We regret but have to temporary suspend the shipments to USA

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Why large shippers still deliver while small exporters quit

  • Commenters note that big distributors (electronics houses, freight integrators) have in‑house customs teams, bonded US warehouses, and professional brokers; they can aggregate containers and handle Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) at high but predictable cost.
  • Small firms shipping individual parcels via postal services can’t absorb the new complexity, can’t pre‑quote duties, and face angry customers when packages sit in customs for weeks and are returned. Many therefore suspend US sales.

New rules: de minimis repeal and metal-content tariffs

  • Multiple comments distinguish two changes:
    • Repeal of the $800 de minimis exemption for commercial imports, so almost all low‑value parcels are now dutiable.
    • Section 232 tariffs on steel, aluminum and copper that apply even to finished goods, based on metal content.
  • In practice, customs or carriers are said to demand a Certificate of Analysis (CoA) stating exact metal quantities; without it, they may treat the entire product value as tariffable metal and apply a ~100% duty.
  • Others cite CBP FAQs saying CoAs are not universally required and argue that, on paper, the HTS code system should suffice, but acknowledge new guidance and last‑minute changes have made the regime opaque.

Is metal-content reporting realistic?

  • Some engineers argue PCB copper content is easy to estimate from layer count, thickness and area, and that many industries already track composition for RoHS/REACH.
  • Others counter that:
    • Sellers of assemblies don’t know internal composition of ICs, connectors, inductors, etc.
    • Customs can reject estimates and demand lab certification, enabling selective enforcement and high compliance costs that dwarf the value of small shipments.
  • Several describe the system as deliberately unworkable bureaucracy that pushes everyone into technical noncompliance.

Economic and logistical fallout

  • Postal operators in many European and Scandinavian countries, Japan, Switzerland, Norway, Australia and others have suspended US parcel shipments (except small gifts), or limited them to expensive express services.
  • Individuals report packages like homemade jam or hobby orders stuck in US customs for weeks, and fear for availability of niche lab gear, synth parts, and veterinary drugs.
  • Commenters predict higher prices, more smuggling and grey routes, and a shift of trade and innovation away from the US; some see this as “Brexit++” with the US becoming a difficult, unreliable market.

Motives, winners and polarization

  • One camp sees this as protectionism and regulatory capture: big manufacturers and retailers can comply and gain market power; small foreign vendors and US SMB importers are squeezed out.
  • Supporters argue de minimis was abused (e.g., ultra‑cheap dropshipping platforms) and say tariffs should level the field and re‑onshore manufacturing, though even they often criticize the rushed, chaotic rollout.
  • Many comments devolve into broader US political conflict—accusations of authoritarianism, corruption and “governing by chaos” versus claims that both parties have used tariffs before—highlighting deep polarization around trade policy and trust in institutions.