USPS Temporary $80 Per Package Fee

[louiserb2]

While International delivery of packages to the USA have pretty much come to a standstill this week August 25th in part caused by the US Administrations rolling out of new import tariffs on August 29th, I'm surprised eBay hasn't posted any warnings to buyers about the USPS temporary $80 fees - to be implemented because USPS say they don't have the means to actually handle these new import conditions.

The wording on USPS and Government websites is a little ambiguous, though in essence USPS, to provide some form of tariff payment to the Government and cover their costs doing so, will, between September and February 2026 charge customers a flat rate of $80 per package delivered from any International Postal Service irrespective of the package value until the tariff that would be charged is more than $80.  So from Europe, if the package is valued at less than $525, you will get charged a flat fee of $80, anything valued higher you pay the 15% tariff.

So you go buy something for $150, you get charged $80.... that's not 15%, that's a tariff of 53%.  USPS doesn't mention exemptions or exceptions, so will they apply this to everything they handle? Who knows, but for a business that makes several billions in losses annually, I suspect there's some folks at the top rubbing their hands together.

[ebooksdiva]

Please post a link to this information you post about because I think you misread something. 
It isn’t USPS charging the fee it would be US customs charging the fee

[12345jamesstamps]

My seller in Macao stated it is $100. per package to be sent to me to the USA.

And I only buy stamp lots from this seller.

So there will be different rates per countries.

This seller is actually in a college in Macao from the return addresses so I kinda would think they know what they are talking about.

I think a lot of sellers and buyers will be surprised as to their situations of sales.

[12345jamesstamps]

This is my favorite seller who I cannot bid on their stamp auctions now because of the tariffs.

Thought I would throw this out for buyers to be carful what they purchase outside the USA.

Not all sellers are going to tell you what to expect.

[ebooksdiva]

I get that…. but….,it is US customs not USPS as the OP states that is imposing fees for international packages to the US.

[estate_echoes · Accepted solution]

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@ebooksdiva wrote:

I get that…. but….,it is US customs not USPS as the OP states that is imposing fees for international packages to the US.

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Kind of seems like they understand that:

"to provide some form of tariff payment to the Government"

But yeah worded a bit funky. Its not USPS specific.

Insane that they would consider leaving it like this for 6 months... especially during the Holiday season.

I think we all know what is for dinner tomorrow.

Factsheet Suspension of Duty-Free De Minimis Treatment

[louiserb2]

Correct, I will see if I can edit my orig post, thanks for pointing out my error.

[lacemaker3]

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@ebooksdiva wrote:

Please post a link to this information you post about because I think you misread something. 
It isn’t USPS charging the fee it would be US customs charging the fee

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@ebooksdiva, I agree. 

@louiserb2, please share the link where you read this? I searched on USPS.com, but I couldn't find it.

According to the wording of the executive order 14324, the carrier sending the package to the US is required to pay the tariff to the US customs office. So the fee would not be collected by USPS, as customs fees used to be (when they weren't waived).

Most post offices are not accepting packages to the US now, because they have to figure out how to do this and register for brokerage accounts to make the payments to US customs.

I think that most small businesses and sellers will probably stop selling to the US until there is a way to charge the buyers this fee up-front.

[louiserb2]

In error, I wrote that this fee was instigated by USPS, it is not, it is the current Administration imposing this, it's only applicable to USPS was what I wanted to get across.  It does push one to question how they are getting away with this since the tariff should only be 15% for any value.

View Sec 3 on the webpage Whitehouse.gov 

Sec. 3.  Duty Rates for International Postal Shipments.  (a)  Transportation carriers delivering shipments to the United States through the international postal network, or other parties if qualified in lieu of such transportation carriers, must collect and remit duties to CBP using the methodology described in either subsection (b) or (c) of this section.  Each transportation carrier shall apply the same methodology across all covered shipments during any given period but may change its methodology no more than once per calendar month, or on another schedule determined to be appropriate by CBP, upon providing at least 24 hours’ notice to CBP.

(b)  A duty equal to the effective IEEPA tariff rate applicable to the country of origin of the product shall be assessed on the value of each dutiable postal item (package) containing goods entered for consumption.

(c)  A specific duty shall be assessed on each package containing goods entered for consumption, based on the effective IEEPA tariff rate applicable to the country of origin of the product as follows:

(i)    Countries with an effective IEEPA tariff rate of less than 16 percent:  $80 per item;

(ii)   Countries with an effective IEEPA tariff rate between 16 and 25 percent (inclusive):  $160 per item; and

(iii)  Countries with an effective IEEPA rate above 25 percent:  $200 per item.

[lacemaker3]

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@estate_echoes wrote:

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@ebooksdiva wrote:

I get that…. but….,it is US customs not USPS as the OP states that is imposing fees for international packages to the US.

---

Kind of seems like they understand that:

"to provide some form of tariff payment to the Government"

But yeah worded a bit funky. Its not USPS specific.

Insane that they would consider leaving it like this for 6 months... especially during the Holiday season.

I think we all know what is for dinner tomorrow.

Factsheet Suspension of Duty-Free De Minimis Treatment

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To expand on the Specific duty option for postal shipments, the fee is determined based on the IEEPA tariff rate applicable for the item's country of origin:

https://govwhitepapers.com/whitepapers/executive-order-14324-suspending-duty-free-de-minimis-treatment-for-all-countries

Early indications are that Canada Post is going with the "Qualified parties" option (3rd bullet point, Postal Shipments). So they are proposing to make the senders create their own accounts to pay the duties.

https://community.ebay.ca/t5/Seller-Central/Canada-Post-Announcement/m-p/526380#M165684

[estate_echoes]

From what I understand, international carriers have a choice of using the tariff rate or the flat fee. The flat fee being a temporary option because it is easier to implement while they figure out how to assess the tariff percentage. 

So if tacos are not for dinner tomorrow... then you will see countries using the flat rate for a while... maybe some have already figured out how to handle all the assessments... and over time they will all adopt the tariff rate... in 6 months time

[estate_echoes]

@lacemaker3 Is canadapost using the flat fee or the percentage?

[lacemaker3]

If you check the link, it looks like the message from Canada Post didn't say. Someone shared the message they received from CP on eBay Canada community.

It appears that CP hasn't made an announcement on the internet, they have been sending emails to their business clients. 

[healthhelpers]

Did I just read "$80 per ITEM"?  So, if I purchase 3 hand blown Italian made marbles directly from Luigi , I may have to pay a buck two ninety-eight for the set of 3, plus  $240 in tariffs?

That, or ask Luigi to break 34 laws and ship marked as a gift? Goodbye hobby. 

[louiserb2]

"

According to the wording of the executive order 14324, the carrier sending the package to the US is required to pay the tariff to the US customs office. So the fee would not be collected by USPS, as customs fees used to be (when they weren't waived)."

That is not correct, the buyer will be given notice by USPS that there is a package to pickup. The buyer will have to go to the USPS Office and pay any fees/tariffs over the counter to get the package.  This is similar to  what happens when there are fees/tariffs to pay on a DHL or UPS package.... you get an email with an invoice to pay up - happens to me frequently. 

Here's link to the Customs & Border Protection page that clearly defines who is responsible for paying tariffs, its the buyer, nobody else. https://www.cbp.gov/trade/basic-import-export/internet-purchases 

All that nonsense Trump prattles on about it's the Country exporting who is paying the tariff is a big lie.