European postal services pause shipments to US over tariff confusion

[SENC]

Follow-up on my previous post.  DHL finally got it figured out and seem to have calculated the duty fees more accurately.  But they also added a $17 fee of their own.  After inquiring further about this, DHL is charging 2%, or $17 minimum, for any duties they pay then collect from recipients.  Seems they're going to turn it into a bonus profit center.  I can't fully blame them, but will opt for other shippers until I find they're all doing the same.

[KnifeySpoony]

I'm optimistic for all you guys, but just a reminder that I didn't get my tariff charges until about a month after i received my items from caterham.

[wdb]

I am in the midst of transit of another package from the UK. This one was purchased from a business and is coming in via UPS. The item cost 582.50 GBP, about $933 at the time of purchase. Last week I received an email from UPS telling me that the item has incurred "import fees" to the tune of $1725.60 (!!!) of which a whopping $33.60 is brokerage fee. They will not deliver the package unless the fees are paid. I can pay online, or in some cases the delivery person can accept payments, but that incurs yet another fee.

 

Needless to say I have requested an adjustment. I sent along a copy of the invoice so hopefully sanity will prevail. I'll update the thread as matters move forward. 

[wdb]

Reply to my own post. I spoke with a human associated with UPS, after waiting only an hour on hold. He told me that the item was categorized with HS code 9903.85.68, which according to him describes the part as being made of aluminum and therefore subject to a tariff of 200% of its value. It's not aluminum, it's plastic, so I have begun the dispute process -- again, to yet another different email address.

 

Then I looked up the HS Code. Beware Russian aluminum...

 

Derivative aluminum articles that are products of Russia, or where any amount of primary aluminum used in the manufacture of the derivative articles is smelted in Russia, or where the derivative aluminum articles are cast in Russia, when such derivative articles are provided for in the headings or subheadings enumerated in note 19(a)(iii) to this subchapter, or notes 19(i), 19(j) or 19(k) to this subchapter, as applicable per the date of entry for consumption or withdrawal from warehouse for consumption, except any exclusions that may be determined and announced by the Department of Commerce

 

[Xhilr8n]

Thanks for keeping us informed.

[slowdude]

ordered an AIT sensor from UK. 35$ and $40 in tariffs. woooooooooo

[wdb]

The shipper is trying to tell me that the HS codes have changed. I'm thinking that is unlikely but maybe someone here knows? In the meantime I have watched my package arrive but was unable to keep it without paying the fees. Sigh.

[Xhilr8n]

2 hours ago, wdb said:

The shipper is trying to tell me that the HS codes have changed. I'm thinking that is unlikely but maybe someone here knows? In the meantime I have watched my package arrive but was unable to keep it without paying the fees. Sigh.

I know it hurt but gotta support your call.  Hopefully this is all a bump in our road and not a wash out of a bridge.

[SENC]

19 hours ago, wdb said:

The shipper is trying to tell me that the HS codes have changed. I'm thinking that is unlikely but maybe someone here knows? In the meantime I have watched my package arrive but was unable to keep it without paying the fees. Sigh.

Have you talked with the vendor to see how they completed the customs document for the shipper.  Could have been an error at the vendor... or, as in my recent case, could be that the shipper didn't input data from the submitted customs document correctly.  Either way, the vendor is likely the most capable (and interested) in helping resolve.

[Xhilr8n]

I knew it was coming but I just received my tariff bill for a custom car part I had made in England.  A half top from Softbits.  It is about 25% of what I paid to have the part made.  It took over four months to have this very custom piece produced.

No we can’t make them here.

If I were putting the car together to sell this just cuts into any profit there might be.

Make what you will of this but it sure puts a dent in this hobby and business.  Special note the UPS Brokerage and Partner Government Agency.  The cost of figuring out my cost.

What if it needs to be returned and replaced?  Pay the fee another time?

Are we Great Again yet?

 

 

Edited November 7, 2025 by Xhilr8n

[Vovchandr]

Jesus. Don't recall what my top from softbits cost but I can't add another 25% to it

Edited November 7, 2025 by Vovchandr

[Xhilr8n]

I thought it might be fraud at first but it checks out.

[wdb]

I ended up refusing shipment of the item I ordered, due to not being able to sort out the incorrect tariff levies. At this point in time I have not heard back from UPS on my dispute submission. I also have no idea whether they "returned to sender" or whether the poor plastic thingie is sitting forlornly on some shelf 10 miles away from my house. Until I have some closure on that, I'm out the cost of the part + shipping.

 

"Debacle" is the word that comes to mind.

[JohnCh]

This was a valuable thread until people started throwing politics and snarky comments into the mix. I have split the thread, placing those posts where they belong: in the Politics, Religion, and Controversy forum. If you want to continue that discussion, great; do so there. Not here. Anyone who can't follow those simple instructions, which still allow for free speech, and give you the ability to embarrass yourself, will lose posting privileges for 30 days. 

 

 

[Xhilr8n]

I appreciate what you’re trying to do, we all need some islands free of the Team Red-Team Blue ferver.

 

So for me, it will be “Just the facts mamn” in this thread.  If any more actual real life data shows up I’ll report it.  Folks can forms their opinions and we can jump in the mud on the other thread if so inclined.

 

Good effort at managing this thin line.

[wdb]

On 11/7/2025 at 10:36 AM, wdb said:

I ended up refusing shipment of the item I ordered, due to not being able to sort out the incorrect tariff levies. At this point in time I have not heard back from UPS on my dispute submission. I also have no idea whether they "returned to sender" or whether the poor plastic thingie is sitting forlornly on some shelf 10 miles away from my house. Until I have some closure on that, I'm out the cost of the part + shipping.

 

"Debacle" is the word that comes to mind.

 

Closure, ish. 

1. The shipper and I finally threw our hands up in the air with trying to deal with UPS's byzantine bureaucratic bullsh*t and agreed that I should refuse delivery of the item. So I did.
2. The part continued to just sit there, on some shelf or whatever, at the nearby UPS depot. A few more lengthy wait times on the phone yielded the arcane methodology to make UPS actually return the part to the sender. Which they did. 
3. When the shipper received the original part he immediately dispatched another one, this time using some type of code that indicated it was a replacement for a defective unit. Here's a dose of irony for you -- no tariff. The UPS guy arrived and just handed me the box, without asking for any payments.
4. All good, right? Almost. UPS still considers me as owing them the substantial and incorrect original tariff amount. Plus late fees. So some of the saga continues.

 

[Croc]

And this is why I decided many years ago to never use UPS again.