find out when they get the bill.

https://pages.ebay.com/tariffs/

---

@lacemaker3   That is an EXCELLENT and very helpful link.

Thank YOU very much! 

[lacemaker3]

@vinvin.pzc52jhli, @ittybitnot, @mudshark61369, @pikabo-icu,

I have found some additional information that I think the OP and the other responders on this thread may find useful.

This is an announcement on eBay Canada that has some very good information for US buyers. This applies for shipments from any other country into the USA:

Latest US Tariff News - April 3rd

Also, a Canadian seller has confirmed that a US buyer was charged tariffs on a used item (a hockey collectible) so the tariffs are being applied by US Customs to used items as well as antique items as reported earlier.

Sellers are advised that they need to make sure the item location, and the country of manufacture, are correctly shown on the listing and on the customs forms.

Buyers (and sellers) should expect major delays in deliveries, even if the items are not subject to tariffs because of the de minimis exemptions (for items less than US$800).

[pikabo-icu]

@lacemaker3   Once again Thank YOU very much for that extremely helpful information.

It's very much appreciated. 

[reallynicestamps]

Assume there will be.

Then if there is none the day/hour/minute it passes customs, you will be happy.

If you miss the moment it is not tariffed, and are charged the 10% /25%/ 125%*, you would have been expecting it anyway.

*Because somebody can't tell the difference between China and Japan.

[reallynicestamps]

@ittybitnot 

Last time tariffs where "on again" I think Customs just refused to process the incoming.

Heh.

Here in Canada, when our duty-free allowance was $20Cdn /$14USD, any item valued under about $100 and not bulky that came in by mail was ignored by the CBSA officials.

The reason was that, unlike the politicians who set the low de minimus rate, those public servants realized that it would cost the taxpayer more to assess and collect the duty than could possibly be collected.

A CBSA official said that about 90% of small low value packages were never assessed.

Any that were assessed were given to Canada Post for collection, which was done by the carrier (or counter clerk) on delivery with a service charge of $9.95Cdn.

BUT

CBSA and Canada Post are both government organizations.

If the shipment was coming in by courier (UPS /FedEx etc) the courier would do the assessment (they have contracts with CBSA) and again collect on delivery.

But their service charges (Customs Brokerage Fee) started at $25 and went up by the value of the imported item.

Which is how one country handled the question.

The carrier collected on the doorstep.

And charged for collecting.