Navigating U.S. Tariff Changes: A Maker’s Essential Guide
Last updated :April 24, 2025- Bookmark this page for real-time updates.
Summary
In light of the U.S. government’s plan to remove the de minimis tax exemption for parcels valued under USD 800 from China (including Hong Kong SAR) as of May 2, 2025, all retail orders will have to pay for duties before they enter the country. To ensure our U.S. customers continue to enjoy a smooth shopping experience—and to help you avoid unexpected last-mile COD fees—we will introduce the following methods starting April 25:
- More products will be available at our U.S. warehouse
- A convenient duty-prepaid service at checkout
- Ongoing optimization of our global production and fulfillment network.
Policy Background: The End of De Minimis Tax Exemption
- An executive order issued by the U.S. President in April clearly states that, starting at 00:01 EDT on May 2, 2025, parcels valued at $800 or less, originating from China including Hong Kong will no longer enjoy the Section 321 tax – free privilege.
- All carriers, including USPS and commercial couriers, will be required to levy tariffs and related fees on these parcels following formal import procedures.
- International postal carriers must choose between paying 120% of the declared value or USD 100 per parcel—and remit that amount to CBP (U.S. Customs and Border Protection) on the consignee’s behalf. For commercial couriers, duty rates will start at 45%.
Seeed’s Response and Timelines
- Enhanced US Warehouse Restocking
We’ve replenished nearly 200 popular products—including the XIAO series, reComputer R, Home Assistant Green, Jetson , and Meshtastic gear—in our U.S. warehouse and will keep restocking every week to maintain reliable availability. Whenever possible, we recommend choosing items to ship directly from our U.S. warehouse for the smoothest experience.
Our upgraded pre-order system now lets you reserve products en route to the warehouse, simplifying your ordering process. If you have specific needs, simply submit the SKUs via our Google Form and we’ll prioritize them in the next shipment.
As much as we’d like to keep the product pricing as it is, the recent tariff changes inevitably have an impact. This means the price of items at our U.S. warehouse will rise by 10% – 20% starting on April 25th. We’ll also closely monitor the changes on tariff policies and adjust promptly to ensure your interests are at the core of our actions.
You may also purchase through our authorized US distributors for local availability and faster shipping. Please check the list here: US Distributor
If you’re looking to place a bulk order, please reach out to our U.S. business-development team (seeed_us@seeed.cc) and we are happy to discuss and support.
Below is a price comparison for your reference.
| Ships Form China warehouse (Before April 25） | Ships Form China warehouse(After April 25） | Ships Form US warehouse(After April 25） | |
| Product Price | $99 | $99 | $120 |
| Import Duties | 20%（ Previous Tax Rates） | 45%（New Tax Rates） | $0 |
| Shipping Fee | $10-$25 | $23-$30 | $7-20 |
| Total | $128-143 | $184 | $127-$140 |
| Customs process | Required buyer’s SSN/EIN | Required buyer’s SSN/EIN | No Need |
2. Duty Tariff Paid (DTP) Service
Starting April 25, a new “Prepaid Import Duties” column will be added to the checkout page on our official website, enabling 1-click calculation and collection of import taxes and fees. The DTP service will be enabled by default for all retail parcels shipped from China to the United States.
Please be aware that according to U.S. CBP regulations, you’ll still be the official Importer of Record and may need to provide basic clearance information, such as your SSN or EIN.
Reminder:
For a completely hassle – free import experience without uncertain costs, we recommend placing orders shipped from Seeed’s U.S. warehouse →US_Warehouse
Check our authorized US distributors for regional availability:→US Distributor
3. Supply Chain Diversification
Our first batch of products has already been completed in Vietnam, and more products are set to begin production in other regions soon. By expanding to multiple locations, we’re diversifying our supply chain to secure more tariff-friendly solutions and keep your favorite products in steady supply at favorable pricing.
We believe this is the most challenging period, but the impact of tariffs will gradually ease in the future. Once U.S. Customs releases its detailed implementation rules on May 2, we’ll promptly share the updated duty rates and procedures on our website, via email, and across our social media channels. If you have any questions about prepaid duties, shipping fees, or inventory, feel free to email order@seeed.cc or submit a ticket through our online customer service—our team will respond within 24 hours.
Thank you for your ongoing understanding and support. Seeed Studio is committed to delivering high-quality products to developers and innovators worldwide in a transparent, reliable, and user-friendly manner. In the age of turbulence, we hold fast to our mission of “making technology accessible for all” and seek solutions to combat the obstacles to continue working hand in hand with everyone of you in the global community, to drive mutual and sustainable growth.
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