Risks and possibilities of new US tariffs

The morning newsfeed feels like a roller coaster: tariffs introduced! No, canceled! No, tripled! No, postponed! The postponement got postponed! Reintroduced again!
It’s exhausting, frustrating, and nerve-wracking — especially for those of us who sell primarily to the U.S. market, which means 90% of Etsy sellers.

Let’s talk about risks. What might await us in the near future?

• The duty-free threshold for postal shipments may be lowered: currently it’s $800, but soon it might be reduced to zero — meaning any package, regardless of declared value, would require payment upon arrival.
• Product origin will be more strictly verified, and how you declare your shipments will become critically important. (You may already notice this trend: customs increasingly require details about the country of manufacture, not just where the package is sent from.) Shipping documentation is becoming more complex.
• Clearance processes may become mandatory upon arrival — especially for express shipments — and the burden of paperwork will likely fall on the recipient. We’re already seeing isolated cases of this, and the trend may expand further.

What can we do right now?

• First, we strongly recommend sending non-personalized items to a U.S. warehouse while the new tariff implementation is delayed. The postal service is still working out how to assess and collect duties, so there’s still time to ship under the old rules. Reminder: direct shipments are limited to a declared value of $800, but consolidated shipments to our warehouse are not.
• If you’re shipping from China, it might already be too late — we don’t yet know how such shipments will be handled from today onward, but most likely, they’ll require customs clearance upon arrival in the U.S. If you need help receiving such shipments, contact our support — we can assist with the customs process.
• Consider U.S.-based production as an alternative. It could save you both time and shipping costs. Reminder: our warehouse offers access to woodworking and metalworking tools, engraving, and embossing equipment. We can work with your blanks (leather, glass, metal) or supply materials ourselves (wood, acrylic, metal). We offer product painting, packaging, and shipping. You can even order custom-cut branded boxes — meaning the entire cycle of production and delivery can take place within the U.S., immune to changes in customs or postal rules. Plus, you’ll benefit from faster delivery and full personalization.
• If you’re shipping from Ukraine, we recommend using Seller Online. When extra documents are needed, the postal carriers contact us directly, and we can solve the issue fast. When a private individual is listed as sender, the carriers often don’t inform them at all, or do so too late — resulting in returns or destruction of the parcel.

The whole world is entering a turbulent phase. It’s vital to stay flexible and clear-headed to get through this time. We believe that with our help, every seller can preserve and grow their business — and we will do everything in our power to support you!