Can’t ship to the US anymore!?

[Bron357]

Huh.
Australia Post advised me that I can’t ship anything but a letter or documents to the US currently.
Apparently tariffs have to be paid BEFORE the goods enter the US and the rate depends on the origin. The actual tariffs are between $80 and $200 per parcel plus processing fees. Australia Post has to find a company to do all the paperwork and fee collection.
So I guess that means a $6 jar of Vegemite will cost $20 shipping plus $80 tariff and $75 customs processing.
Wow.
I’m sorry for anyone in the US who receives “care” parcels from overseas relatives or friends because the cost will now be astronomically ridiculous.

 

[Matata]

I would happily pay an exhorbitant amount for Violet Crumble and Anzac Biscuits

 

[Bron357]

I would happily pay an exhorbitant amount for Violet Crumble and Anzac Biscuits

Don’t forget Caramello Bears and Iced Vo Vos.

 

[Avondale]

It's not just Australia post. It's postal services all over the world from what I gather. People are advised to use other carriers who offer DDP to avoid the initial hassle.

It will be only temporary until things settle. I imagine most of the postal services and carriers just want to prevent having a large number of shipments returned or destroyed because recipients refuse to pay the duties owed.

 

[Matata]

Don’t forget Caramello Bears and Iced Vo Vos.

I haven't tried either of those because my Aussie friend never told me about them. I would call her out about that but she lives in France now and I don't want to ruin my chances for a free place to stay when I visit, lol. I can find Tim Tams at my local grocery much to the detriment of my hips.

 

[Lookinagain]

It will be only temporary until things settle. I imagine most of the postal services and carriers just want to prevent having a large number of shipments returned or destroyed because recipients refuse to pay the duties owed.

What I heard on the news was that the tariffs are too confusing to these companies so they are halting certain types of shipping until they can figure it out. But of course, it keeps flip flopping so who knows how long that will be.

 

[kenny]

But it's okay.
All that tariff money will go to a very very good cause.

.............. American billionaires.

 

[Avondale]

the tariffs are too confusing to these companies

Would you blame them?

Really though, I’m not sure that’s the actual reason. The tariffs are a known concept that these companies deal with on a daily basis all over the world. International shipment arrives and is held at customs, duties are calculated, importer pays duties, package is released and delivered. The US simply no longer has a de minimalis exception which means now all incoming packages will be held instead of just those of higher value.

There might be some confusion concerning the size of the tariffs as that seems to be ever changing. But I’m inclined to believe all this ultimately leads to citizens not being familiar with the process of releasing their packages from customs, and the consequent chaos that will follow while they learn.

 

[Lookinagain]

The tariffs are a known concept that these companies deal with on a daily basis all over the world.

There might be some confusion concerning the size of the tariffs as that seems to be ever changing.

My point was the ever changing nature of the current U.S. tariffs. Not that the companies don't know how to deal with stable tariffs. But the fact that they can't anticipate them from day to day.

 

[MissGotRocks]

I was inquiring about a Christmas item on a popular website. It was available and then it wasn’t - in early August! I called the company and was told there had been a big purchase order for this item, but that the purchase order had been suddenly cancelled. I was told not to expect more of this item to be in stock. Could be many reasons for this, but can’t help but think that the tariffs could have been at play in this case.

 

[Mrsz1ppy]

When I lived in the UK and decades later Ireland, I always had to pay duty on Xmas and birthday gifts from family in the US. There was no minimum below which purchases were duty free, either. Just something new for us in the US to adjust to, that other countries have long done.

 

[springerspaniel]

Don’t forget Caramello Bears and Iced Vo Vos.

How can you tell if your Vo Vo is Iced?

 

[Bron357]

How can you tell if your Vo Vo is Iced?

It’s just the maddest name in my opinion.
They have a plain biscuit base that is topped with a pale pink “strawberry” icing with a strip of strawberry jam in the middle and tiny coconut flakes all over the top.