US consumers may already face higher shipping costs from China as President Donald Trump’s new tariff policy took effect on Tuesday.
Additional charges appearing on shipments
The tariffs are getting collected
— Clint Reid (@clintverse) February 5, 2025
I just paid for this import
Americans are finally going to understand what I do for a living after they pay a $17 fee to DHL for plus duty just to get a order from China. pic.twitter.com/YDekT5aT0x
Clint Reid, the CEO and founder of a company specialising in cross-border commerce software, recently shared screenshots on X revealing extra fees added to a shipment from DHL. Another screenshot shows DHL requesting an import duty on a package from Hololive. Similar complaints have surfaced on Reddit, where users in a retro gaming handheld emulator community reported additional charges. One user shared an email from Keepretro asking if they would pay an extra US$8 due to the new tariffs, while another user reported a US$6 charge.
I’m In this SHEIN fb group and dhl is now asking for import duty payments lmfaoo. If not paid within 5 days, they sending your package back to sender 🥴
— Trophi Don 🏆 (@Trophidanna) February 5, 2025
Adding to concerns, another X user claimed that DHL would return an order to the sender if import duties were not paid within five days. Neither DHL nor Keepretro has responded to requests for comment regarding these reports.
Policy changes lead to immediate price increases
Over the weekend, the Trump administration imposed a 10% tariff on Chinese imports and closed the de minimis exception. This exception had previously allowed packages valued under US$800 to enter the US duty-free. The change has led to additional charges for various shipments from China.
The policy’s impact was also felt in mail services. The US Postal Service (USPS) temporarily suspended inbound package shipments from China and Hong Kong but later reversed the decision. USPS stated that it is working closely with Customs and Border Protection to implement a smooth collection process for the new tariffs while minimising disruptions to deliveries.
Potential impact on tech companies and consumers
Major tech companies have yet to respond publicly to the tariff changes. However, since many rely on manufacturing and imports from China, they may pass on the extra costs to consumers or require buyers to cover duty fees.
Meanwhile, China has stepped up regulatory pressure on US businesses. The country has already launched an antitrust investigation against Google, maintains an ongoing probe into Nvidia, and is reportedly considering a similar move against Intel.
Trump has also ordered tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada, but those measures have been temporarily delayed for a month.
