Etsy and eBay sellers: how to import from China without customs surprises

De-minimis is gone: every China import now pays duties

Until 2 May 2025, packages from China valued under $800 entered the US duty-free under the de-minimis rule. That exemption ended for Chinese-origin goods on that date and has since been suspended for every country. Every commercial import from China now requires a formal US customs entry and pays import duties regardless of the declared value.

For Etsy and eBay sellers, this adds a real cost to every restocking order. A $200 order of ceramic components or $400 of handmade fabric from a Chinese supplier now carries import duties on top of freight. Ignoring this in your cost model means losing margin on every shipment.

Duty rates for common Etsy and eBay product categories

Rates vary significantly by product. There is no single China rate. The duty is the normal rate for your product's HTS code plus a Section 301 duty where the code is on a Section 301 list (7.5% or 25% for most listed consumer goods, higher for a few categories such as 100% on electric vehicles). The IEEPA tariffs added in 2025 were ended on 20 February 2026, and a temporary 10% surcharge ran from 24 February 2026 through 24 July 2026. Here are typical components for categories common among Etsy and eBay sellers; see the US import rules timeline for each dated change.

• Craft supplies (fabric, yarn, beads, ribbon): base rates typically 0 to 12% depending on material, plus Section 301 where the code is listed.
• Ceramics and pottery: base rate typically 3 to 8% plus Section 301 where the code is listed.
• Home decor and giftware: base rates vary widely by material (0 to 7%), plus Section 301 where the code is listed.
• Clothing and apparel: base rates can be high (up to 32%) depending on fabric type, plus Section 301 where listed. Apparel is among the highest-duty categories, so check the exact code.
• Jewelry and accessories: base rates 0 to 7% plus Section 301 where the code is listed. Gold/silver content affects classification.
• Books, prints, and paper goods: typically lower duties. Some categories enter at 0% base rate plus limited Section 301 exposure.

To find the exact rate for your product, look up the 10-digit HTS code at hts.usitc.gov. Your customs broker can do this for you at the quote stage.

Shipping options for small Etsy and eBay lots

Most Etsy and eBay sellers import small, lightweight orders. Air freight is typically the practical option, because the orders are small and needed soon. Sea freight is quoted from 10 kg of chargeable weight and costs less, for orders that can wait several weeks longer.

• Air express (DHL, FedEx, UPS): door to door in 5 to 7 days. For orders under 30 kg, this is the default. Courier market rates are typically $6 to $10 per kg. At that market range a 5 kg order of craft supplies costs $30 to $50 to ship, factor this into your unit pricing.
• Air freight (consolidated): door to door in 7 to 12 days. Starts making sense at 30 kg and above. Market rates are typically $3 to $6 per kg at larger weights. Lower cost per kg with a slightly longer timeline. Plain Freight's own price, from our pricing engine (2026-10-30): 20 kg of general goods by air is $422.69 door to door with duty included ($21 to $22 per kg up to 20 kg), and air consolidation from 35 kg runs $4 to $14 per kg plus import duty.
• Sea: 28 to 32 days door to door with us, US duty included, quoted from 10 kg of chargeable weight and cheaper than air at that size. Worth it when a restock can wait; most individual Etsy or eBay orders are either smaller than that or needed sooner.

A practical rule: for most Etsy and eBay restocking orders under 30 kg, air express at DDP pricing gives you the simplest experience, one price, no surprises, 5 to 7 days.

Why your current freight quote is probably wrong

Many small importers first encounter China freight through carrier calculators or forwarder websites that show only the transport cost. That number is misleading.

What a complete landed cost includes for a China import in 2026:

• Freight (the number most quotes show).
• US customs clearance: typically $100 to $175 for a straightforward air shipment.
• Import duties: your HTS rate applied to the declared value.
• ISF filing (sea only): $50 to $75.
• US delivery from port or airport to your door.

A DDP quote from a single freight partner bundles all of these into one number. That is the only number worth comparing between providers, not the freight rate in isolation.

Declaring value correctly: why under-declaring is not worth the risk

Some suppliers offer to under-declare the invoice value to reduce your duty exposure. This is customs fraud. CBP cross-references declared values against known market prices for common product categories and flags discrepancies.

The consequences of a caught misdeclaration are disproportionate: the goods can be seized, you face penalties as the importer of record, and future shipments get flagged for closer inspection. For an Etsy or eBay seller operating on thin margins, this risk is not worth taking.

The correct approach: declare the real transaction value on the commercial invoice, calculate your actual duty cost using the correct HTS code, and build that cost into your product pricing.