By Genna Contino
Some sellers are passing on costs to consumers - here's what to look for
Some international sellers are still passing on tariff costs directly to consumers at the time of delivery.
After an online shopping spree, most consumers expect only one thing when a package arrives: the item they ordered. A separate customs bill, tacked on days or even weeks after the initial purchase, can turn that anticipation into an unwelcome surprise fee.
More shoppers are likely to encounter that scenario this holiday season - the first without the de minimis tax exemption, a nearly century-old rule that allowed low-value goods to enter the U.S. tariff-free.
The end of the exemption means imports that cost less than $800 are now subject to customs charges, effectively turning every shipment into a formal import event. Shoppers are likely to be caught off guard by this, because &#34;the U.S. consumer is not really used to the concept of paying duties, taxes, tariffs and fees,&#34; said Rathna Sharad, CEO of global e-commerce logistics company FlavorCloud.
Surprise bills are, of course, never welcome, but this year shoppers may be extra sensitive to them. Consumers spent a record amount over the Black Friday-to-Cyber Monday start to the holiday shopping season, but many were on the hunt for deals and discounts, and some turned to buy-now-pay-later and even shopping at secondhand stores to ease the financial shock of holiday shopping. More than two-thirds of holiday shoppers said that inflation is impacting their spending this year, including 61% of high-income households, according to a September survey by MorningConsult.
Read more: Relentless financial pressure has Black Friday shoppers of all incomes even more hungry for deals than usual today
Most large retailers have adjusted to new import rules by folding tariffs and import costs into a product's upfront price. But consumers buying from smaller overseas merchants or wholesalers may still face unexpected customs charges after checkout. Logistics and trade experts say those surprise bills aren't inevitable - if shoppers know what warning signs to look for before clicking &#34;buy.&#34;
'A $150 product held at U.S. customs can accumulate $50 to $150 in non-tariff charges'
Since the de minimis tax exemption was suspended in late August, many retailers have improved their technology to calculate costs upfront to ensure duties, taxes and tariffs are either included in the product price or listed explicitly as a line item. This is why China-founded e-commerce giants Shein and Temu raised prices in April.
From the archives (April 2025): Chinese e-commerce sites Temu and Shein say they'll raise prices due to tariffs
Because most major merchants have adapted, it's not super common to receive a customs bill when ordering from major retailers - but it's still possible, and the charges can be substantial.
No single, publicly available data source tracks how many merchants cover the cost of tariffs on the back end versus passing them directly to customers in the form of an additional bill, but data from one of the few companies that automate this process offers a clue. At FlavorCloud, which works with more than 300 carriers and 800 brands that ship globally, the majority of their companies have upgraded their technology to incorporate all tariff costs into the purchase price, but 20% of their companies pass the customs burden on to their customers. This can result in hefty fees.
&#34;A $150 product held at U.S. customs can accumulate $50 to $150 in non-tariff charges, including brokerage fees, storage costs, clearance processing and refusal handling,&#34; said Arjan Singh, a corporate strategist and author of &#34;Competitive Success: Building Strategies with Corporate War Games.&#34; &#34;In some cases, these charges exceed the product's retail value.&#34;
Read more: How to tariff-proof your holiday shopping list
In some cases, you can't even get a refund if you weren't expecting these fees. For example, China based e-reader company Boox's website says &#34;Customers must be responsible for customs and tariffs. Refund requests for this reason will be rejected. Customers will be charged administration fee if refuse to pay customs and tariffs.&#34;
So if you order a $400 e-reader from Boox's Hong Kong warehouse, you could pay an additional $180 to account for the approximately 40% tariff rate that's tacked onto many Chinese imports, plus any holding charges from customs.
How to avoid a customs bill at the time of delivery
Read the fine print
If you bought something from a retailer based overseas and the checkout page doesn't mention taxes, tariffs or duties when shopping online - assume you might be on the hook for a customs bill later.
Singh, who is also a professor at Southern Methodist University's Cox School of Business, recommends looking at the price breakdown, checking who the carrier is and carefully reviewing  any language that indicates who bears the responsibility for customs fees.
Read more: Doing your holiday shopping with a credit card? Use these 6 tips to preserve your credit score - and your sanity.
For example, Aliexpress's transaction services agreement says &#34;the buyer shall be the importer on record for customs and taxation purposes, unless otherwise agreed upon between the buyer and seller.&#34; Aliexpress is the consumer-facing version of Alibaba (HK:9988), a Chinese wholesale e-commerce giant.
But this doesn't mean you'll have to pay extra shipping charges on everything you buy. Look for &#34;import charges included&#34; underneath the purchase price to ensure you don't get stuck with an extra bill.
Check the FAQ page
If you don't see anything about duties or tariffs listed with the item or on the checkout page, check the site's FAQ page. For instance, Asos (UK:ASC) customers based in the U.S. can shop with some peace of mind because the fast-fashion retailer's FAQ site says &#34;For any orders that arrived in the U.S. on or after Aug. 28, 2025, U.S. customers won't be charged any additional customs charges, duties, or tariffs.&#34;
Watch out for shipping scams
Be skeptical about text messages informing you about packages coming in from the United States Postal Service, FedEx (FDX) or DHL - the Federal Trade Commission warns that the text could likely be a scam.
If you think the text could be related to a real delivery, don't click any provided links. Instead, check directly with the online retail site you ordered from to look up the shipping and tracking information for your package.
Use a credit card instead of a debit card
For some extra protection, make your online purchases with a credit card instead of a debit card. Credit cards offer the right to dispute fraudulent charges without risking the immediate depletion of funds directly from your checking account.
&#34;Use a credit card whenever possible, just because that is the gold standard in terms of fraud resolution and protection. Basically, it's the bank's money up until you pay them back. It's not your own,&#34; said Bankrate senior industry analyst Ted Rossman. &#34;If it's your debit card, it's hard to get the toothpaste back in the tube.&#34;
-Genna Contino
This content was created by MarketWatch, which is operated by Dow Jones &amp; Co. MarketWatch is published independently from Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
12-10-25 0630ET

<p>The removal of the de minimis tax exemption means imports under $800 now incur customs charges, surprising holiday shoppers. Large retailers have adapted by including tariffs in prices, but smaller merchants may still pass costs to consumers. Shoppers should check for hidden fees before purchasing from overseas sellers to avoid unexpected bills.</p>

- Some international sellers are passing on tariff costs to consumers, leading to unexpected customs bills during the holiday shopping season.  
- The end of the de minimis tax exemption means that imports under $800 are now subject to customs charges, which can surprise shoppers unaccustomed to paying duties.  
- While major retailers have adapted by including tariffs in product prices, smaller merchants may still impose additional fees, prompting consumers to be vigilant about potential customs charges.

How to avoid surprise tariff bills while holiday shopping