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Nearly everything U.S. shoppers order online from international secondhand shops gets hit with tariffs and/or duties in our new era. We rounded up the must-knows for collectors who just want access to the grails of the world
Ed. note: This article specifically focuses on actions you can take to navigate tariffs on vintage purchases while buying vintage internationally.
For all the basics on tariffs on vintage goods and secondhand import duties, and answers to all your other questions, check out our ultimate guide to how tariffs affect vintage buying and selling.
Any vintage lover who’s used to the hunt knows there are no borders when it comes to a special find. I’m based in Canada, and not only do I routinely stalk shops in the United States, but a few in the United Kingdom, Mexico, Australia and Spain, too.
That’s the beauty of online shopping. I can travel wherever my mouse takes me. Sequin jackets that once belonged to Old Hollywood–money? I’m in California. Floral patterned jumper fished out of a country house estate? Join me in England. A vintage boucherouite rug? Hello, Morocco.
Looking around at all the vintage I’ve accumulated over the years from sellers near and far, I have a veritable world market right here in my home. All of it lugged in by yours truly — or delivered directly to my Toronto doorstep.
I don’t always buy internationally, because I’m on a budget and sometimes, getting hit with customs duties for exceeding the personal import exemption just doesn’t feel worth it. But for the right piece that I’ll never find again? Yeah, I’ll find a way to justify it.
Canada’s duty-free exemption for shipments is low (CA$20, CA$40 or CA$150 depending on the item and how it arrives) compared to the United States’s recently removed “de minimis” duty-free exemption of US$800.
In other words, Canadians are fairly accustomed to paying import duties if we want to buy items shipped from anywhere other than Canada. And we’re now used to paying tariffs, too, since we have a retaliatory set of tariffs in place that have not been lifted for non-USMCA/CUSMA compliant items (most vintage and secondhand is non-compliant).
Shoppers in many other countries also routinely pay import fees in order to obtain products from other places.
But after the U.S. government’s Aug. 29 dismantling of its duty-free exemption that allowed parcels to arrive into the country without incurring duties, tariffs or complex paperwork, paying import duties is something new for many American shoppers who used to make purchases that fell within the allowable duty-free amount.
The United States’s duty-free exemption for shipments was US$800 only since 2016 — before that, it was US$200. But almost a decade and a big boom in online shopping later, and it’s easy to forget what it’s like to pay import duties on many items.
Collectors who shop for high-value vintage, antiques or consignment are already used to paying import duties when they order something internationally.
There’s usually a clearance/broker fee, a customs duty and a tax applied — and, as of this year, there are tariffs, too. A few more fees may show up on the bill, depending on what the product is and how it is being shipped.
If you’re wondering how your vintage shopping addiction is going to survive all this, or if you’ve ever been flat-out shocked by a customs bill, it’s a good time to think about how to shop smart for vintage internationally in this new era.
And even if you’ve been long aware of international shipping rules, things have changed now that there’s no exemption at all for U.S.-bound shipments.
Let’s get into it with 15 things to consider when buying vintage and secondhand online.
Buying internationally looks different now for U.S. vintage shoppers. Most imports (there are some exceptions, which we cover below) now come with extra fees.
Depending on how your item is shipped, those fees may be a) entirely built into the cost of the item itself or the shipping/handling of the item, b) partially built into item cost and partially covered by the vendor, or c) entirely billed to you at delivery.
While some international vintage and secondhand shops have paused U.S. sales while they wait for a viable and cost-effective shipping solution, many are still shipping.
As a buyer, read listings carefully and understand how your parcel will be sent so you can budget for possible duties (more on this below).
Yes, there are new challenges to buying online, but international vintage shopping is still very much alive (and very fun!) — it brings you access to rare items you may not be able to source domestically.
If you’re into vintage and secondhand, chances are good that you already like shopping with small, independent businesses.
This is a trade war that will have a relatively short time frame but lasting consequences for all small shops, especially those that rely on international sales.
Small shops around the globe are hurting right now, from Canada to New Zealand to Germany. They don’t have the deep pockets that large retailers do to offset the costs of tariffs and duties for their customers.
In Canada and the U.S., ongoing boycotts have led to difficult decisions for businesses resulting in closures, and have decimated the economies of border towns that relied on tourism traffic.
“It has been ominous and overwhelming,” says Candace, owner of vintage fashion shop clotheslinesvintage, in a recent survey we conducted.
For shoppers who want to continue shopping from small businesses no matter their location, resellers and dealers who engage in cross-border shipping are extremely appreciative of your continued business.
But there’s no doubt about it — buying vintage internationally now comes with added costs for U.S. buyers.
It’s a valid choice to only support locally or domestically in light of that, and to give the shops closest to you a boost in business.
If that’s your decision, turn to your local bricks-and-mortar stores, and don’t forget your local e-com ones, too, which have seen cross-border sales drop this year (more on how to filter them below).
Other people’s decisions on what businesses they want to support during this trade war may not align with yours, and that’s okay.
Tariffs and duties aren’t charged the same way for every shipment. How your package is shipped determines who is paying any associated fees, and when.
Among resellers who are shipping to the U.S., many use post offices to send their packages, or through partner carriers that use the postal system.
Parcels shipped that way need to be Delivery Duty Paid (DDP). That means duties are pre-paid before the parcel leaves its country and reaches the buyer.
The seller pays the fees in advance, and the cost of those fees are typically built into the price or shipping rate.
Other resellers use express carriers such as FedEx, DHL Express, Purolator or UPS.
Packages shipping through those companies are usually Delivery Duty Unpaid (DDU), also known as Delivered at Place (DAP), though some carriers may have a DDP option.
DDU means tariffs, duties and associated fees are collected once the item enters the destination country. In this case, the shipping company collects the fees at the buyer’s door or sends an invoice.
You might be thinking, why would I ever want to pay the customs and duties at my door? DDP is the way to go! But DDU can offer its own peace of mind: express carriers are usually faster to clear customs than other carriers — it’s right there in the name.
Check the listing and shop policies for details on how your item will be shipped, and you’ll be prepared to receive your new-to-you vintage find — as in, no surprises when the shipper delivers your parcel and simultaneously hands you a bill for the customs duties. (It’s easy to forget when you’re excited for your item!).
You can usually find mention of which carrier the vendor will use in the listing.
e.g. If the listing says Shipped via FedEx Ground, you’ll know you have to pay tariffs and duties when the item arrives to you.
e.g. If the listing says Shipped via Canada Post/USPS, you’ll know you won’t have an extra bill at your door.
If blowing your shopping budget is a concern, consider adjusting your search either for items that only arrive Delivery Duty Paid (DDP), or for lower-priced products to account for the tariffs you will have to pay if they arrive Delivery Duty Unpaid (DDU).
Tariffs and duties are like a sales tax. They’re not fun to pay, but they’re part of the cost of getting something you might not otherwise get your hands on.
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Not every parcel crossing into the U.S. is getting hit with extra fees.
Here is what is exempt — keep in mind that items need to be identified correctly by the vendor in order to pass through customs unscathed.
Buyers don’t need to know the codes used to classify items, but you can read listings closely or even ask a seller directly to confirm how an item is classified and whether any exemptions may apply.
Exempt from both tariffs and duties:
Exempt from duties but not from tariffs:
Exempt from tariffs but not from duties:
When you shop for vintage internationally, more than one type of fee can pop up on your order.
The exact mix of fees (and who pays them — the buyer or vendor) depends on how the parcel is shipped, the country where the item was originally made (not where it was shipped from), and what duty rate that particular item receives from the customs agency.
The basic fees you should know about:
Tariffs: Charged on nearly all goods. Usually a percentage based on where the item was originally made multiplied by how much it costs.
Customs duties: Extra charges that depend on the product category. Many goods fall between five to seven per cent duty rates, but others can be higher. Customs duties aren’t applied if the item arrives via mail.
Taxes: Some items may receive special (e.g., luxury goods) or state taxes.
Processing and service fees: May include merchandise processing fees, brokerage or handling fees, and carrier-specific fees (like UPS’s ICOD fee or Canada Post’s remittance fee). The amounts vary by carrier and shipment type.
Shipping and insurance: Basic shipping charges, which vary based on the carrier.
For a full breakdown of costs and examples of how they are applied, visit our ultimate guide to tariffs for buyers and resellers.
Be careful about using ChatGPT or other AI platforms to pre-calculate duties. They’re often inaccurate, pulling the wrong product code for items, or issuing the incorrect duty rate.
If you’re exploring international shipping, think about how to maximize the purchases you are making.
If you feel stuck on the fees attached to one item, could you order a few items at once via a different duty arrangement to make potential fees feel more worthwhile?
Duties and tariffs are calculated on the value of the item(s) being sent — so while fees indeed increase the more you order, you may be able to internally justify $30 in fees for two items — say, a $50 collectible and a $25 collectible at a 35 per cent tariff ($17.50 and $8.75, respectively, plus postal shipment fees) — sent via post office…instead of over $30 for the same tariff plus customs duties and additional fees for just one $50 collectible sent via commercial carrier.
Think of this as the same kind of logic we all use when trying to unlock free shipping — pay a little more to get more items, and save on shipping. Pay a little more to get more items shipped a certain way, and save on duties.
Shipping location and country of origin isn’t always the same. For example, a seller based in France might be selling a Made in Hong Kong item. That means it’s getting a tariff of 54 per cent instead of a tariff of 15 per cent when it enters the U.S.
Because U.S. customs requires country of origin (aka country of manufacture) on all items, many sellers are now including this information directly in their listings to ensure buyers have some idea of the tariff that will be applied to the item.
Look for that information in listings, and use the country chart of tariff rates to get an idea of what percentage your item will receive. If the information isn’t included, ask the seller.
Not all platforms make the country the seller resides. Check their bio, shop details or reach out directly if you aren’t sure.
If you are trying to shop locally, this information will be helpful to you, of course, but if you are open to shopping internationally and the seller is located abroad, you have a good baseline that the item will receive a tariff.
When browsing global marketplaces such as Etsy and eBay, which give you access to finds from all around the world, you can use filters to view only sellers in your own country if you want to support domestically or avoid surprise costs later.
You can also use resources like the Shop Secondhand Directory to find especially North American-based sellers who may be close to you.
Keep in mind there may be some international sellers partnering with U.S.-based warehouses to ensure their products are delivered without extra costs. If you filter by region you may miss out on these.
“Eighty per cent of my Etsy business is in the U.S.,” says Terrilyn, owner of MarthaDeco. Without sales to the U.S., “I will likely be closing my shop,” she wrote in our recent survey.
Making a purchase from a domestic or international seller is the quickest and most impactful way to show your support for independent businesses.
However, there are ways to support your favourite shops in the U.S. or Canada, Europe, Australia, or beyond, if a purchase isn’t currently in the cards.
Sign up for their newsletters or follow them on social media to stay in the loop if they announce changes to their shipping policies. Sharing their content, forwarding cool finds from their shops to a friend or writing them a testimonial are all things you can do to show you value what they do.
Nobody likes an unexpected charge, but refusing your package is hard on small businesses. If you ordered an item shipped via a commercial carrier in a Delivery Duty Unpaid arrangement and you decline delivery of the item, you won’t get the item, you won’t get a refund, and, in some cases you might be charged return shipping.
On the seller’s side, it’s costly to have a buyer refuse a parcel — the vendor may have to pay out of pocket to ship the item back, or lose it altogether.
A better move is to read listings carefully before you buy and confirm whether tariffs and duties are included or paid for by the buyer. A seller would always rather you ask for confirmation than to ship an item that will get refused at the door.
If a customs bill still wasn’t something you were ready for, chalk it up to part of the learning curve of international shopping in 2025 and beyond.
Patience is paramount right now — and that’s not easy in our Amazonification era where we are used to things showing up like, yesterday.
Customs brokers are backlogged right now trying to process parcels under the new rules and so are shippers. Your parcel may take a few extra days to get to you.
Delays are out of control of the vendor and even the shipping companies at the moment. It takes as long as it takes for parcels to clear customs, and things should get smoother over coming months.
Shopping online internationally in this new tariff era takes a little more know-how and planning, but it’s still worth it for the chance to discover the most incredible vintage pieces.
Vintage hunters are used to adding knowledge to their arsenals with every deep dive into history and every nugget of advice from seasoned thrifters. Consider navigating around buying with tariffs as one more tool in the smart secondhand shopper’s toolkit and you’ll be collecting killer vintage from all over the world again before you know it.
Because nothing beats a Sunday morning espresso with a stroll — um, scroll — through an Italian vintage shop’s online storefront, all from the comfort of your couch.
