Popular e-commerce companies, including giants Shein and Temu, use the so-called “de minimis” exemption to ship tens of millions of packages — everything from end tables and lamps to shoes and underwear — to U.S. consumers every year.
So long as each individual package is worth $800 or less, they aren’t required to pay import fees or go through typical customs inspections. But under an executive order signed by Trump Wednesday, that loophole will close on May 2.
These lower-value shipments will now face a tariff of 30% of the “value of the postal item containing goods for merchandise” with a minimum fee that will eventually rise to $50.
There goes AliExpress’ business model …
I’m not sure the “sample” option is available anymore. That’s quit working for me to get stuff here for me to actually send to the lab for destructive testing lately.
It’s still there as of 05.05.2023, in the “negligible value”, “non-commercial”, and “for trade promotion” categories:
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=legissum:l11002
VAT is only applied to goods sold to customers, but for e-commerce “marketplaces and platforms” they replaced the exclusion of “under 22€” with a “simplified declaration under 150€”:
https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/customs-4/customs-procedures-import-and-export/customs-procedures/customs-formalities-low-value-consignments_en
Selling on AliExpress and declaring stuff as gift/sample, is a gamble, that’s why AliExpress set up the bulk import to local distribution centers. You should still be able to get samples… but only directly from a manufacturer.
I wonder if it’s an internal company change then. I had just assumed the trade compliance department was forwarding on the request for information questions to me and then passing back my answers.
Edit: I just realized, I’m US and your referring to Europe, so there might still be differences.