July 23rd 2025
Parcel and postal service providers around the world are pausing their delivery operations to the USA over confusion around the new import taxes that must be paid on all parcels from 29th August.
Up until now, the UK (and many other countries) had a ‘de minimis exemption’ agreement in place with the USA on packages worth up to $800 (approx. £590) which allowed US consumers to buy items from abroad without paying import duties.
However, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order last month ending this agreement on the global import tax exemption on low-value parcels, which will take effect from 29 August.
International parcel and postal services from us here in the UK are via our provider Royal Mail International, and they have currently suspend deliveries to the USA until they have proper systems in place to deal with the new rules.
Royal Mail said it was withdrawing its current USA export services for all businesses but added it hoped to have a new system up and running shortly to allow it to comply with the new rules before they kick in.
A statement from Royal Mail: “We have been working hard with US authorities and international partners to adapt our systems and services to meet the new US de minimis requirements so that UK consumers and businesses can continue to use our services when they come into effect”
So just to be very clear – currently any of our lovely customers in the USA unfortunately cannot place an order on the Dark Star Merch website (or our Etsy store page). USA as a delivery country option has temporarily removed. I stress ‘temporarily’ because as soon as the Royal Mail International systems have been updated for orders from the USA, we will reinstate USA as a delivery country option.
Please accept our apologies for this inconvenience, and believe me it’s a bloody nightmare for us. Its not actually our fault, nor do we have not control over this either… but we’re British and we apologies for everything 😁
For those of you who already have an order in the system destined for the USA, we will contact you directly regarding your order on Tuesday. (Please note it is a Bank Holiday here in the UK on Monday).
Please bear with us whilst we (and every other global business who sells to the USA) adjusts to these new rules and tariffs.
I hasten to add, Dark Star Merch are not the only business or the UK the only country being affected by this.
Most European postal services including Deutsche Post, PostNord and DHL Parcel Germany are also temporarily suspending parcel delivery for customers to the US as “key questions remain unresolved” about how duties would be paid, and by whom.
Etsy has also suspending shipping label purchases within their system for Australia Post, Canada Post, and Evri for all USA-bound packages while couriers adjusted services.
Thank you for your patience and your understanding in this matter.