US RESIDENTS May Buy, Duty-Free, Overseas Goods <$800

choi

Laura Stevens, Foreign Goods Beckon E-Shoppers. Wall Street Journal, May 5, 2016.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/new- ... shoppers-1462411116

the first six paragraphs:

"A change in trade rules is making it cheaper and easier for American consumers to buy overseas goods online, heartening merchants abroad but threatening stiffer competition for US retailers.

"Since about a month ago, the government has allowed Americans to import up to $800 at a time of most foreign goods without having to pay import duties or tax. That’s quadruple the previous exemption of $200.

"The change, part of a bill signed into law earlier this year to overhaul the US Customs and Border Protection agency, is good news for online shoppers and package-delivery companies but presents another challenge to traditional retailers struggling to cope with e-commerce.

"Until the new rules took effect March 10, duties averaged 33% on the top 50 products brought into the US when purchases exceeded $200, according to United Parcel Service Inc. On a $201 purchase of costume jewelry, US customs would collect a duty of 110%, more than doubling the price.

"Now, those duties are zero, providing the price totals less than $800.