Resumption of PO shipping to USA

[sam2019]

Although shipping has resumed it is with a caveat:

There will be a charge of 50% on top the the stated value of the item shipped.

The No. DA-40/2/2025-DA-DOP Government of India Ministry of Communications Department of Posts is a little vague about how these 50% are paid, either by us when shipping or by you when receiving. I will find out on Monday what the situation is.

It is impossible to completely avoid additional costs for our customers BUT I will reduce the official price on the CN22 customs form by 50% to get to effectively 25% additional costs over the original price. Lower values would likely not be accepted by customs (I mean these guys are not stupid).

This will continue until the supreme court has come to a final verdict re: Trumps tariffs - after which the added customs fees will likely be terminated - always assuming the tariffs will be found to be illegal.

For now it seems although orders can resume you may have to shell out 25% in customs charges - more on Monday!

(attached: the original Postal announcement)

 

[sam2019]

Tax and Duty Details​

Under the updated US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) rules, effective August 29, 2025, all postal shipments from India to the USA (regardless of value) are subject to import duties under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) tariff framework. This is a targeted 50% tariff on goods from India, influenced by broader US trade policies (e.g., a base 25% tariff plus an additional 25% penalty related to India's trade practices).
Key points on duties and taxes:

• Duty Rate: A flat 50% customs duty on the declared Free on Board (FOB) value of the shipment. FOB value is the cost of the goods excluding shipping and insurance.
  • Example Calculation: For a parcel with an FOB value of USD 200, the duty would be USD 100 (50% of 200). The recipient does not pay this upfront—it's collected in India.
• Exemptions:
  • Gift items up to USD 100 in value remain duty-free.
  • Letters and documents are generally exempt from duties (as they have no commercial value).
• No Additional Duties: Unlike commercial courier shipments, postal items from India via India Post are not subject to product-specific tariffs, base duties, or other add-ons under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS). This makes it more cost-effective for small exporters, MSMEs, artisans, and e-commerce sellers.
• Payment Process (DDP System): Duties are collected upfront in India at the time of booking and remitted directly to US authorities via CBP-approved "Qualified Parties" (e.g., partners like Yakit). This ensures compliance, avoids delays at US ports, and means no extra charges or surprises for the US recipient.

 

[sam2019]

OK, so this very much complicates the situation. Items that are costing below 200 Euros I can ship as under 100 US$ value - so I do not pay anything and neither do you. For all other items above this value I will have to find a way of letting you pay the duty outside of our web shop portal because I do not know of a way to raise prices for USA only. I will figure something out and will let you know here very soon.