More than a $1K in fees? Ordering a table from Mexico turned into a shock when the customs bill arrived

Trump sold his tariff policy to Americans saying that other countries will be flipping the bill. The Wharton business school graduate either missed the class about how tariffs work or he was straight up lying.

Either way, more and more Americans are finding out the hard way that they are the ones paying for the tariffs, like Dave Yeske. The San Francisco-based financial planner bought an antique table online from a seller in Mexico for $1,980. However, before UPS would deliver it to him, he was hit with a $1,170 bill to pay for the customs duties.

“We were very disappointed”

“We know that tariffs show in prices no matter what, but this was like the most explicit thing imaginable,” Yeske told CNBC on recounting when he received the $1,170 bill. “We were very disappointed.”

The table was shipped in two boxes, each got slapped with a $585 in US Customs and Border Protection fees. Currently, the US imposes a 25% tariff on imports from Mexico that do not meet USMCA rules of origin, roughly about 10% to 15% of imports do not. Those that do, qualify for duty-free entry.

However, the Trump administration is in ongoing negotiations and the president’s on again, off again tariff policy leaves uncertainty for what the future may hold.

Americans can expect to get hit with more surprise tariff bills

Yeske isn’t the only person who has been hit by a surprise tariff bill and more online shoppers can expect them in the future. Beginning in August, the de minimis exemption from tariffs of $800 for products being brought into the US ended.

That means Americans shopping online will have to pay close attention to whether their purchase will be shipped from within the US or from abroad. Depending on the country of origin they range from 10% to 50%, the latter applies to imports from Brazil and Indian.

The Yale University Budget Lab reported in July that Trump’s tariffs could cost the average American household $2,400 this year.

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