In a new Inside U.S. Trade article, ePost Global’s Vice President of Product Development, Alison Layfield, shared expert commentary on the ripple effects of the U.S. government’s decision to eliminate duty-free treatment for low-value shipments under Section 321, effective August 29.
Layfield cautioned that the fallout may extend far beyond shippers in China:
“China was the first to be impacted, yes – but they were also granted an extension, and in some cases simply shut off the U.S. lane to avoid the issue. So we didn’t feel the full impact.”
She noted that with the global end of de minimis now imminent, neither U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) nor USPS are equipped to handle the massive shift in process and volume, warning of “higher shipping costs, surprise duty fees, and packages potentially being returned before they even clear customs.”
Additionally, Layfield flagged concerns around vendor capacity and financial liability under the new system:
“If a package comes in and no duties are paid, who’s on the hook? CBP made it clear that discrepancies will fall on the original payee. That’s why airlines are backing out — they don’t want to be financially responsible for a system they can’t control.”
She cited that Lufthansa and Swiss Cargo have already announced a pause on inbound U.S. mail, while many others – including dozens of foreign postal systems – are scrambling to comply.
