De minimis trade loophole that boosted Chinese online retailers to end May 2



President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order shutting the de minimis trade loophole, effective May 2.

Trump in February abruptly ended the de minimis trade exemption, which allows shipments worth less than $800 to enter the U.S. duty-free. The order overwhelmed U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees and caused the U.S. Postal Service to temporarily halt packages from China and Hong Kong. Within days of its announcement, Trump reversed course and delayed the cancellation of the provision.

Wednesday’s announcement, which came alongside a set of sweeping new tariffs, gives customs officials, retailers and logistics companies more time to prepare. Goods that qualify under the de minimis exemption will be subject to a duty of either 30% of their value, or $25 per item. That rate will increase to $50 per item on June 1, the White House said.

Use of the de minimis provision has exploded in recent years as shoppers flock to Chinese e-commerce companies Temu and Shein, which offer ultra-low-cost apparel, electronics and other items. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has said it processed more than 1.3 billion de minimis shipments in 2024, up from over 1 billion shipments in 2023.

Critics of the provision say it provides an unfair advantage to Chinese e-commerce companies and creates an influx of packages that are “subject to minimal documentation and inspection,” raising concerns around counterfeit and unsafe goods.

The Trump administration has sought to close the loophole over concerns that it facilitates shipments of fentanyl and other illicit substances on the claims that the packages are less likely to be inspected by customs agents.

Temu and Shein have taken steps to grow their operations in the U.S. as the de minimis loophole has come under greater scrutiny. After onboarding sellers with inventory in U.S. warehouses, Temu recently began steering shoppers to those items on its website, allowing it to speed up deliveries. Shein opened distribution centers in states including Illinois and California in 2022, and a supply chain hub in Seattle last year.



Source link

  • Related Posts

    One more charge of sex trafficking and one more of prostitution filed against Sean Combs

    Federal prosecutors in New York have added two charges of sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution to their indictment against Sean “Diddy” Combs. The new charges are part…

    U.S. Employers Added 228,000 Jobs in March, but Outlook Is Clouded

    U.S. employers accelerated hiring in March, a surprising show of strength that analysts warned might be the high-water mark for the labor market as the Trump administration’s economic policies began…

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    You Missed

    Chase Ultimate Rewards: How you can earn, redeem and transfer reward points

    Chase Ultimate Rewards: How you can earn, redeem and transfer reward points

    One more charge of sex trafficking and one more of prostitution filed against Sean Combs

    One more charge of sex trafficking and one more of prostitution filed against Sean Combs

    U.S. Employers Added 228,000 Jobs in March, but Outlook Is Clouded

    U.S. Employers Added 228,000 Jobs in March, but Outlook Is Clouded

    Oshawa, Ont., man charged after allegedly stealing, leaking Texas Republican Party data

    Oshawa, Ont., man charged after allegedly stealing, leaking Texas Republican Party data

    Protester interrupts Microsoft Copilot keynote, says company has ‘blood on its hands’

    Protester interrupts Microsoft Copilot keynote, says company has ‘blood on its hands’

    Odds, props to bet Alex Ovechkin’s goal record chase

    Odds, props to bet Alex Ovechkin’s goal record chase