As of August 22nd, we will be switching to Delivery Duty Paid (DDP) shipping for all orders to the USA.
This change is necessary due to the removal of the "de minimis" import rule on August 29th.
This update, announced by the White House on July 30, 2025, eliminates the $800 duty-free threshold that previously allowed low-value shipments to enter the U.S. without the importing parties having to pay import duties or taxes.
🔗 Read the official Executive Order
What This Means for You
- Orders under $800 are no longer exempt from tariffs when entering the USA.
- We are now required to pay these tariffs to the US government on your behalf at the time of booking the shipping.
- Therefore, we must collect the tariff fees at the checkout stage of placing an order.
- Deliveries may take longer depending on how the logistical chain handles the change after the de minimis rule is removed.
If we stuck to our old system with Royal Mail, each package would attract an additional tariff that you would have to pay of between $80 and $200 (See Sec 3 (c) - (i), (ii) & (iii) of the executive order), depending on the country of origin of our products.
This is obviously unacceptable and unworkable.
What This Means For Us
Tariffs are the responsibility of the importer (you), but the US administration has decided to force anyone shipping orders into the US to pay these tariffs upfront, thereby shifting the burden of collecting the tariffs onto others. Make no mistake, these tariffs are a tax on US consumers.
Our options were:
A. Cease shipping to the USA entirely, which would leave our customers without access to our innovative electrode designs. Not good for you or us either. Small retailers are increasingly choosing this option due to the hassle, risks, expense, and problems that arise from trying to implement option B.
-or-
B. Find a way of reducing the burden on our customers by finding a viable solution (ad-valorem duties) to the upfront payment requirement of tariffs when booking shipping.
This removes the ridiculous $80-$200 tariff, plus any additional fees you would have had to pay before receiving your order to clear it through customs for delivery. A mechanism is used to determine the details and display them dynamically during checkout, eliminating any ambiguity during the checkout process.
As of 17th September, we are now able to offer free shipping to the USA again for orders over $200. This means shipping will be free for orders over this threshold, but tariffs will still be due on the order, as we have to collect these.
🧮 How Tariffs Are Calculated
Tariffs vary depending on the country of manufacture of each product in an order. For example:
- Products will have different tariff rates based on their country of origin and the materials used.
- Under the ad valorem rule, tariffs are calculated for each individual product within an order, taking into account its country of origin. This is then added up to determine the total duty due for the package.
To help you make informed decisions about your order, we now display the country of origin on all product pages.
During checkout, the shipping section will clearly show:
- The cost of shipping.
The cost of applicable tariffs will be shown on the checkout page as "Duties"
- The applicable tariffs must be collected and passed on when we book the shipping, to ensure your order incurs no additional charges.
Tariffs are worked out on a product-by-product basis based on that product's HS code. The US administration has set the base tariff for products made in the UK at 10%. However, they also set special rules for certain types of products, one of these being copper, so cables attract much higher tariff rates (100%) than standard products.
❗️ Limitations
This new system is only available for orders under $800, though. We do not have a mechanism in place for shipping orders to the USA over that value, so please bear that in mind when placing an order.
Orders placed over that value will have to be cancelled, and a full refund will be issued. Unfortunately, with the tariff situation, our hands are tied on this matter.
A Smoother Experience
While we know this isn’t welcome news, the switch to DDP shipping means your order will arrive with all duty and tariffs already paid.
This avoids delays, surprise hidden fees at delivery, and ensures a much smoother shopping experience for our customers.
Our Commitment
We apologise for the inconvenience these changes are causing, and understand this may be frustrating. It certainly is for us, too, and is placing enormous burdens on us here at E-Stim Emporium.
However, without collecting the tariff fees at the point of sale, we would not be able to continue shipping to the USA. This change ensures we can keep serving our American customers with transparency and reliability.
Thank you for your understanding and your continued support. Happy stimming.
2 comments
Thank you for your kind words, CaSlut. It has been a nightmare to navigate the rules, which seem to constantly be in a state of flux and come up with workable systems to keep those stateside with the opportunity to enjoy my designs.
Thank you for your dedication and high standard of customer service in providing your American Cousins a way to resolve at least part of the national nightmare we are currently experiencing.