How will the recently implemented tariffs affect your doll collecting?

Up until recently I only collected off-topic playline dolls, way more than 30, definitely feel called out.
Not to mention my start with BJDs is only going to be 2 dolls until further notice. Is President Cheeto psychic or secretly on DoA.

 

the whole cabal has a streak of being anti creativity and hope destroying. It's so evil. They probably are watching smh.

 

I laughed when I heard him say that. Fortunately I have my 30 already, so neener neener.

 

I got eyes from Thailand today with no tariff.

 

So the de minimis exception for Chinese imports ended on May 2, 2025. Impldoll just informed me that they shipped my Idol body today. Looks like I'm about to find out how much this is going to cost.

According to the latest Executive Order, which amended EO 14256, de minimis items (items under $800) from China or Hong Kong are subject to an ad valorem duty of 120 percent (like VAT), plus a tariff charge of $100 per box. If I'm reading this correctly: an item shipped from China in one box that has a declared value of $100 will be subject to $220 in tariffs.

Starting June 1, 2025, the per-box tariff charge will increase to $200.

I'll let you know how much it costs me.

Considering that I have a few dolls that I pre-ordered back in October through December from ACBJD (Chinese dealer), this officially ends my purchasing dolls. So yeah. Looks like I only need 2 dolls, and they will cost me a couple bucks more.

Sorry. I'm bitter.

 

Thank you for breaking down the math. I guess i probably shouldn't have ordered both doll things I was looking at given that >< And I guess i definitely won't be ordering the eyes from Dolly planet I've been debating for my girl, unless maybe things have changed and I get some holiday money later this year :/

 

Thank you for this! I have a doll on order that as far as I know delivery has not been paused from the company. My other two dolls from ACBJD have had delivery pause, which I am actually happy for. But the unknown doll from Chinese company has me worried.

I didn't have to pay anything on my doll that came in last week from Korea. But, I'm very worried about the three I have on order from China. I hope that ACBJD does keep them on hold. I can be patient until some of this nonsense hopefully passes and becomes reasonable. But the free floating doll has me very nervous about how much I will have to pay when he finally gets sent to me.

 

So I keep reading agent posts saying they have a “tax free” shipping method. Seems to be Yanwen and/or air/sea freight. There’s a handling charge, but it (apparently) isn’t too high. I don’t have details since I haven’t tried any of these methods. I’m not sure how this would avoid taxes from our side, but it seems some agents will cover (some of) the cost. At least that’s what I keep hearing.

Thanks everyone for updating us on whatever is going on with your orders!

 

Space Studio has that listed as one of their shipping options. I haven't gotten my order from them yet, so I don't know how it works out in practice, but I'm hoping it does keep the cost down. The description for it said that there wouldn't be any taxes, but it's also listed as an option for multiple countries, so it didn't have a lot of specific information.

 

I have a doll I preordered from them so hopefully it all works out. I asked them to wait and let me know when it’s ready. Maybe by then things will be a bit more clear.

 

I am still clinging to the hope that this is enough of a disaster that the tariffs get rolled back again like they did in February(?) or outright cancelled, but I have a pre order releasing at the end of May for a non BJD related item and I have the option to cancel it before it ships... I'm planning on holding out until the 9th, giving a week to see if I still want to take the risk, and then cancelling it if it doesn't seem like anything will change, but I had been really looking forward to this order as it was going to be one of the "good things" this year to counteract my anxieties about the rest of the political situation. But at some point the financial risk is too great and I don't want to be careless just for the sake of a cute figure I might be able to find secondhand some vague other time in the future, if the hobbies I love are able to survive... I mean, I know a lot of this is US-centric right now and I don't exactly have a grasp on the world economy of dolls or whatever... but there are other countries, with their own markets, and one would hope that those markets could support these hobbies in the meantime? I don't want to overplay (or underplay) the importance of the USA as a market, and not being an economist I just don't know.

I hope things work out and that the orange just. gives up on this but I don't think he's going to at this point, honestly. But if possible I hope that the timing is such so that the orders of people here aren't impacted, because even if he changes his mind there's still the stuff that reaches customs and is affected before that happens. It's not like they're going to be handing out refunds for tariffs charged in the meantime.

With my Miracle Doll Ian who I got earlier this year, I got very lucky in that he arrived pretty much right after the first set of tariffs was rolled back, but yeah I don't plan on purchasing more dolls outside the USA at this point (there is one secondhand within the country that I've been watching the thread for but not making a move on yet, because with all this uncertainty I'm reluctant to spend money in general right now tbh).

And there is also the issue of the strain on the mail system, I don't think I'd buy anything even within the country that I wasn't willing to risk just getting lost right now.

It's a mess and people are right to be bitter about it imo.

 

It's 120 percent AND a box tax?!? Not an OR "a box tax (whichever is greater)"?

That doll I've been waiting on for probably 17 months...it soooo isn't worth it.

 

The tariffs on items from China to the US are now as follows:

$100-$200 on parcels valued under $800. The de minimus exception for these parcels has been eliminated and a minimum flat fee per parcel has been instituted. The $100 charge will hold from May 2 to June 1, thereafter it will be $200 per parcel.

Further Changes to Shipments under $800 from China

The tariff for parcels over $800 will be 145% of the value of the parcel. So a doll costing $1,000 before shipping will now cost $2,450 before shipping. To determine the exact price of your incoming parcel, multiply the price of the parcel by 1.45 and add that to the original price.

I have not been able to find a definitive answer on how you will pay that tariff. My best information is that US Customs is collecting the tariffs directly, which would mean that once your parcel entered the US and Customs took possession of it, Customs would send you a message with their demand and you would have to send payment to them before they release your parcel to the US shipper. There may also be administrative fees now in addition to the tariff, so what you pay could potentially be higher than the flat fee or 145% of value.

Edited to add: Some companies are collecting the tariffs and will pay them to Customs in advance so you don't have to. However they may also then add brokerage fees to the total, making the price a bit higher.

And in some cases, the tariffs will be dealt with by the shipping company chosen by the seller. FedEx, DHL, USPS, etc. If that is the case, then the shipping company will send you a bill which you'll have to pay before they send your package on to you.

 

My concern is scammers saying they want payment to release a package. I would sooner get a very legit letter from US customs and not some text message or phone call as I don't except phone calls if number is unknown.

 

If it makes you feel any better, the BJD hobby will survive for sure. The US market for BJDs is small compared to Asia (a very successful doll head in China can sell in the thousands just in the domestic market), not to mention there is Europe too. It will hurt a lot of artists and dealers for sure, but the hobby will still be there when this insanity is over. I'm hope you don't have to cancel your order.

 

Thank you for this, Victoria! This is a sad day for the hobby.

 

Thank you for this summary of where things are at right now, I have dolls meant to arrive in a few months and I've been trying to figure out how much additional I need to set aside for tariffs alone -sigh-. This gives me a good idea of what I'm looking at.

 

I have an outfit and head coming from Space Studio and an Ao Lingshi body coming from Legend Doll. All from China. I was told that for the local post the seller prepays taxes but not for an express shipping company.

The AoLingShi body is shipping any day now. I have asked a friend if I can have Legend send it to her in Europe (Spain) from China by EMS. Then she can send tit o me. It’s an experiment. Not at all sure it will cost less.

I figure the head and clothes will come direct from China in a few months but a much smaller package involved.

I received a head from South Korea this last Thursday by EMS and USPS without any tariffs but it came on May 1.

 

Am I reading this right? If I buy something for 20 bucks from China, it turns into $220 after June 1?

 

I emailed newcloversinging about the tariffs and wondering how much I'd have to pay and they said the same thing about a new shipping way that's tax free. They only said I had to pay for handling though which isn't much.

 

Does anyone know if it's possible for a company that's drop-shipping from China (ie having a package sent directly from their manufacturing facility in China to the consumer in the US) to pay the tariff themselves? I've seen several companies massively increase prices for US customers or tacking on huge "tariff fees" to shipping, claiming that they're paying customs in advance so that their US customers will not have to. Curious if that is something they can do, or if they're mistaken, or if they're just attempting to take advantage of the confusion to make extra money.

 

Absolutely crushing... So many companies are going to be negatively impacted by this as well as hobbyists. Thank you for the summary, it helps people understand what lies ahead - but it's a very depressing picture.

 

If it makes everyone feel better - I think these tariffs are going to drop precipitously. Retail shelves are going to start looking a lot more bare in the next two weeks to a month. Back to school shopping is going to be expensive with limited options. Right now, don't plan on getting much for Halloween or Christmas (retailers start placing orders now, and... they aren't placing orders).

The tariffs haven't really "hit" US consumers yet, but they are going to, and when they do, I expect the political maelstrom will be too much for the current administration to bear.

We are just the first to feel the effects, because we order stuff from overseas for our hobby. However, since we're a niche hobby, we aren't quite as, erm, noisy.

 

That's what I'm reading. And after June 1, 2025, it will be 120 percent and a $200 per box tax. So my hypothetical $100 one-box item from China will cost me $320.

 

Wait, wait.. $100-200 on anything under $800?? Is that really what it's going to be? I may have to cancel some orders.. i really hope i can motivate myself to work on my own doll clothes but it's getting harder ugh. All this stress keeps sending me into pain flares, too. We all need to support each other in these tough times.

 

This is insane!

 

This is my thinking too. I hope it's not wishful thinking.

 

I know there are some politicians in congress who've been talking about putting measures in place to stop the tarriffs, but i haven't really seen anything about actual actions being taken by them. And it still wouldn't change the de minimis rule. But if they did get rid of or lower the tarriffs, it would help some at least.

 

I think it is likely you will get an email rather than a letter from US. Customs. They'll be given your email by the company you are buying from.

Yes, you are correct. I suspect the best you can do is get a group order together to split the tariff fee.

I believe that the company you are purchasing from can indeed pay the customs fee in advance for you.

Yes, this is correct. The best way to handle this is to make a group order so you can share the fee with several others.

May I suggest watching Bernadette Banner's amazing series on sewing to help with the stress? She mostly makes reproduction garments and her videos are beautifully shot and extremely soothing.

 

@krystina As an Australian, we're also apparently getting hit with the 25% tariff as of time of writing, so I wouldn't count on dropshipping via Australia in the long term.
I've sent 3 packages to the US that have arrived since May started, all of varying values ($150 USD, $150 USD, $100 USD) and as far as I know, none of them were hit with tariffs (although I only got confirmation of delivery from 2 of the buyers)

 

So the $3 lace I bought for doll clothes will be $103? If so, I'm definitely just going to have the parcel destroyed. The company I bought from took a "tariff tax" of 145%, so $4.35. It implied that would cover the tariff, and that the seller pays directly? I'm so confused now.

 

I believe it’s 120%/145% or $100/$200 whichever is lower.

The tariffs are paid per parcel, if you’ve bought all the orders from the same seller you could ask them to combine orders so you pay the $100/$200 once.

Not exactly, it’ll be tariffed at a 145% rate for $29 tariff. If you order about $140+ worth of goods shipped in the same package, your tariff fee will exceed the $200 flat fee so you’d just pay the $200 flat fee rather than the 145% tariff.

 

With how terrible customs has been before the Trump Tariff, I am deeply concerned if this is the case. I can already see the insane backlog of packages lined up like Tetris blocks waiting to be freed by their buyer. Hundreds of boxes in a package limbo where they likely already have space issues. Them sending an email that could be easily missed and the buyer missing their payment URGH. I’m stressed already.

 

What I find confusing us that right now, for packages below $800, the official statement from The White House is simply you are charged the flat fee OR the percentage rate. It doesn't clarify if you pay one or the other if the total tariff is higher or lower. Some people say you pay the lower fee, some say you pay the higher fee.

I'd like to share these two links, the first is the original statement about the repeal of De Minimis on packages with Country of Origin as China, the second link has the updated tariff numbers.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-she...nas-role-in-americas-synthetic-opioid-crisis/

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presiden...ct-trading-partner-retaliation-and-alignment/

I haven't been active on DOA for a long time, but if I might suggest, users here could do the same thing that they have going on at myfigurecollection.net . One thread is for gathering information and users post their experiences on any packages they receive in the coming days- where it came from, what the customs form said, if they paid a fee and how much. There is a second thread meant specifically for venting frustrations on the situation. This is easily a hot political topic, and it's hard for users to find facts if they have to wade thru long political rants. Also, people want a space to debate the subject and it's not a bad thing to give users a space to vent. A moderator regularly checks the two threads over on mfc to make sure things stay under control, and to update the first post with new facts as it comes along.

I hope we can remain calm and do our best to understand the situation and work together to share what we know. thanks everyone!

 

From what my guy told me that I buy from, the added shipping costs is to help them pay for the tariffs on their end. He used to do free shipping, now he charges $100 for each item.

 

Thank you for the clarification. I really wish the White House gave a more detailed explanation in the first place. It seems I’m not the only one confused about how much I’d have to pay. There’s a big difference between 145% and $100 when buying such small items. I’m glad I likely won’t be hit with the $100 bill, because there’s no way I’d be able to pay that for a $3 item, but I really want the lace!

 

Will there be a time limit for how long a parcel can be held before destruction? Pretty bummed out by the changes, I have a doll preorder / some parts that there's no way I can figure out in such a short time.

 

Just from reading this thread alone, I think they intentionally made tariffs confusing. This is going to destroy the economy and close up a lot of small businesses.

 

Agreed. There is zero actual reason for this to be so confusing. If there are definitive rules on this, which theoretically there are, there should be an easy accessible, easily found statement that spells everything out. What is the actual charge, how do we pay it, who pays what fees, etc.

Instead we have a string of official statements that build off of each other & are edited and changed. I’m certain one of the White House statements said that it’s percentage or flat fee, whichever is higher, but I can’t find it now. I think the same has probably happened for everyone else here who are citing sources that don’t actually fully support their claims/give concrete info. Then we have retailers telling their customers wildly different things. There’s a mix of businesses genuinely attempting to follow the rules & trying to help, alongside businesses taking advantage of the confusion to grift their customers. Then there’s the propaganda that’s continuously saying “we’re charging the other countries the fees, they charge us more than we charge them, they’re paying for this, etc,” when that’s not really true- it’s the importers that pay the tariff, which in the case of Americans buying directly from Chinese companies, is the American customer. The spin that the administration has put on it is making an already confusing situation even more confusing.

 

Please report back when you get the bill! I had read in one of the statements that it’s 145% or the flat fee, whichever is higher, but I’m hoping that’s not actually the case.

 

I also had previously read that the fee was "whichever is higher."

 

Ugh. Just ugh.

For now, I've simply decided not to buy anything from overseas until I have multiple confirmed reports of what tariffs are being paid by whom. I hate to give the government exactly what they want, but I'm not exactly rich, and I just can't afford an outrageous fee on top of already expensive items. Though it's not like my money will go into the domestic economy instead- the domestic economy cannot provide what I'm after.

I just ask those who have outstanding orders (and don't plan to cancel them) will let us know how much they were asked to pay, and who asked them to pay it.

 

I wonder if there are enough resources, people, training, software and equipment available for all of the new tariffs. Because it does seem like the post office here just doesn't care.

 

It's so hard to keep up with all this as it's ever changing. So I decided to get my last two Luts dolls from Denver Doll Emporium before things really hit the fan. I've ordered one and will be ordering my second one by the end of this month. I've been trying to get their eyes and wigs too. But so far that's proving difficult already.

 

Hopefully that's the case then even if we still have to pay for something it be bit cheaper, but I do think it may be what they are doing like you said.

 

Because it's such a crazy amount of taxation, they should've at least have made it so that you'd have to pay the tariffs based on the date of the invoice (so that you'd be spared if you ordered before they kicked in), rather than the date of shipping.
I think USPS will get backlogged like crazy and there will be lost parcels, so if I were in the USA I'd ask to ship via FedEx or similar to dodge the postal system. But I've heard that DHL won't accept parcels from China any longer so I'm not sure if that's possible. Pretty crazy situation.
What are the rates for Korea/Japan? I haven't kept up with how they've been shifting.

 

I read that there are ZERO tariffs for Korea on toys. So we can still buy Soom.

 

I thought it was the percentage or the flat rate whichever was the more expensive option. I thought thats why it was confusing because there weren’t specific guidelines if there were exemptions because no one wants to pay $200 for a $1 item.

Either way since people are getting their orders shipped time to wait to see what’s the damage when things arrive. A slight warning if it’s coming FedEx they’ll bill you at a later date, I ordered something internationally and I got the tariff and brokerage fees bill in the mail a week after I got my package. The other shipping methods seem to want payment before it’s released from customs.

Thats probably why I see in hobby spaces (and crafting spaces) worried more about these tarriffs than everyone else right now.

It’s been predicted summer is when more people are really going to “feel the heat” and it won’t be because of summer weather

 

Does anyone know what the tariffs from Korea would be (after June)? I ordered a head from Supia a while back. Wondering if I should ask them to contact me before they ship. I don’t anticipate them being ready to ship for at least a few months.

 

From the fact sheet put out by the US government regarding the end of the de minimis exemption for packages shipped from China, tariffs can be paid either as a percent of the value of the package (ad valorem duty) or at a flat rate per package (specific duty):
“All relevant postal items containing goods that are sent through the international postal network that are valued at or under $800 and that would otherwise qualify for the de minimis exemption are subject to a duty rate of either 30% of their value or $25 per item (increasing to $50 per item after June 1, 2025). This is in lieu of any other duties, including those imposed by prior Orders.”

The full executive order can be read here.

The executive order has since been modified with increased tariff fees, which are currently 120% or $100 until June 1 and 120% or $200 after June 1.

The modifications can be read here, and refers to the original executive order linked above.

The tariffs are calculated per package.

 

No way to know. South Korea is one of the countries in the midst of trade talks with the US right now, so we should know in a few weeks.

I did end up getting my big order from DDE, and I had no extra charges. I have no idea if it came into the US right before the tariffs were to kick in, or DDE and/or Resinsoul ate anything extra. At any rate, I am relieved that the stress is over for me, at least.

 

Apparently, there is not. I live in a very small town where our PO only has one employee who does it all, working in limited hours. I've asked her regularly for updates on what's going on, and she said she's had no training, no new equipment and no info at all on what's going on. She said if she scans something and it says money is owed, she collects it, and if nothing pops up, she releases it. So....even though tariffs are "officially" in effect, if the computer system isn't updated, at least some postal workers are just saying screw it and sending stuff out anyway.

 

I believe you meant to post "145% or $200 after June 1.

 

I don’t believe the tariffs on formerly de minimum packages increase to 145%, they have a different tariff rate than other packages entering the US from china.

From the executive order modifying the de minimus tariff rates:
“(a) increase the ad valorem rate of duty set forth in section 2(c)(i) of Executive Order 14256 of April 2, 2025 (Further Amendment to Duties Addressing the Synthetic Opioid Supply Chain in the People’s Republic of China as Applied to Low-Value Imports), as modified by the Executive Order dated April 8, 2025, from 90 percent to 120 percent;”
“(c) increase the per postal item containing goods duty in section 2(c)(ii) of Executive Order 14256, as modified by the Executive Order dated April 8, 2025, that is in effect on or after 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on June 1, 2025, from 150 dollars to 200 dollars.”

But if you have a source that says differently send me the link and I’m happy to update the post.

 

Haha it's a good thing I don't really buy dolls anymore but if this was when I first started the hobby 19 years ago it would really made me angry.

I had a package from Taiwan that cleared US customs quickly on May 1st so THAT was fine. I don't know about packages that are shipped AFTER May 2nd. I read some people are getting billed with tariffs from DHL already.

More than 20 years ago I used to get billed for tariffs when I order jewelries from Europe. Fedex would mail me a bill for the tariff a week or two AFTER I receive the package. I"m not sure if it's because of the store I order from and the way they mark their custom forms? But I have read that Fedex STILL do that (bill people AFTER they already receive the package with people thinking everything is fine but ended up having to pay more later).

SWITCH just shipped my order VIA EMS yesterday. I'm waiting to see what happens with that one.

According to google: Country of origin is the key to which tariffs apply, NOT the country it is shipped from.

It's certainly NOT possible for custom to open ALL packages to check for EACH item to see which country it's made from (I can't imagine them dealing with our fragile dolls this way) so........I just don't know anymore.

 

Yeah that seems to be the case. In an off topic but adjacent hobby that also deals with pre-orders in a similar way their forums have been tracking what country of origin the places they order from put down. Their stuff is mostly shipped from Japan but like most things the products are made in China.

I think the plan for that adjacent hobby is to track the origin listed on the customs forms per store and find out what happens with their preorders or new orders. If things go well I assume many of them will pivot to places that list it as Japan instead of China to hopefully have lower tariffs. And rely on customs to stick to random inspections and avoid getting penalties because the origin is incorrect.

BJD doesn’t seem to have that luxury? Most are made in China and second most is Korea or Japan right? But I’ve been seeing people say China has found a no tarriff route, for now, but it’s by sea.