In a new Supply & Demand Chain Executive byline, Alison Layfield, Vice President of Product Development at ePost Global, examined the sweeping implications of the U.S. government’s decision to eliminate the de minimis exemption – a move that’s fundamentally reshaping cross-border e-commerce logistics.
Layfield detailed how the abrupt change has disrupted supply chains worldwide, with more than 30 postal operators suspending U.S. lanes and parcel volumes plummeting 81% in the first week of enforcement.
“The sudden surge in complexity is stretching government agencies and private carriers well beyond their current capacity,” she wrote, underscoring how millions of small parcels must now clear customs with full documentation and duties.
She also pointed to the lasting structural changes taking shape:
“Retailers are moving away from postal networks toward couriers for reliability and compliance, while marketplaces are stepping in as importers of record. The end of de minimis is accelerating a broader realignment in cross-border fulfillment.”
The piece calls on retailers, carriers, and logistics leaders to view compliance as a competitive advantage and to invest in systems and strategies that prepare them for a new era of regulated global trade.
