Important Notice: U.S. Tariffs and Their Impact on Your Orders
Effective February 4th, 2025, significant changes to U.S. tariffs may affect your orders from Eight Ounce Coffee. As a Canadian company that distributes products manufactured in China and other countries, we want to ensure that our U.S.-based customers fully understand how these tariffs might impact their orders and what to expect during the checkout process.
What’s changing?
Due to a recent executive order from the U.S. government, an additional 10% tariff has been applied to most goods imported from China, effective February 4th, 2025. This applies to a wide range of products, including many of the items we sell. Additionally, the US government has expressed intentions to impose a potential 25% tariff on all goods from Canada, which may affect some of our products in the future. While this has not yet been enforced, the situation remains fluid. If these tariffs on Canadian made products are officially put into place, we will update this notice to provide the most current information.
While these tariffs are outside of our control, we want to provide transparency about how they might impact your order.
What are tariffs?
A tariff is essentially a tax imposed by the government on goods imported into the country. This means that when an item crosses the border into the U.S., the U.S. government may apply a tax based on the product's value, and this will be added to the total cost of your order. These fees are set by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) varies based on the product's country of origin and classification. Importantly, they have no relation to Eight Ounce Coffee or our constituent brands, including ACME, Kinto, Hario, Chemex, and Porlex. We neither control nor benefit from these fees.
Understanding the De Minimis Threshold
The De Minimis Threshold is the maximum value of goods that can be imported into the U.S. without being subjected to customs duties and taxes. Previously, this threshold was set at $800 USD, meaning goods valued under this amount were usually exempt from extra fees, allowing for a quicker customs process.
However, recent updates have impacted this threshold:
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February 1, 2025: The U.S. government imposed an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods and eliminated the De Minimis Threshold for low-value products made in or shipped from China. This means that even shipments valued under $800 that contain products made in China may now be subject to customs duties and taxes.
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February 7, 2025: The U.S. government temporarily paused the repeal of the De Minimis Threshold on Chinese goods to give U.S. Customs more time to adjust their processes and systems for tariff collection. This pause is expected to be temporary, and the De Minimis Threshold for Chinese goods may be eliminated again once these systems are fully in place.
It is important to note that the 10% tariffs imposed on China made products are in addition to the already existing tariffs. The repeal of the De Minimis threshold will mean all pre-existing tariffs along with the new tariffs will be payable on orders below $800.
Who is responsible for paying the tariff?
As a U.S.-based customer, you are responsible for any import duties, tariffs, or taxes that the U.S. government imposes. These fees are completely separate from Eight Ounce Coffee’s pricing, and we neither charge them nor collect them.
In short: These fees are imposed and collected by U.S. Customs, not Eight Ounce Coffee.
How tariffs are applied
When you place an order with Eight Ounce Coffee, tariffs may apply to your purchase. These tariffs are added as an additional fee, calculated based on the total value of your order. Here's how the process works:
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Your Order Ships: After placing your order, it will be shipped from our Canadian location to the U.S.
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Goods Enter the U.S.: Upon arrival in the U.S., your package is reviewed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to determine if any tariffs apply. If your order includes items subject to the 10% tariff on Chinese goods (in addition to the already existing tariffs) or potential future tariffs on Canadian goods, U.S. Customs will calculate the fees based on the product's value and country of origin.
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Tariff Assessment: U.S. Customs will apply the tariff based on the product’s country of origin. An additional 10% tariff applies to products from China, and if Canadian tariffs are implemented, those products will also incur additional fees.
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Notification and Payment: After assessing the tariffs, the courier handling your delivery (e.g., UPS, USPS, FedEx) will notify you of the applicable customs fees. You will need to pay these fees before or during delivery to release your goods from customs.
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Customs Clearance: Once the tariffs are paid, your goods will clear customs and be delivered to your address.
Role of shipping carriers as Customs Brokers
By default, shipping carriers such as UPS, FedEx, DHL, and Canada Post/USPS act as customs brokers for international shipments. This means they handle the customs clearance process on behalf of the recipient, which includes:
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Preparing and Submitting Documentation: Ensuring all necessary paperwork is completed accurately.
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Calculating and Paying Duties and Taxes: Assessing any applicable import duties and taxes based on the shipment's contents and value.
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Facilitating Communication with Customs Authorities: Acting as the liaison between the importer and customs officials to resolve any issues that may arise during the clearance process.
For these services, carriers charge customs brokerage fees, which are legitimate charges for the professional handling of your shipment through customs. These fees can vary depending on the carrier and the complexity of the shipment.
How to check if your order will have tariffs
To estimate any potential duties or tariffs on your order, we recommend consulting the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule available at hts.usitc.gov. This resource helps provide a general idea of what duties could apply to your product, though we always advise reaching out to U.S. Customs or your shipping provider for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
What to expect going forward
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Increased Costs: If your shipment contains products manufactured in China, regardless of the value, you may be subject to additional duties and taxes. This could result in increased costs for you, the customer.
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Additional Documentation: In some cases, customs procedures may require more detailed documentation from Eight Ounce Coffee or the recipient. If you’re ordering for business purposes, you may be asked to provide your EIN (Employer Identification Number). For personal orders, you may be asked to provide your SSN (Social Security Number) for verification.
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Potential Delays: The added step of applying tariffs at the U.S. border may cause delays in processing shipments. We recommend allowing extra time for delivery, as shipments may take longer to clear customs.
Stay informed and reach out
As the situation with U.S. tariffs evolves, we will continue to update our policies to reflect the latest changes. We highly encourage all customers to stay informed about current tariff regulations that may impact their orders.
If you have any questions or concerns about how tariffs might affect your order, or if you need assistance navigating these changes, please feel free to contact us. We are here to help and want to ensure you have all the information you need before making a purchase.
Thank you for your understanding and continued support!
Best regards,
Eight Ounce Coffee Team
