Shipping From China After the De Minimis Crackdown: How EU/US Buyers Can Still Save With Consolidation
In just a few years, shipping small parcels from China to Europe and the USA has gone from “almost tax-free and easy” to heavily watched and increasingly taxed.
- In the European Union, the old VAT exemption for imports under €22 was scrapped in July 2021. Now every commercial parcel from China is subject to VAT, and customs declarations are required for all goods entering the EU. Taxation and Customs Union+2FedEx+2
- From July 2026, the EU will also add a €3 customs duty on low-value e-commerce parcels, mainly targeting cheap direct-from-China shipments (Shein, Temu, AliExpress). That’s a first step towards removing the duty-free treatment for parcels under €150. Reuters+1
- In the United States, the long-standing $800 de minimis duty-free threshold for small packages has been effectively rolled back. An executive order and follow-on measures in 2025 replaced the old “no duty under $800” rule with flat per-parcel taxes and full customs entry requirements, starting with China parcels from May 2 and then extending broadly by the end of August 2025. +2Investopedia+2
In other words, the era when a $20 gadget from Shenzhen could slip into the EU or US without duties or meaningful checks is ending.
Yet European and North American buyers still want to shop in China:
- Expats and students consolidating personal items
- Families shipping mixed parcels home
- Small resellers sourcing from 1688, Taobao, AliExpress, Temu
- Amazon/eBay/Shopify sellers moving inventory to EU/US warehouses
The good news is: even after the de minimis crackdown, there are still smart ways to save money and keep shipping predictable.
The key is consolidation.
1. What Was “De Minimis” – and What Changed?
1.1 De Minimis in the United States
For years, U.S. import rules allowed a very generous shortcut:
- Under Section 321, parcels valued at $800 or less could enter duty-free, tax-free, with minimal data. Congress raised this threshold from $200 to $800 in 2016. 国会网站
Chinese e-commerce platforms (Shein, Temu, AliExpress) optimised around this: millions of tiny parcels, each under $800, each cleared via de minimis with no normal tariffs or fees.
In 2025, that loophole was largely closed:
- Analyses from trade and tax experts report that starting May 2, 2025, parcels from China and Hong Kong began facing new per-parcel taxes (e.g. $100 per parcel, rising to $200), even when values were under $800. Investopedia+1
- By August 29, 2025, the U.S. effectively eliminated the de minimis exemption for most U.S-bound shipments under $800, so they now incur applicable duties, taxes and fees. Practical Ecommerce
While details differ between carriers and postal flows, the core reality for small-parcel buyers is:
“Cheap” small parcels from China to the US now face predictable taxes and customs, not a free pass.
1.2 De Minimis and VAT in the European Union
The EU took a slightly different route—but with the same goal: closing tax gaps and tackling undervalued import parcels.
Key milestones:
- 1 July 2021: The EU abolished the import VAT exemption for goods below €22. Now, all commercial imports into the EU are subject to VAT, regardless of value, and every shipment needs an import declaration. revenue.ie+3Taxation and Customs Union+3FedEx+3
- For consignments up to €150, the EU introduced the Import One-Stop Shop (IOSS) to simplify VAT collection at the point of sale. If IOSS is not used, VAT is collected at import by the customs declarant (carrier or postal operator). Taxation and Customs Union+1
- Customs duty (tariffs) is still exempt for goods under €150—but that’s next on the political radar. In December 2025, EU finance ministers agreed a temporary €3 customs duty on low-value parcels, effective 1 July 2026, as a bridge towards removing the duty-free €150 threshold. Reuters+1
For EU buyers, this means:
- VAT is unavoidable on imported goods
- Duty on small parcels is coming, via a flat €3 workaround first and then deeper customs reform
- Low-value parcels from China will no longer be “too small to care about” for customs
2. What Does the Crackdown Mean for EU/US Buyers?
Whether you’re a private buyer or a small seller importing from China, you’ll feel the impact in three main ways.
2.1 More Duties, Fees and “Surprise” Bills
Without de minimis, small parcels now often incur:
- Import duties (tariffs) according to HS codes
- VAT or sales tax on value + duty + fees
- Brokerage/clearance fees from carriers or postal operators
- In some US scenarios, flat per-parcel “small package taxes” in addition to normal tariffs Investopedia+1
If you still let every Chinese seller ship one parcel at a time to your EU/US address, you risk:
- A separate clearance fee per parcel
- Multiple small tax bills from carriers
- Parcels being held until you pay, delaying delivery
2.2 Slower and More Complex Customs Clearance
Customs authorities in both the EU and US are now much more focused on small parcels, especially those from high-volume Chinese platforms. Reuters+1
- More data is required (HS codes, product descriptions, value, seller info)
- Random or risk-based inspections are more frequent
- Undervalued or misdeclared parcels risk delays, fines or seizure
If every order is its own tiny international shipment, this complexity multiplies.
2.3 Margins Under Pressure for Small Sellers
For EU/US resellers and small brands importing from China:
- Extra duties and fees eat into already thin margins
- Marketplaces still push free or easy returns, which add reverse-logistics costs (often $30–40 per return in handling alone) alexanderjarvis.com+2seebiz.com+2
- Consumers expect fast shipping despite more complex compliance at the border
You can’t make taxes disappear—but you can control how many times you pay per-parcel fees, and how efficiently your shipments move through customs.
That’s where consolidation comes in.
3. Why Consolidation Is More Valuable Than Ever After De Minimis
3.1 What Is Consolidated Shipping?
Consolidated shipping means combining multiple smaller shipments into one larger shipment before sending them internationally. It’s sometimes called:
- Multi-package consolidation
- Parcel consolidation
- LCL (less-than-container-load) consolidation for sea freight
Instead of 10 different parcels flying separately from Shenzhen to Europe, your orders go to a China forwarding warehouse, which:
- Receives parcels from multiple sellers
- Checks, photographs and stores them under your account
- Re-packs them into one or a few larger boxes
- Ships those consolidated boxes to your EU or US address
Freight and fulfillment providers specialising in China export note several benefits:
- Cost savings: Sharing transportation costs among multiple shipments significantly reduces per-unit shipping expenses. frayto.com+3chinadivision+3SendfromChina.SFC+3
- Lower “first-kg” and base fees: You pay the fixed charge once, not 10 times. One real-world example: sending six 1 kg parcels separately cost about $117; sending them as one 6 kg consolidated shipment cost just $43—more than 60% savings. chinadivision+1
- Optimised volume weight: Repacking multiple boxes into one compact carton can reduce volumetric weight, which is a big pricing driver for air and courier services. cnxtrans+1
- Simpler customs entry: One consolidated shipment usually means one customs declaration, so you pay one set of brokerage fees instead of many.
- Better tracking: Fewer tracking numbers and handovers means less chance of loss or confusion.
In a world where every small parcel can be taxed and charged clearance fees, consolidation reduces the number of times you trigger those cost points.
4. How EU/US Buyers Can Use Consolidation to Offset the Crackdown
4.1 Step 1 – Use a China Forwarding Warehouse as Your “Virtual Address”
Instead of shipping directly from each seller to Europe/USA, you:
- Open an account with a China forwarding warehouse (in Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Yiwu, etc.)
- Receive a personal warehouse address and customer ID
- Use that address on Taobao, 1688, AliExpress, Temu, Shein, TikTok Shop, etc.
All your domestic parcels go to this one warehouse inside China.
Advantages:
- Local shipping inside China is cheap or free
- You can batch orders over a week or two
- The warehouse can inspect and photograph items, catch mistakes before they cross a border
4.2 Step 2 – Consolidate, Repack and Reduce Volume
When your parcels arrive, the warehouse can:
- Consolidate multiple orders into one or a few master cartons
- Remove unnecessary packaging (shoeboxes, retail boxes, oversized cartons)
- Add protective padding for fragile items
Providers report that consolidation plus smart repacking often yields double benefits:
- Less chargeable weight because of lower volumetric weight
- Fewer duplicate base fees and customs entries chinadivision+2cnxtrans+2
For EU/US buyers after the de minimis crackdown, every avoided extra parcel:
- Saves one set of handling/brokerage fees
- Reduces your risk of a single parcel being held or delayed
4.3 Step 3 – Pick the Right Route: DDP vs DAP, Air vs Sea/Rail
From your China warehouse, you can choose from different consolidated outbound options:
For Europe (including Spain, Germany, France, etc.)
- Air special lines (often DDP):
- 7–15 days, ideal for 2–30 kg
- VAT and duties often prepaid (DDP), so parcels arrive like domestic deliveries
- Rail/sea + last-mile courier (DDP):
- 15–35+ days, but cheaper per kg for heavier consolidations
- Standard postal parcels (usually DAP):
- Cheaper headline rates, but VAT/fees collected from you on arrival
Because EU VAT applies to all parcels regardless of value and a flat €3 duty on low-value parcels is coming, DDP routes (Delivered Duty Paid) are increasingly attractive: duties and VAT handled in bulk by the forwarder, no doorstep surprises. FedEx+2VAT e-Commerce – One Stop Shop+2
For the United States
Post-crackdown, US-bound parcels:
- Often require full customs entry, even if low value
- May incur flat per-parcel taxes + Section 301 tariffs on China-origin goods Investopedia+1
Forwarders are responding with:
- US air e-commerce lines with DDP-style pricing:
- They clear customs in bulk, pay duties/taxes, then inject parcels into UPS/USPS/FedEx networks
- Sea/rail + domestic distribution:
- For larger consignments, they bulk-ship to a U.S. warehouse, then ship domestically
In both EU and US lanes, DDP or “tax included” services help you:
- Know your true landed cost upfront
- Avoid multiple small brokerage invoices
- Keep the customer experience clean if you are reselling
4.4 Step 4 – Batch Orders and Avoid “Death by 1,000 Parcels”
To really benefit from consolidation:
- Avoid placing 10 separate “one-item” orders across the month
- Instead, create buying cycles:
- Example: place all your China orders in week 1–2, wait for them to reach the warehouse, consolidate, and ship a single larger box in week 3
- If you run a small store, align your purchasing cycle with your sales speed (e.g. one consolidated shipment every 2 or 4 weeks)
Logistics guides emphasise that consolidation works best when you plan for it: combining shipments via LCL or parcel consolidation is consistently listed as a top tactic to reduce per-unit cost from China to Europe. Maskura Logistics+2Top China Freight Forwarder+2
5. Practical Scenarios: How Different Buyers Can Still Save
5.1 Personal EU/US Buyer (Students, Expats, Families)
Situation:
You buy clothes, gadgets and home items from Chinese platforms every month.
Old way (pre-crackdown):
- Each seller ships directly to your EU/US address
- Some parcels slip through tax-free; others hit you with random bills
New way with consolidation:
- All orders go to a China forwarding warehouse
- Once you have enough items (e.g. 8–10 pieces), you consolidate into one box
- Choose an EU DDP or US tax-included line
- Pay one shipping fee + one tax bill, known upfront
Result:
- Fewer surprise notices from postal services
- Better protection (repacking) and tracking
- Lower per-item shipping cost than many small shipments
5.2 EU/US Small Reseller or Marketplace Seller
Situation:
You order from multiple China suppliers and sell on Amazon, eBay, Vinted, Shopify, etc.
Risks in the de minimis crackdown era:
- Random small parcels from factories each trigger their own customs entries
- You may pay too many brokerage fees, plus inconsistent tariffs
- It’s impossible to predict your true landed cost per SKU
With consolidation:
- Your China warehouse receives all suppliers’ shipments
- It checks quality, combines SKUs into one or a few bigger export consignments
- You ship to your EU/US 3PL or FBA prep centre using DDP freight or e-commerce lines
This lets you:
- Calculate a stable landed cost per unit (product + freight + tax)
- Keep platforms happy with reliable stock and delivery
- Avoid being caught by changes like the EU’s planned €3 customs duty or US flat parcel taxes, because you’re not relying on de minimis tricks anymore
6. Tips to Stay Ahead in the Post-De-Minimis World
- Stop counting on “no tax under X”
- For both EU and US, assume VAT/duties will apply even to small orders going forward.
- Make consolidation your default strategy
- Use forwarding warehouses and consolidated lines from China; treat single-parcel shipments as exceptions. chinadivision+2SendfromChina.SFC+2
- Prefer DDP or tax-included services for B2C
- Especially if you sell to end consumers in the EU or US—nobody likes surprise import bills.
- Clean up product data and invoices
- Accurate HS codes, values and descriptions reduce the risk of customs holds or fines in a stricter environment.
- Watch EU and US policy updates
- EU’s €3 duty is only a temporary bridge: customs reform for low-value parcels will continue beyond 2026. Reuters+1
- In the US, monitor changes to small-parcel taxes and Section 301 tariffs. Investopedia+2国会网站+2
- Run the math regularly
- Compare cost scenarios:
- 10 separate parcels vs 1 consolidated
- DDP vs DAP (duty unpaid)
- Air vs sea/rail for different volumes
- Compare cost scenarios:
- Have a returns plan
- Reverse logistics is expensive; each return often costs $30–40 in processing alone. alexanderjarvis.com+2seebiz.com+2
- Use regional returns warehouses in Europe/US and decide which items are worth shipping back vs liquidating locally.
7. Conclusion: You Can’t Change De Minimis—But You Can Change Your Strategy
The de minimis crackdown in the US and EU is a clear message:
“Small parcels are no longer invisible to customs.”
If you keep shipping from China as if it’s still 2019—one parcel per seller, no consolidation, hoping to dodge tax—you’ll face more costs, delays and uncertainty.
But if you:
- Treat a China forwarding warehouse as your base,
- Consolidate parcels intelligently,
- Use DDP or tax-included routes where it makes sense, and
- Keep up with EU/US policy changes,
you can still ship affordably from China, even as de minimis disappears.
Consolidation won’t remove taxes—but it reduces how often you pay fixed fees, smooths customs, and turns a chaotic pile of small parcels into a planned, predictable logistics flow.
In a stricter world, that’s where the real savings now live.
