DHL Suspends U.S. Deliveries Due to Trump’s Tariffs

President Trump’s tariff plan continues to wreak havoc on online shopping. On Friday, German postal service DHL announced in a press release that it plans to pause some deliveries to the United States due to an executive order suspending the de minimis tax-exemption rule (which allows low-value goods to enter a country duty-free). It will take effect on August 29. Packages marked as gifts and valued at under $100 will be the only exception to the new restrictions.

“The reason for these anticipated temporary restrictions is new processes required by U.S. authorities for postal shipping, which differ from the previously applicable regulations,” DHL said in the release. “Key questions remain unresolved, particularly regarding how and by whom customs duties will be collected in the future, what additional data will be required, and how the data transmission to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection will be carried out.”

British postal service Royal Mail is also suspending deliveries (aside from cards and letters) to the United States, but in a statement to BBC, the company said it hopes to find a quick solution. “We have been working hard with US authorities and international partners to adapt our services to meet the new US de minimis requirements so UK consumers and businesses can continue to use our services when they come into effect,” Royal Mail said.

European companies are not the only ones making adjustments — postal services in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, India, South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore have also suspended some or all deliveries to the U.S.

Beloved K-beauty brand Olive Young, which is based in South Korea, recently notified customers via email that a 15 percent duty will be added to the total product amount at checkout to account for “changes in U.S. customs regulations.”

An email sent to Olive Young customers in response to “changes in U.S. customs regulations.”

This latest executive order means even more uncertainty for the retail industry, which has been in flux for months amid Trump’s unpredictability and ever-evolving tariff plan. Earlier this year, ultracheap Chinese e-commerce giant Temu started listing “import charges” as high as 145 percent during the final payment steps, according to CNBC. Shein also adjusted its prices back in April but has not yet responded to the latest change in U.S. customs regulations. We will keep our eye on this and update.