Online shopping faces the heat after the ‘de minimis’ rollback

Online shopping is facing the heat after the ‘de minimis’ rollback, as it increases costs for online shoppers and potentially delays package deliveries. The Trump administration has reversed a tariff loophole that allowed goods valued at less than $800 to enter the United States duty-free, resulting in increased costs for online shoppers and potential delays in package deliveries. Carriers will now face a flat fee or the US tariff rate based on their country, and products will undergo inspections by border agents. National postal services from at least 30 countries, including India, Mexico, Japan, Thailand, and nearly every European nation, have temporarily suspended sending packages to the US due to uncertainty in handling the rollback of the de minimis exemption. Several small businesses that rely on this exemption for low-cost goods have expressed concerns about having to raise prices, as per a report.