Buh bye, de minimis!

[tridacna]

Actually, per all news sources I read, the prez and private donors are “paying” for it.

The pres never gets anything for “free”.

 

[grumpycat]

The small package companies like FedEx, etc have a somewhat different scheme for individuals and small/medium sized businesses receiving packages. Unlike with freight forwarding, the fee charged to the receiver is variable and somewhat dependent on the duties paid, the volume of shipments grouped with that shipment, and your account size/value. They're not real transparent about how they calculate it and it is definitely not fixed.

Higher volume customers have a more favorable fee schedule similar to what you are getting from freight forwarders.

I suspect for most people on scuba board, we'll be at the mercy of whatever FedEx, DHL, etc feels like charging on a given day and won't be eligible for more favorable, predictable fees.

But regardless, just want to raise awareness that such fees exist and (as you pointed out) are separate from the customs duties.

 

[Marie13]

It never made sense to me that you could have some item worth less than $800 shipped directly to you from overseas and pay no duty, but the same item that arrived in a shipping container with hundreds like it has some amount baked into its retail price. It was a loophole. Good riddance.

De minimis was originally something like $200. It was originally implemented sometime in the 1930s, I think, to allow for international travelers to bring stuff back duty free. It was eventually raised to $800. Then along comes ecommerce.

 

[RIHappyDiver]

De minimis was originally something like $200. It was originally implemented sometime in the 1930s, I think, to allow for international travelers to bring stuff back duty free. It was eventually raised to $800. Then along comes ecommerce.

$1 in 1938, raised to $5 in 1978, $200 in 1993, then $800 in 2015. Again, the $800 was in order to match duty free rates set for US citizens returning to the states from overseas. And, yes, then along comes ecommerce.

Erik