Tariff Chaos Leaves UPS Customers Frustrated as Small Imports Face New Barriers
- Rahaman Hadisur
- 22 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Hadisur Rahman, JadeTimes Staff
H. Rahman is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Business
When Huntsville resident James DeThomas ordered a dozen bottles of red wine in August, he expected a routine delivery. Instead, his shipment got tangled in a web of new trade regulations and never arrived. After UPS refused to deliver the order, citing recent tariff changes, DeThomas received a replacement shipment from the vineyard and a $13 bill from UPS for “abandoning” the first one.
He’s not alone. Since the Biden Administration ended the “de minimis” loophole in August a policy that once exempted imports under $800 from tariffs everyday consumers have been caught in customs chaos. Packages that used to breeze through entry points are now stuck for days or even weeks as customers scramble to supply detailed import data.
UPS has admitted that some shipments have been delayed or disposed of due to customs issues. “More than 90% of all imported packages clear customs on the first day,” a UPS spokesperson said, though frustrated customers say the rest face confusing and costly holdups.
Unexpected bills and abandoned packages are becoming the new normal. Alabama-based reseller Katie Golden said she was shocked when a $179 used-clothing order from the UK turned into a $769 customs bill. “It shouldn’t be this hard to order a package,” she said.
Experts warn that the fallout could deepen during the upcoming holiday shopping season. “If customers are confused, it’s going to affect their brand,” said Tom Strohl, president of consulting firm Oliver Wight Americas.
For many Americans, what was once a click-and-deliver experience now feels like navigating international trade law one delayed parcel at a time.
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