How will the recently implemented tariffs affect your doll collecting?

Yesterday I received my Peaks Woods order through EMS (I think regular? Although it arrived within 3 days), and USPS handled the last mile delivery. However, I did not receive a duty invoice like I did for my Do Dolls Dream order a couple of weeks ago through DHL. Does anyone know how USPS handles the duties and if/when I'll receive an invoice to pay?

 

My local post office recently told me they almost never collect import fees. So you may be all set.

 

You have to wonder if USPS is blowing it off because they don't have the personnel or infrastructure to deal with it.

Has anyone received an order from Supia, and were you charged duty fees?

 

Adding in another data point from a recent From Japan (shopping proxy) order:

item total: 20,000 yen / $141.81 (Chibi Unoa; described as "DOLL BODY TOYS")
DHL shipping: 10,652 yen / $75.50 (1.680kg box)
DHL fees: $38.72

REGULATORY CHARGES 1.34
IMPORT EXPORT DUTIES 20.38
DUTY TAX PROCESSING 17.00​

Again, about what I expected -- still smarts, though! The package just hit the US/customs and I paid the fee promptly. Delivery is scheduled for tomorrow.

Edit: I wanted to add that my experience with From Japan shipping fees tend to be a little higher than I think is normal, as I request that they keep & ship everything in its original packaging from the seller. (I've had them throw away dealer packaging from my orders, and I like to collect that stuff!) So the incoming box is probably bigger/heavier/more expensive than strictly necessary because it's a shipper box in a shipper box. If you aren't crazy like me, your initial shipping costs might be a little more reasonable, though the tariffs will probably be comparable. XD

 

I don't know what to do.... Is there anyway to potentially stop a shipment? I don't know where to ask this question. I'm so stressed out. I don't know how to put out the fire. Can I protect myself??

 

So I just got my tariff bill from UPS for a doll, mind you it was small, but the bill was less for the doll than for the wigs that came in last month. It doesn't really make any sense, but things coming from Korea seem to be in the $20 range right now.

 

What is your question or underlying concerns?
You can simply refuse a shipment, or the shipper can intercept it.

 

Is it already shipped out or pre-shipping? I would contact the seller first and ask if they can just not ship it out. If it's already on it's way, you can refuse the parcel and it would ideally be sent back if "send back in case of non-delivery" was marked on the shipping form.

 

Umm... they took full payment and told me that they were unable to ship to me; I have to wait. Next, I waited and eventually had to cancel. Then, got a reply with a tracking number, possibly after the point of no return. Finally, it'll probably get here after my buyer protections expire.

I had already accepted that I would never get the doll.
And, now I'm going through a wave of emotions over this. I feel nauseous.

 

Did you buy from a dealer or directly from a company? Were you trying to purchase in stock item that wasn't in stock? Typically, there are no cancellations for an order except in rare situations where an in stock item wasn't actually in stock. (And seller should've checked before taking your money.)

Were you purchasing from someone international, and you're also worried about the customs and tariff component?

 

Dealer, in-stock. Yes, they had my address when we started the transaction. So the, "we can't ship to your country" was ... interesting. (Even weirder whilst getting burned by a different dealer.) Yes, worried about about tariffs.

 

If you're in the US, a lot of countries suspended shipping to the US not too long ago. Only more recently have they started resuming shipping to the US, so it wasn't an outright lie. You don't mention any details at all unless being pressed, so it's hard to gauge anything about your situation.

Like, does the tracking number work? Knowing the dealer would help b/c it may be sent via DDP (duty delivery paid).

Why are you saying that you've accepted you won't ever get the doll? Is it because you are unable to possibly pay tariff/customs if you're charged that upon delivery?

If it's from a dealer who has sent your doll DDP, then you won't have to pay when your item is delivered.

 

Good news! Yesterday I got an artist doll head from Germany DHL which used USPS for the last mile. No tariff. Shipping was $30.

 

I ordered a wig from Poland at the beginning of August and the seller ended up refunding me because she couldn't send it to the US. I've basically been focusing on etsy sellers in the States until I know for certain that orders outside aren't going to get cancelled. This whole thing has been a hassle that could have been avoided, but that's a discussion for another place.

 

"Lying" might be a bad word here. It's more ... failure to relay crucial information. The doll just happened to be in a country that had not been able to ship to US, when I ordered. I'll private message you because it's a story.

 

It affects it quite a lot. Fortunately I live close to the border and have friends and family in Canada to receive packages for me, but just recently I had to forgo full insurance on one doll to get it into the US, and another two were unable to ship into the US at all and are with my cousins now. With how many dolls I get from Slavic and European countries, the shipping restrictions are unpleasant, to say the absolute least.

 

Did they just shut off all the shipping? I went on 1999 and they said every shipping option is unavailable and starting on December 16th no more registered Air mail. did the private shhipping companies just decide this for the holidays?




The following shipping methods are currently unavailable in your country:
EMS, SAL Small Packet, Registered SAL, SAL Parcel, ePacket Light, Surface Parcel, Surface Small Packet, Air Small Packet, Air Parcel, Registered Air.

 

brutal. merry xmas folks futurama-style

i did get some items through via Yanwen in Nov prepaid tariff near as i can tell, last mile usps

 

I ordered SartoriaJ SD that’s to arrive in 2026….without thinking tariffs. I’m THRILLED how the tariff is at the time of shipping T_T
Thank you everyone for all the detailed updates since I have no idea about these things.

I have a small order from Volks and a head and eyes from China to be shipped soon. I hope there won’t be problem.

 

With Sartoriaj, you ordered from one of the best companies on how they're handling tariffs. They are prepaying taxes for DHL Express orders, so you should be in the clear: Important Shipping Notice: DHL Express with Prepaid TaxesNOTICE - SartoriaJ

 

Thank you for the link! I also have a little difficult time navigating their website.

 

Has anyone recently ordered from Alice Collection? I’m wanted to make a purchase but I am so worried about the tariff situation. (Is it 35 or 45% now idk). Any pointers? Messaged them to see what they say but their website says tariff free shipments. I’m hoping to luck out on the second hand market..

 

i am in the US and i've purchased multiple times from Alice's Collections this year-- i've gotten two different shipments of doll bodies from them plus an order of shoes. i have not been charged any tariff fees or extra charges of any kind on any of my Alice's packages-- the website is accurate.

 

Oh that gives me relief it’s my wedding gift to myself (hubby likes to see me happy) so I’m really hoping to get this doll all finished by 2026. Thank you!! The whole situation has put a damper on my doll purchases this year so hoping this will be a smooth sailing purchase!

 

Speaking of distributors, I got a message today from Erica of Legend Doll. My AoLingshi 75cm body is ready to ship. I knew that she uses SF Express with no tariffs for US customers and had asked for that. Today she messaged that the box was too big to use SF Express and was I okay with shipping by ship. I wrote back asking who would be the company involved with import customs clearance since 2 of my orders were destroyed by customs through UPS. I know I can ask for DHL (high cost and an import tax for me but I always get my DHL orders). Does anyone have experience with shipping by ship these days? If I could definitely get my order, I would choose that method since it would save me $40-$100 (guessing). (I know it takes a month’s time.)

 

Congrats on the wedding!

 

Thank you thank you

 

Mine was right before tariffs, so take it with a grain of salt

I ordered through dollaphere and obviously they didn't have enough orders to fill a whole container. So when someone else using the container had contraband that had to be destroyed, mine got delayed at customs for about 4 months. The box was entirely destroyed and fortunately it was just. 75cm ufdoll and they packaged it in clear plastic like an action figure within the box but with how resin dolls are wrapped, I imagine the destruction had a huge potential to be much worse.

It ultimately got to me safely, but it does make me wary, especially in today's environment. Dollsphere gave me huge coupon though, so it worked out in the end for me

 

Ugh. I’m sure Legend Doll would do the same. Erica told me the tariffs are prepaid and they have had a lot of success with ship by ship to the US lately so I took the dive. I think there is more quantity coming from China these days as far an empty containers so my fingers are crossed. Luckily this body is low priced. I will report back…

 

Update for anyone in countries requiring Zonos to send commercial parcels to the US: my local post office has said people have been required to pre-pay tariffs for gifts valued over $100 USD sent to the US.

I recently sent a parcel as a gift to the US valued at $50 USD and wasn't required to pre-pay tariffs.
16/12 update: The parcel arrived safely with no tariffs imposed on the receiver at time of writing.

 

anyone have any info on denver doll and their tarrif state? ik theyre us based but they still buy their dolls from companies overseas so they either have to eat the tarrif price or pass it onto their customers

 

I don't know for a fact how Denver doll is handling things however I have compulsively browsed their site regularly this year @vyn_in_the_rain and it looked like all their prices on what I was looking at, wigs and shoes they import, went up a few dollars per item recently.

 

good to know

 

i had to dig around to find the right edition of DDE's newsletter and the October 2025 one had "a note about tariffs" included:

"We are slowly navigating the newly adopted Tariff policies and are happy to announce our business model remains the same! So far, we have been able to absorb the extra taxes we incur and are hoping to continue to do so.
Yes, we are still receiving shipments!
Yes, we are still PREORDERING dolls!
Yes, we plan on being around for a long, long time!
If anything changes we will announce via Social Media or our on webpage but for now, it's business as usual at DDE!"

hope that helps!

 

I don't know if this'll help anyone to know as it is a little more common knowledge, but while I was aware FedEx can come back to people about tariffs really late, I didn't realize how late.

I had to have a package sent through them in mid - September because it was the only option (not strictly a doll-related parcel, but it was from Japan containing various items) approximately valued at ~300 and I was just hit for the tariff for 72.93 today. Kinda completely forgot because it had been so long.

 

thats rough (
hopefully that doesnt happen for more expensive parcels? imagine the late tarif on a package valued at like 800 or more

 

I pre-ordered a doll from Do Dolls Dream who is in Poland, and I don't know whether that means I'm going to escape the tariffs or being paying $144. Fortunately for me, I'm not planning to add many more BJDs for my collection.

 

Paid my first tariff fees for any doll-related order. Again, these extra charges are definitely not the artist's fault and them being able to ship things to me at all is a sign of their persistence and desire to do right by their customers.

Shipping charges for this order went up after the previous shipping option became unavailable (as the previous one was no longer shipping items to the USA) and those increases plus the tariff charges brought a 230$ order to a grand total of $407.04.

I an very aware that there are worse things in the world than doll and hobby items costing more. And I can be aware of those things while being sad that many doll artists have had to discontinue sculpts, limit who they can sell to, or even close up shop entirely. The larger bad things don't make the smaller ones not effect people.

Good luck and hopes for safe shipping for doll artists and doll fans alike.

 

I live in the US and I received an order from them in December and did not get charged a tariff.

 

Thank you! I have placed an order with them and am prepared to pay for the tariff. I was a bit confused as their shipping has now changed (used to always be free wi tbh any doll body) but that was my only hiccup was paying extra for the shipping.

 

I received a pair of eyes today (valued around $30 plus shipping). The order was completed on September 24, 2025 but couldn’t be shipped out till Dec 30, 2024. I received it January 14, 2026 using an e-packet service. I was not prompted to pay a 19% tariff ( around $6) so as of now keeping my eyes peeled for a bill unless the seller had paid the shipping and duties (around $10). The box I received it in did state that all postage and due were paid. Hope that helps anyone!

 

Has anyone ordered from Dollmore recently? If so, if they shipped via EMS or Fedex, did you have to pay additional customs fees after delivery? Dollmore charges customs fees upon checkout, so it looks like they are paid in advance.

 

Hi everyone! I wanted to give you all an updated on tariffs. As of now, the government courts have struck down Trumps tariff. What this will mean is any global tariffs implemented by executive order will no longer be in place. Everyone can sigh in relief. Any tariffs originally placed by industry standard that congress voted on will stay. The ones done by executive order will disappear. I do not know what will happen to those who have already paid tariffs (guessing they will be out of luck). Just thought this update will be beneficial to know!

 

Hallelujah!

 

Hope is all I got in these trying times

 

Unfortunately I never stopped buying expensive dolls and accessories, but through luck and the wisdom of various dealers and artists (special thanks to luladoll, ACBJD and Lillycat), I have yet to pay a tariff on anything BJD related... hoping this keeps my odds good haha

 

recieved a package today from Iplehouse and it was the first time i have paid any tariffs on anything since they started last year or whenever it was. i've bought several dolls + doll parts since then, but up until now all my purchases were thru Alices Collections and they use a tariff free shipping method.

my order was 6 pairs of hands (i had one doll that needed a replacement and several dolls i wanted alternate hand poses for) and the total was $188. the US portion of the shipping was handled by UPS, and they sent me a tariff bill via email with my tracking number. i paid it as soon as i got it, and then my package arrived as normal.

to be honest, the tariff portion of the fees didn't bother me all that much. it was $6.90, and for me personally i feel that if i can't afford an extra $6.90 then it's probably not a smart time for me to be spending $188 on tiny plastic hands in the first place. the part i found most irritating is that the total UPS bill was $22 and the remainder of that after the $6.90 was UPS fees (the invoice was itemized).

anyway that was my current tariff experience: overall a minor annoyance

 

All of my tariffs were from UPS. They also threw away my head from South Korea. But, if they are last mile, it’s fine. Probably due to their arrangement with customs. I try to avoid using UPS for my primary shipper if possible.