Toys and Tariffs (US customers)

[andrewsaurus rex]

Yesterday I got a parcel from Minizoo (no tariff but it was probably cleared by customs before 5/2). I asked my local mail delivery person what the process is I was to be required to pay a tariff? Do I get a bill and then when I pay it, the item is delivered? Do I get a delivery notification and then have to go to my local post office to pay and get it?

He said he had no idea and that they had not been trained on anything yet. Makes me wonder if the tariff process is before delivery attempt? Does anyone know? Preferably by someone who knows the process and not just conjecture.

Almost certainly you will have to pay in advance.  The way it works in Canada is you have the option to pay online before delivery, but the payment options are very limited, or you can pay at the door, with even more limited payment options (eg no debit, no cash, credit card only) or you have to go to your local Post Office and pay there (probably with more payment options available).   Since USPS doesn't seem set up to collect at the door, going to your local PO will probably be the way it is for now.

[bmathison1972]

I just set up a USPS account; maybe that could help with payments in advance of delivery.

And yes I knew I would have to pay in advance. What I meant was, would I get a bill/notification prior to delivery attempt or would the USPS driver collect the money at the time of delivery?

Oh well, I guess none of us will know until one of us experiences it. I ordered something from Japan that looks like it cleared customs on 5/2(?) in New York. It's currently at a distribution center in NY. That one may have just missed the 5/2 deadline but I guess we'll know when the time comes!

Also, I think I have some review samples coming from Toymany direct from China. Since these are gifts, I wonder how that will work?

[SBell]

I just set up a USPS account; maybe that could help with payments in advance of delivery.

And yes I knew I would have to pay in advance. What I meant was, would I get a bill/notification prior to delivery attempt or would the USPS driver collect the money at the time of delivery?

Oh well, I guess none of us will know until one of us experiences it. I ordered something from Japan that looks like it cleared customs on 5/2(?) in New York. It's currently at a distribution center in NY. That one may have just missed the 5/2 deadline but I guess we'll know when the time comes!

Also, I think I have some review samples coming from Toymany direct from China. Since these are gifts, I wonder how that will work?

The sender would still have to give a value, even for gifts. Possibly even just $1.
If they don't, it may get held up while they research the value (and if they do, they'll find the highest possible retail because they can).

[Joliezac]

I just set up a USPS account; maybe that could help with payments in advance of delivery.

And yes I knew I would have to pay in advance. What I meant was, would I get a bill/notification prior to delivery attempt or would the USPS driver collect the money at the time of delivery?

Oh well, I guess none of us will know until one of us experiences it. I ordered something from Japan that looks like it cleared customs on 5/2(?) in New York. It's currently at a distribution center in NY. That one may have just missed the 5/2 deadline but I guess we'll know when the time comes!

Also, I think I have some review samples coming from Toymany direct from China. Since these are gifts, I wonder how that will work?

I also have a package being sent from Toymany as a gift. I'm hoping I won't have to pay at the door, kind of defeats the purpose otherwise.

[Takama]

This is a list of qustions i need answerd as well

Will i be Forced to pay at the Door?

Will they hold it if I cant afford to pay for it at said door?

If So whats the time frame? Is there a time frame?

What happens if said time frame expires?

Will they option to bill me?

All these are qustions i been seeking answers for awhile, and havent got a straight answer.

And I have Prints from Chevaz Enrhoute to me, so Im getting worried.

[Over9K]

And I have Prints from Chevaz Enrhoute to me, so Im getting worried.

Unless Chevaz is in China you're good. Mexico and Canada currently have tariffs on them as well, but those are targeted on specific materials, primarily metals and building materials.

Pretty much every other nation were granted a 90-day pause on the new tariffs earlier in April, with a blanket 10% tariff rate, rather than any "reciprocal/retaliatory" tariffs.

Besides that, the deminimus exemption still applies to all other nations, except China and Hong Kong.

[Over9K]

BBTS adds "excludes tariff surcharge" to pre-order pages for stuff originating from China. I wonder if they will update the page with the actual surcharge once the product hits inventory, or if we'll find out during checkout...

[Shane]

BBTS adds "excludes tariff surcharge" to pre-order pages for stuff originating from China. I wonder if they will update the page with the actual surcharge once the product hits inventory, or if we'll find out during checkout...

BBTS has an FAQ on tariffs. https://www.bigbadtoystore.com/tariffs

While they don't explicitly state what happens with in stock items, it does state towards the bottom that "In-stock products will not have an additional tariff surcharge added to the price listed. In some cases, where there was a tariff surcharge on the item, it will be included in the price listed."

So I would say that when an item actually comes into stock that will be subjected to tariffs, it will likely be folded into the in-stock listing price.

[andrewsaurus rex]

they probably have the 'excludes tariff charge' comment in case the tariff rate changes again and they don't have time to modify the price of all of their zillions of listings.  Adding the tariffs at checkout will be much more nimble as you only need to change one thing.  The rate.

[SBell]

they probably have the 'excludes tariff charge' comment in case the tariff rate changes again and they don't have time to modify the price of all of their zillions of listings.  Adding the tariffs at checkout will be much more nimble as you only need to change one thing.  The rate.

Yeah, that's an easy webstore boiler plate -- toggle off or on (for items, or tariffs if/when they are suspended/initiated), change the amount once in the back end.

[Pachyrhinosaurus]

Joking aside, I just made a huge Papo order from Happy Hen. I've been really getting into Papo's modern wildlife offerings lately, so hopefully this blows over sooner than later.

[Takama]

Just got my prints in today

I asked the postman if i needed to pay for it after "recent develepments"   he seemed to knew what I was talking about.

He glanced at the parcel, and told me he did not think so.

So I got them no issue.

[Faelrin]

Came across two articles while browsing reddit r/all the past two days regarding Mattel's CEO's take on the situation. I'm sure there's more out there with the same info. They will be accelerating their supply chain/manufacturing/etc movement out of China, although they've been doing that for a number of years now. About 40 percent is done there currently (I know some of the Jurassic figures have been produced in Vietnam as an example). Prices will likely raise (and possibly with even more cost cutting across the board as we've seen in the Jurassic line over the years, especially post covid), though they do also intend to keep a sizeable percentage under $20 (though many Jurassic figures go for over that due to their size, etc, but quite a bit also go for less then that, which have been where most of my focus has been for the past two years, a mix of affordability and interesting species choices). The CEO also advocates for 0 tariffs on toys and games to help them stay affordable/accessible for children and their families.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/05/business/barbie-mattel-toy-tariffs-price-hike
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/06/mattel-ceo-toy-manufacturing-trump-tariffs.html

[Joliezac]

Got this email from Lanatime regarding my Nanmu Therizinosaurus:

"Hi,

Sorry to bother you, and thank you again for your order of the Nanmu Studio Therizinosaurus Claw Spike Figure.

Due to recent changes in U.S. customs policies, we've had to adjust our shipping approach. The good news is that we have secured a duty-free shipping option via Yun Express, which means you won't need to pay any additional fees upon delivery. If any fees are mistakenly charged, please contact us—we'll reimburse you.

However, shipping costs have increased. To use Yun Express, we kindly ask for an $8 shipping surcharge, which you could pay via the following link:

https://lanatime-shop.com/products/nanmutherdiffer


If you'd prefer not to pay $8 shipping surcharge, we completely understand. In that case, we can ship your figure via sea shipping to our U.S. warehouse, and from there it will be shipped to your address domestically with no extra charge. This method will take approximately 45 days.

If we don't hear from you by May 15, we will assume you agree to the sea freight option and will proceed accordingly.

Please let us know your preference at your earliest convenience.

Best regards,

Lanatime Shop"


I just paid for the $8 shipping. I appreciate no fees.

[DinoToyForum]

Got this email from Lanatime regarding my Nanmu Therizinosaurus:

"Hi,

Sorry to bother you, and thank you again for your order of the Nanmu Studio Therizinosaurus Claw Spike Figure.

Due to recent changes in U.S. customs policies, we've had to adjust our shipping approach. The good news is that we have secured a duty-free shipping option via Yun Express, which means you won't need to pay any additional fees upon delivery. If any fees are mistakenly charged, please contact us—we'll reimburse you.

However, shipping costs have increased. To use Yun Express, we kindly ask for an $8 shipping surcharge, which you could pay via the following link:

https://lanatime-shop.com/products/nanmutherdiffer


If you'd prefer not to pay $8 shipping surcharge, we completely understand. In that case, we can ship your figure via sea shipping to our U.S. warehouse, and from there it will be shipped to your address domestically with no extra charge. This method will take approximately 45 days.

If we don't hear from you by May 15, we will assume you agree to the sea freight option and will proceed accordingly.

Please let us know your preference at your earliest convenience.

Best regards,

Lanatime Shop"


I just paid for the $8 shipping. I appreciate no fees.

Lanatime is being very good about this and they aren't to blame, but you're still down $8 as a consequence of the new customs policies.

[Joliezac]

The shipping would have been free if I chose sea freight, I'm just impatient as I've been waiting for this figure awhile lol

[Over9K]

RE YunExpress: My HLG rexes came via YunExpress to Tennessee, and the tracking updates are accurate and timely. The parcels were transferred to the USPS very close to final delivery, to the point that Yun, or their US contractor, had possession right up to the destination post office.

[Primeval12]

I'm fine with a 45 day wait with no fees NGL.

[Carnoking]

8 dollars isn't too bad in the grand scheme of things, especially when there was a question of whether or not that 145% tariff would be collected from you directly before delivery. That, and I feel like 8 dollars for shipping is pretty standard for anything outside of Prime these days. I'm pretty surprised Lana offered free shipping to the extent that they did up to this point to be honest.

A bigger question for me isn't whether to pay the 8 dollars for shipping, it's debating whether I still want that figure at all given that the first in hand photos I've seen of it are pretty atrocious. But perhaps that's a topic for a different thread.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

I preordered the new Indominus from Nanmu via Lana , shipping was 13.00 added this time vs the usual free or 3.00 .  Going to have to watch if the tariff prices drop to see if it's removed or less.