USPS Stops Accepting Inbound Parcels From China Amidst Tariffs & De Minimis Dust Up

The US Postal Services has announced a temporary suspension of acceptance of inbound parcels from China and Hong Kong Posts as President Trump implements tariffs and ends de minimis eligibility for “most products of China.”

The notice was posted under international service disruptions and an industry alert on Postal Pro News:

INTERNATIONAL SERVICE SUSPENSION NOTICE
Effective February 4, 2025, the Postal Service will temporarily suspend only international package acceptance of inbound parcels from China and Hong Kong Postsuntil further notice.

Note the flow of letters and flats from China and Hong Kong will not be impacted.

The updates come as shippers and ecommerce sellers struggled to keep up with rapidly changing news over the weekend, with tariffs originally put in place against Canada and Mexico quickly being postponed for 30 days.

Experts told Supply Chain Dive that many shippers will have to make big changes as a result of Trump’s executive orders, with China being a key manufacturing hub for products usually eligible for de minimis, and Canada and Mexico being home to many warehouses providing cross-border fulfillment into the US.

De minimis shipping from China axed under Trump tariffs

The provision for low-cost goods is also at risk of being nixed for Canada and Mexico imports next month.

Supply Chain DiveMax Garland

To limit the financial strain of tariffs, brands will pass added duties onto consumers while finding other countries to produce and fulfill orders from, said Matthew Hertz, co-founder of Second Marathon Consulting, which helps e-commerce brands find fulfillment providers. Companies may have to begin exploring production and warehousing options in the U.S., he added.

“Brands have had a ‘free ride’ for many years, and it appears that ride is quickly coming to a halt,” Hertz said. “This was a possibility that many brands believed would one day become a reality, but until that day came, they were comfortable with the constant headache, and risks, in the face of significant margin improvement.”

The situation is still in a state of flux, but ShipHero founder and CEO Aaron Rubin has been doing a great job of explaining what's going on and keeping users up to do on X.

Stay tuned for updates in this developing story!