End of US $800 De Minimis: Two Executive Orders, One Industry Reset for China Parcels

The US Section 321 de minimis exemption — the rule that allowed parcels under $800 to enter the US duty-free — has been eliminated in two stages via presidential action in 2025.

What it means for B2B buyers. Every parcel from China — including samples, replacement parts, and small replenishment orders — now requires a formal Type 01 entry (or informal entry under $2,500 for non-commercial). Per-parcel cost components that were previously zero are now: (a) Section 301 tariff 7.5%–25% depending on HTS code; (b) IEEPA reciprocal surcharge (currently +20% on most consumer goods from China); (c) customs broker fee $5–$15 per entry; (d) merchandise processing fee (MPF) 0.3464% with min $32.71/max $634.62 per entry; (e) HMF 0.125% on ocean cargo. For a $400 sample shipment of cable organisers, total landed cost has risen from $400 (pre-EO) to roughly $540–$610 (post-EO) — a 35–52% increase.

Industry response data (Q2 2026). Per industry trackers, direct-to-consumer China-origin parcel volume into the US is down 18–25% year-on-year. Small DTC brands that previously replenished by air from Shenzhen are consolidating to FCL ocean + US 3PL warehousing. The break-even SKU landed value above which sea freight beats air has shifted upward from ~$0.80 to ~$1.50 per unit.

Action items for WanLong buyers. (1) Audit your SKU-level HTS classification — misclassification is the largest source of overpaid duty. (2) For high-velocity SKUs under $5 retail, evaluate FBA-bound FCL via Long Beach / Newark. (3) For samples, request our consolidated shipping service — multiple sample SKUs in a single Type 01 entry, broker fees amortised. (4) For Amazon FBA sellers, request our DDP FCL pricing to LAX / LGB / OAK / NYC.

What we are doing at WanLong. Our Shenzhen hub consolidates samples and small replenishment orders into weekly Type 01 entries. For DDP FBA routing, we offer transparent all-in pricing to the four principal US ports.