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Confused about U.S.-Canada tariffs, USMCA/CUSMA rules and how global trade policies affect vintage and secondhand goods? This guide for buyers and resellers tells you what you need to know about tariffs, customs fees and cross-border shipping
Ed. note: This article was originally published on Feb. 12, 2025 and is frequently updated to reflect the latest events. Information is subject to change any time and is based on interviews and current guidance from Canada Border Services Agency, U.S. Customs & Border Protection, third-party shippers and customs brokers. We cover tariffs as they relate to the retail/resale sector, especially as they pertain to the relationship between Canada and the United States. We do not cover steel, aluminium, dairy, electricity, etc. Always check directly with your local transportation carriers and your customs agency for the latest information.
Buyers and sellers of vintage, antiques and secondhand are affected by the global trade war either directly or indirectly.
We’re here to answer your questions on what this means for your purchases and shipments, and for the community.
Use the navigation below to jump to your most frequently asked questions. If you have a question that isn’t addressed here, contact us.
General questions
What’s the latest on tariffs in vintage and secondhand?
What are tariffs and who pays?
What goods and countries are currently subject to tariffs?
How are tariffs applied to vintage, antique and secondhand products?
What vintage and secondhand goods are included in Canada's retaliatory tariffs?
Do tariffs apply to in-person border crossings, too?
De minimis/duty-free/exemptions
How long are de minimis/duty-free exemptions in place?
Are antiques over 100 years old exempt from U.S. tariffs?
Are informational materials (posters, photos, films, etc.) and artwork exempt from U.S. tariffs?
What other exemptions should I be aware of?
If I ship or import this item, what will the tariff be?
Complying with tariffs & country of origin
General/for buyers
For vendors
What should sellers be doing to comply with current tariff rules?
How do I determine country of origin?
What if I don't know country of origin?
What if there are multiple countries of origin (e.g., multiple disparate items or a bundle or kit?)
What about vintage items made in USA? Can they enter duty free?
Do items over 20 years old need to be marked with country of origin?
What are the specific codes for items that may be exempt from U.S. tariffs?
How do I collect and remit tariffs after de minimis is removed?
I found a ruling online that states something. Can I apply it to my scenario?
USMCA/CUSMA exemption & compliance
General/for buyers
What goods are eligible to qualify under USMCA/CUSMA?
Can vintage, antiques & secondhand goods be USMCA-compliant?
What happens if the item I'm ordering/shipping isn't USMCA/CUSMA- compliant?
For vendors
Is filling out country of origin on my shipping paperwork enough to qualify for CUSMA/USMCA?
My item is tagged Made in Canada, Made in USA or Made in Mexico. Does that mean it qualifies under USMCA/CUSMA?
How can I prove origin for USMCA compliance?
How do I get a certification of origin if I don’t know the manufacturer?
Do I have to claim USMCA/CUSMA if I have an item made in Canada, Mexico or the U.S.?
Support & impact
Are all items costing me more as a buyer?
Should I buy vintage and secondhand locally/within my own country?
What does the trade war mean for vintage, antiques and secondhand buyers and sellers?
Who in the North American market is actually being impacted?
Is it true that tariffs could help the vintage & antiques market?
How can I adapt to these changes as a seller?
How did this trade war get started?
Where can I find more tariffs resources specific to vintage and secondhand?
Where can I find additional tariffs resources?
On Aug. 11, the U.S. government announced tariff rates on items made in China, Hong Kong and Macau set to increase on Aug. 12 would remain the same until Nov. 10. You can see the rates in this section under the subheading “China.”
On Aug. 7, the U.S. government placed tariff rates ranging from 15 to 50 per cent on more than 90 countries. Most other countries have tariffs of 10 per cent.
On Aug. 1, the U.S. government raised Canada's tariff rate to 35 per cent, up from 25 per cent, effective immediately (more below).
On Jul. 31, a U.S. appeals court began hearings on Trump's appeal of the U.S. Court of International Trade's May 28 ruling that many of the tariffs the U.S. government has enacted using emergency powers are not legal. The results of that court hearing have not yet been released, so all of the information in this article stands in the interim.
On Jul. 30, the U.S. government announced that it will end the de minimis exemption that allows packages from any country valued at or under US$800 to enter the U.S. duty free as of Aug. 29. More on this below.
Canada and Mexico
Canada's current tariff rate as of Aug. 1 is 35 per cent, and Mexico's is 25 per cent. The tariff does not apply to USMCA (CUSMA)-compliant goods, or to items that fall under the “de minimis” exemption (learn more below).
USMCA/CUSMA is the free trade agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico. It is called USMCA in the U.S., CUSMA in Canada and T-MEC in Mexico.
For an explanation of what USMCA/CUSMA compliance means and why it’s unlikely to include your vintage products, see the relevant question below.
Canada’s retaliatory tariffs of 25 per cent remain in place on $30 billion worth of American goods, including retail, but the Canadian government has indefinitely paused its previously announced second set of tariffs on $125 billion worth of retail goods.
On Aug. 22, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Canada would drop some of its retaliatory tariffs on the U.S. as of Sept. 1. The reprieve will only apply to items that qualify under USMCA/CUSMA.
China
China's baseline tariff rate currently ranges from 30-54 per cent, depending on the value of the item.
If an item is originally made in China, Hong Kong or Macau is valued over US$800, its duties are 30 per cent, plus any existing product-specific tariffs.
If an item with a country of origin of China, Hong Kong or Macau valued at or under US$800 arrives via express carrier, it receives a duty of 54 per cent until Nov. 10.
If an item with a country of origin of China, Hong Kong or Macau valued at or under US$800 is arriving via international mail (postal network), it will instead receive a duty of 54 per cent OR a flat fee of $100 per item, until Nov. 10. It's up to the carrier to decide which duty to apply.
International
On Aug. 7, the U.S. government placed tariff rates ranging from 15 to 50 per cent on more than 90 countries. Most other countries have tariffs of 10 per cent. India may receive another 25 per cent tariff on its goods on Aug. 27, on top of its newly announced 25 per cent.
The U.S. has recently announced trade deals with a few countries including the United Kingdom, which will receive a tariff of 10 per cent, and the European Union, which will receive a tariff of 15 per cent.
De minimis exemptions still exist for all of these countries (except China, Hong Kong and Macau) until Aug. 29.
Tariffs are a surcharge applied to a product when it enters a country.
Think of a tariff like a duty that gets collected. There are already import duties on items, and the tariff is like an extra duty. The U.S. government (U.S. Customs & Border Protection, or CBP) collects the tariff duties on items shipped to the U.S. The Canadian government (Canada Border Services Agency, or CBSA) collects the tariff duties on items shipped to Canada.
Generally, it is the importer — the business who is ordering the goods or the individual consumer who is ordering the goods — who pays that money to the federal government. If you are ordering items via FedEx, Purolator, DHL, etc. you will pay the tariffs as the buyer.
However, in the case of the Aug. 29 removal of de minimis (goods valued at or under US$800), for items sent via transportation carrier that uses the international postal network (ChitChats DDP, Stallion Express DDP, national mail carriers, etc.), the carrier must collect the duties in advance.
That means the carrier needs to charge the exporter — the business that is sending the goods — upfront for all the duties before the parcel crosses the border. In this case, the cost would usually be passed on to the customer by way of increased prices.
If you’re ordering from an online marketplace or directly from a reseller, depending on the value of the item you as the consumer would pay the tariff either directly to the customs agency in your country by way of the shipping company bringing you your item, or, if the vendor is covering the duties for you in advance, then indirectly via an increased selling price on the item.
If you’re running a business that imports in bulk or receives large shipments (e.g., vintage wholesale or furniture), you would probably be working with a customs broker who helps you to pay the tariff to the customs agency in your country on the value of your shipment.
If you are a buyer purchasing an item within your own country, but that item that was originally imported from elsewhere by a shop and then marked up to cover the cost of the tariff when it was originally brought into the country, you indirectly pay that tariff because it's been worked into price of the item when it's sold to you.
The 2025 tariffs (also known as the U.S. tariffs or the IEEPA tariffs) are calculated on the value of the good, and are paid over and above any existing applicable tariffs, customs duties and/or taxes.
Some products have their own special tariffs independent of the ones announced by the U.S. administration this year. So any given purchase may have a new tariff, a customs duty, a brokerage fee and a tax applied.
U.S. consumers and companies (aka importers) must pay the U.S. government tariffs of 35 per cent on all imported goods that do not comply with USMCA/CUSMA and that “originate” (a.k.a. were manufactured in) in Canada for all items valued over US$800 (which is the “de minimis,” or duty-free, exemption).
According to BDO Canada, approximately 90 per cent of Canadian exports are considered USMCA eligible, though the number that are actually compliant may be closer to 50 per cent. Vintage, antiques and secondhand goods generally fall in the remaining 10 per cent that are not eligible.
Being USMCA compliant means you can prove an item’s origin to be Canada, United States or Mexico, which is difficult to do with secondhand products that lack documentation and traceability. For more on this, see below.
U.S. consumers and companies (aka importers) must pay the U.S. government tariffs of at least 30 per cent for goods made in China and Hong Kong for goods valued over US$800.
If an item with a country of origin of China, Hong Kong or Macau valued at or under US$800 is arriving via courier/express carrier (i.e. UPS), its duty owing is 54 per cent, until Nov. 10.
If an item with a country of origin of China, Hong Kong or Macau valued at or under US$800 is arriving via international mail (postal network), it will receive either a duty of 54 per cent OR a flat fee of $100 per item, until Nov. 10. It's up to the carrier to decide which duty to apply.
These rules for China and Hong Kong apply no matter which country the items were originally shipped from.
U.S. consumers and companies (aka importers) must pay the U.S. government tariffs of minimum 10 per cent, ranging up to 50 per cent, when importing any goods valued over US$800 originating from most countries other than Canada, Mexico, China and Hong Kong.
As the U.S. makes deals with different countries, those tariff rates are changing. For example, goods made in South Korea receive a tariff of 15 per cent, goods made in Japan receive 15 per cent, goods made in the European Union receive 15 per cent and goods made in the United Kingdom still receive 10 per cent.
Canadian consumers and companies (aka importers) must pay retaliatory tariffs, called a surtax, of 25 per cent on certain goods made in the U.S., including clothing, jewellery and more (see a partial list below).
This surtax is applied to any shipments valued over CA$150 when sent by courier and over CA$20 when sent by mail.
The surtax is also applied to in-person border crossings: If a resident has visited the U.S. less than 24 hours, if they've brought back more than CA$200 after 24-48 hours, or if they've brought back more than CA$800 after 48 hours.
Just as with the U.S., the Canadian surtax applies even when the made-in-America item has been exported from a country other than the U.S. into Canada.
Tariffs are applied based on country of origin. If the product is being exported by another country, it is tariffed at the rate set for the country it was manufactured in.
In the U.S., if the item was originally made in a country on its tariff list, is valued over US$800 and does not meet any exemption rules (e.g. USMCA/CUSMA), the tariff applies.
Duties and tariffs between 30 and 54 cent apply to items entering the U.S. that were originally made in China, Hong Kong and Macau. For more info on that, see the section on de minimis.
As far vintage, antiques and secondhand products in North America go, these tariffs apply to almost everything coming into the U.S. — including items that previously fell under free trade regardless of value, such as antiques over 100 years old — if those items are not compliant with the regulations of USMCA/CUSMA.
Canada’s retaliatory tariffs apply to a range of U.S.-made vintage and secondhand products (see a partial list below).
Tariffs are paid on top of any existing rates of duty. They are generally paid by the person or company who imports the item, however, when de minimis is removed on Aug. 29, parcels sent by transportation carrier that uses the international postal network (e.g. ChitChats DDP, Stallion Express DDP, mail carriers that offer delivery duty paid [DDP] options) will need to clear with pre-paid duties.
That means the business shipping the item is responsible for paying tariffs and import fees ahead of time. Because most small businesses can't absorb those fees, as a consumer, that cost would usually end up being reflected in the selling price of your item.
Here's how a tariff works: a bale is filled with women’s silk suits and dresses, all made in Canada between the 1980s and 1990s. It's valued over US$800 and heading to the States. The bale is already subject to a duty of 7.1 per cent according to the tariff rate schedule. The 35 per cent tariff gets added on in addition to that initial 7.1 per cent.
Here are some additional scenarios (note these examples illustrate how base tariff rates work and do not reflect other applicable duties including import fees, taxes and brokerage fees):
A shop in the U.K. sells a vintage painting to a U.S. customer. The painting is valued at US$1,000 and was originally created in Canada. The customer gets a US$800 exemption and, before Aug. 29, must pay an must pay an extra $70 to cover the tariff of 35 per cent, because Canadian products are being tariffed no matter where they arrive from. After Aug. 29, the total value of the painting gets a tariff, and that tariff needs to be pre-paid, meaning the vendor owes $350 instead of $70.
A Canadian shop sells an antique coat originally manufactured in Canada to a U.S. customer visiting Canada for three days. It's valued at US$1,900 and it's over 100 years old. It does not have a certification of origin. When the customer crosses the border back to the U.S., there's a US$800 exemption, and the remaining $1,100 receives a tariff of 35 per cent because the coat is not USMCA compliant. The customer must pay a $385 duty upon return to the U.S.
A Canadian shop sells a vintage armoire originally manufactured in Canada to a U.S. customer. The selling price is $3,500. The seller has a certificate of authenticity for the armoire, knows all about the manufacturer, and is able to complete a certification of origin to ship alongside the armoire. The armoire is considered USMCA-compliant by U.S. border agents, and does not receive a 35 per cent tariff.
A U.S. shop sells a vintage candelabra made in the U.S. to a Canadian visiting for the day. The selling price is equivalent to CA$130, but the Canadian only visited the U.S. for six hours. The Canadian must pay a 25 per cent surtax when returning to Canada for not meeting the in-person duty-free requirements. They owe $32.50 in surtax, plus any applicable existing taxes.
A shop in Canada sells a wooden box inlaid with mother of pearl to a U.S. customer. The box was originally made in China, sells for US$90 and is arriving via mail. The box receives a duty at 54 per cent, or US$48.60.
A Canadian shop ships a vintage hand-beaded dress originally manufactured in India to a U.S. customer. Its selling price is US$1,600. There's an exemption of US$800, and the remaining $800 in value receives a tariff of 25 per cent, because that is the rate of duty the U.S. is applying to goods from India. That's US$200. In addition, the dress might be subject to other, existing duties due to its country of origin, and its value exceeding the duty-free exemption. After Aug. 29, the duty changes from US$200 to US$400 to account for no duty-free exemption, and it has to be pre-paid by the vendor.
A shop in Japan sells a vintage necklace to a Canadian customer valued at CA$550. The necklace was originally manufactured in the U.S. It has precious stones and is on Canada's list of made-in-U.S. items. The customer pays a 25 per cent surtax, which is $137.50.
A U.S. shop ships a vintage platter made in Mexico to a Canadian customer and the selling price was US$190. The customer does not have to pay the 25 per cent surtax because the surtax only applies to U.S.-made goods. However, the platter may be subject to additional existing duties because its value is over CA$150.
A U.K. shop ships a vintage designer jumpsuit originally manufactured in the U.K. to a U.S. customer. It's valued at US$949. The exemption is US$800, and the remaining $149 on the jumpsuit receives a tariff of 10 per cent, because that is the rate of duty the U.S. is applying to goods from the U.K. That's $14.90.
A Chinese shop ships a vintage bomber jacket originally manufactured in Hong Kong to a U.S. customer and is arriving via international mail. It's valued at US$200. The customs officers apply a $100 flat fee for the customer to pay instead of a tariff.
These are just some of the categories and products included on the list of U.S.-origin products that Canada is collecting a 25 per cent surtax on.
Art & collectibles
Clothing & accessories
Jewellery
Home decor & furniture
Luggage & bags
For the full list, click here.
Yes, tariffs apply to in-person (land) border crossings.
For Canadian residents
There is a different value for duty exemption for in-person border crossings vs. imported goods via courier or mail.
For in-person border crossings, the exemption is CA$200 after you have visited the U.S. for between 24-48 hours, and CA$800 after 48 hours. If you have visited less than 24 hours, there is no exemption. If you exceed the exemption, you must pay duty on the full amount.
For American residents
The duty-free exemption for in-person border crossings after visiting Canada is US$200 for less than 48 hours, and US$800 for more than 48 hours. If you exceed the exemption, you pay duty on the difference.
How tariffs for land crossings are applied
How the tariffs are applied depends on where those items were made.
Canada's surtax (retaliatory tariffs — the tariffs Canadians pay the Canadian government upon re-entering Canada) of 25 per cent only applies to certain items that were originally manufactured in the U.S.
Canadians pay Canada's tariffs to Canadian border officials. Americans pay American tariffs to U.S. border officials.
Here are a few scenarios (note these examples illustrate how base tariff rates work and do not reflect other applicable duties):
Example 1: A Canadian visits the U.S. for a half a day, and thrifts CA$100 worth of clothes or home decor made in the U.S. that fall under Canada's list of tariffed U.S. products. They pay 25 per cent surtax when coming back to Canada, or CA$25.
Example 2: An American visits Canada for 31 hours, and thrifts clothes or home decor made in Canada but doesn't spend more than US$200. They do not have to pay a tariff when returning to the U.S.
Example 3: A Canadian visits the States for 28 hours, and thrifts clothes and home decor, including items made in the U.S., but doesn't spend more than the equivalent of CA$200. They pay no surtax when returning to Canada.
Example 4: A Canadian was in the States for three full days and spent CA$1,000 thrifting, all of the items were made in the U.S. They exceeded their exemption, so they owe 25 per cent surtax when returning to Canada on the CA$200 difference. That's CA$50.
Example 5: An American visits Canada for five days, and thrifts clothes or home decor made in Canada, spending US$1,500. They exceeded the US$800 exemption and owe a 35 per cent tariff on the difference of US$700 when returning to the U.S., equivalent to US$245. After Aug. 29, they owe US$525.
Example 6: An American visits Canada for nine days, and buys clothes or home decor made in Canada worth US$900, and clothes or home decor made in India worth US$900. They get an exemption of US$800, and owe a 35 per cent tariff on the remaining US$100 in Canadian-made items, which is US$35, plus a 25 per cent tariff on the remaining $900 in Indian-made items, equivalent to US$225, totalling US$260. After Aug. 29, that total changes to US$540.
These are general examples, because items are assessed individually. So it depends on what mix of product you are bringing back and which countries they originated from. They are also assessed based on whether or not you have changed the item or added to its value in any way.
If a person spends over their duty-free exemption limit, they may still owe other duties that were in place already, depending on what country the items were originally manufactured in.
If you are crossing the border with goods for commercial purposes, it's best to contact a customs broker who can help you navigate the import rules.
The “de minimis” exemption (aka Section 321) that allows items valued under US$800 to enter the U.S. duty free remains in place for the time being for Canada, Mexico and most countries, until Aug. 29.
This means as long as the value of your shipment coming into the U.S. is under US$800, you won’t be subject to possible tariffs, even if the item is made in the originating country (aside from China, Hong Kong and Macau).
The country of origin must be noted on all packages (more on that below).
The U.S. will remove the “de minimis” exemption for all countries on Aug. 29, meaning that goods valued at or under US$800 will have tariffs applied, too, if they are arriving via express/commercial carrier, or courier. Other countries that have duty-free exemptions in place are not removing theirs; it is only the U.S.
The removal of de minimis means that not only will goods be subject to the tariffs associated with their country of origin, but also regular import duties and taxes that were previously not applied because of the exemption.
De minimis for goods entering the U.S. from Canada & other countries (excluding China, Hong Kong and Macau)
As of Aug. 29, goods imported to the U.S. valued at or under US$800 and arriving via courier/express or commercial carrier (e.g. Purolator, FedEx) will receive all applicable duties, meaning the tariffs that have been announced for their country of origin, plus any pre-existing duties that may apply to particular products.
As of Aug. 29, goods imported to the U.S. valued at or under US$800 and arriving via transportation carrier that uses the international postal network (e.g. ChitChats DDP, Stallion Express DDP etc. and mail carriers that have instituted a delivery duty paid service — scroll down for further info on postal shipments) will receive duties in one of two ways, outlined below.
How duties will be ultimately be calculated will vary by carrier.
Carriers transporting parcels via the international postal network can choose to apply a duty on the entire package value equal to the IEEPA tariff rate assigned to that country. For example, 10 per cent for made-in-U.K. items or 35 per cent for made-in-Canada items.
Or, until Feb. 28, 2026, carriers transporting parcels via the international postal network can opt for duty to be applied to each item in a package instead of the IEEPA tariff.
In that case, packages containing products of origin from countries with a tariff rate of less than 16 per cent would receive duty of US$80 per item. For countries with a tariff rate between 16 and 25 per cent (inclusive), the duty would be $160 per item, and for countries with a tariff rate above 25 per cent, the duty would be $200 per item.
After Feb. 28, all items arriving via the international postal network will receive tariffs at the rate outlined for their country instead of the above scenario.
Carriers have to choose one or the other and apply it to all the parcels they send, so check with your carrier if it's collecting the flat rate or the IEEPA tariff.
De minimis for postal shipments entering the U.S.
As of Aug. 29, goods imported to the U.S. valued at or under US$800 and arriving via postal shipment (e.g., Canada Post) will owe duties and taxes, and must also enter delivery duty paid, meaning the duties are paid in advance by the vendor.
Duties will be calculated using the same format as the items arriving via international postal network, above — a percentage rate equal to the country of origin's tariff rate, or a flat fee (only available for six months after which point everything will get a percentage rate).
Delivery duty paid may not yet be available for every national mail carrier. USPS has its systems in place already to collect duties from other countries, but not every country's mail carrier has the ability to collect pre-paid duties yet. If your national mail carrier does not offer delivery duty paid, it is likely to suspend service to the U.S. until it does.
On Aug. 22, Canada Post confirmed that it will have a delivery duty paid (DDP) service in place by Aug. 29 and all U.S.-bound shipments must be delivery duty paid as of that day.
On Aug. 20, ChitChats announced its International Tracked Packet DDU option will be suspended until further notice, and on Aug. 22 announced it would no longer offer its Canada Post DDU options as of Aug. 26.
Etsy and eBay will suspend their shipping labels offering for several national mail carriers including Canada Post on parcels destined for the U.S. on Aug. 25. This may change now that Canada Post has announced a DDP option.
Check your national postal service on the rules for your country for information on service delays and changes to this process.
De minimis for goods entering the U.S. from China, Hong Kong or Macau
There are already tariffs on imports of goods that originated in China, Hong Kong and Macau valued at or under US$800 — even if they are arriving from another country.
If an item previously covered under de minimis is originally made in China, Hong Kong or Macau and arriving into the U.S. via courier/express carrier, it is subject to a duty of 54 per cent until Nov. 10.
If an item previously covered under de minimis is originally made in China, Hong Kong or Macau via international mail (postal network), it is subject to a duty of 54 per cent OR a flat fee of $100 per item, until Nov. 10. It's up to the carrier to decide which duty to apply.
Let's say a U.S. customer is purchasing an item made in China from a Canadian shop on Etsy. The item price is equivalent to US$25 and arriving via mail. That item receives a duty of 54 per cent, or US$13.50.
If a U.S. customer is purchasing an item from a Hong Kong shop for US$350 and it arrives via courier, that item receives a duty of 54 per cent. That means the customer owes an additional US$189 in duties to customs, plus any existing tariffs or duties.
De minimis for goods entering Canada
In Canada, there is an equivalent to de minimis called value for duty, which is the base amount used to calculate duty owed on goods being imported. You can think of it like a de minimis exemption.
The value for duty of an imported good (the item being shipped) in Canada via courier (e.g., FedEx) is CA$150, meaning that any goods being imported via courier with a value under CA$150 are not subject to duties or the retaliatory tariff (surtax). Any goods imported via courier over CA$40 are subject to tax, however.
The value for duty of an imported good (the item being mailed) in Canada via mail (e.g. United States Postal Service) is CA$20, meaning that any goods being imported via mail with a value under CA$20 are not subject to duties or the retaliatory tariff (surtax). Any goods imported via mail over CA$20 are still subject to tax.
In addition, “goods that are made in the U.S. and are repaired or altered across the border — for example, a specialized good in the U.S. might require repair in Canada, or vice versa,” would not be subject to the surtax, according to the CBSA's documentation. However, “if the good were in Canada, it would need to already be duty paid.”
Note there is a different value for duty exemption of CA$200 for in-person border crossings after you have visited the U.S. for between 24-48 hours, and CA$800 after 48 hours. This is not the same as the CA$150 value for duty for packages being shipped via courier, or the CA$20 value for duty for items being shipped via mail.
The tariff for goods entering the U.S. that are made in China, Hong Kong or Macau valued over US$800 is 30 per cent. This is part of a temporary "pause" on the back-and-forth raising of tariffs, until Nov. 10.
But the tariffs for those same country-of-origin goods valued at or under US$800 entering via commercial carrier are 54 per cent, and entering via mail (e.g., USPS) either receive a duty of 54 per cent OR a flat fee of $100 per item, until Nov. 10.
You could have an item valued at US$600 arriving via mail that receives a flat fee of $100, and an item valued at US$600 arriving via courier that receives a 54 per cent duty, or US$324. Meanwhile, an item valued at US$810 arriving via courier receives a duty at 30 per cent, or US$243.
The heavy tariffs on “small parcels” (the catch-all term for items valued at or under US$800) are intended to target and gain revenue from the high-volume, low-cost goods arriving from Chinese manufacturers including SHEIN and Temu.
Unfortunately, as of this moment, small businesses that move low-value parcels across the border are also affected by this rule.
Under the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA/CUSMA/T-MEC) free trade agreement, many classifications of antiques over 100 years old, or over 250 years old, were exempt from tariffs and duties.
The tariffs announced by the U.S. on Canada and Mexico are considered sweeping and override the terms of the agreement, meaning most antiques valued over US$800 are currently subject to tariffs of 35 per cent and 25 per cent, respectively. As of Aug. 29, this will include antiques valued at or under US$800, too.
Some printed materials and artworks may be exempt, however. Find out which ones below.
The only way antiques can be exempt from tariffs is through USMCA/CUSMA classification, which requires you to prove provenance through a certification of origin, or if they fall under the aforementioned small subset of goods that are exempt from the tariffs.
Regardless of whether an antique falls under USMCA/CUSMA or not, the country of origin must be declared, as must value of goods and the HTS classification code.
It is possible this rule will change as the U.S. government further defines their import rules and/or a new trade deal is reached.
You can request a customs ruling for your particular case.
Yes, informational materials and some artwork may qualify for exemption from the U.S. tariffs for all countries (including Canada, Mexico, China, Hong Kong and Macau), so long as they are correctly classified under the exempt headings and subheadings of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States.
These items may include:
It’s up to the U.S. customs agent to decide if the HS code supplied matches an exempt item. For a specific list of HS codes that may qualify for exemption, visit our compliance section.
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Continued from above
Any product arriving to the U.S. by way of another country that was originally manufactured in the U.S. may also be exempt from any other applicable tariffs or duties under the “domestic status” provision.
These items are considered previously imported and have either had their duty and tax paid or are free of duty and tax.
For example, if a Canadian shop is shipping a product that was originally manufactured in the U.S., it may not be subject to duties.
Canada has a similar system whereby items originally made in Canada may be re-imported and may qualify for duty-free re-entry.
Both of these exemptions are independent of the current tariffs. They were already in place.
See the following sections for specific vintage examples: How are tariffs applied to products? and do tariffs apply to in-person crossings?
For items being shipped into Canada, use the Canada Tariff Finder to view tariff charges if you don't know the HS code.
There isn't a user-friendly tariff lookup for items being shipped into the U.S. that will tell you all of the fees associated with your cross-border prarcel. Free customs and duty calculators vary on how up-to-date they are, and on additional customs duties that may be applied after tariffs.
Duties associated with tariffs are usually collected by the shipping company on behalf of the customs agency of your country. There are two ways the money is collected: Delivery Duty Unpaid (DDU) or Delivery Duty Paid (DDP).
Delivery Duty Unpaid (DDU) or Delivered at Place (DAP) is the method you currently find on a lot of vintage, antiques and secondhand items (but not all!). It means you as the buyer will be responsible for paying the tariffs and associated clearance fees and taxes when the item gets delivered to you. The shipper will collect that at your door or send you an invoice. This option will no longer be available for postal shipments or shipments through the postal network as of Aug. 29, but it will still be available for express carriers. See more guidance on this in the section on de minimis.
Delivery Duty Paid (DDP) means the seller has covered the cost of the tariffs and associated duties and taxes for you. After Aug. 29, many parcels will enter the U.S. this way. That means you aren't responsible for paying the tariffs, duty and taxes, but you can expect the cost of those fees to be rolled into the selling price of the item you are purchasing.
Look for whether or not your item will be DDU or DDP at checkout, read shop policies and read every listing carefully to ensure you have no surprises. Knowing you will pay an import fee with DDU will help you to make shopping decisions that fit your budget.
Tariffs are applied to items that are entering the U.S. for consumption, meaning they are staying in the U.S. for consumers to use.
For example, a French shop is sending a secondhand item to a Canadian buyer and for logistics reasons, it's passing through the U.S. on its way to Canada.
The U.S. is not the final destination, so the item doesn't get a tariff — but the parcel would need to have the proper documentation declaring it as transit cargo and to indicate it is not remaining in the United States.
If you are a vendor shipping bulk or large shipments, there will be penalties surrounding what are called “transshipments” — if you order a bale from China, for example, then ship it to another country (e.g., Vietnam) for a period and then import into the United States so that you pay a lower tariff than you would if you were to order from the originating country directly.
If you ship into the U.S. or Canada, label the country of origin on all packages. All products within the package must be labelled with country of origin, too, with a label or a tag. If you do not comply, you could get fined up to US$50,000 and get banned from shipping to the U.S. altogether.
No matter what the country of origin (COO) is, label it so it can be inspected properly. For example, if the country of origin of the product is France, declare it as such. Couriers are reporting that entire trucks are being turned around if there's one package that isn't labelled properly with COO.
For vintage, antiques and secondhand, the country of origin is the place the item was originally manufactured. You may not know this information, in which case proceed to the next question.
You also must include the corresponding 10-digit Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) code which can be found on the U.S. International Trade Commission website, or on the Canada Border Services Agency’s tariffs portal.
After Aug. 29, you may also need manufacturer information if you are shipping via a Delivery Duty Paid (DDP) option.
Until Aug. 29, items valued at or under US$800 are still entering the U.S. duty free.
If you want to meet USMCA/CUSMA compliance for goods entering the U.S. and valued over US$800, scroll down to see what’s required.
Check directly with your shipper for the latest requirements.
Check tags and markings (e.g. "Made in [Country]”) to determine country of origin. If there are no tags or you don't know manufacturer, see the next question.
If you know the manufacturer but don't have an accompanying origin tag, check to see where the manufacturer had/has its factory operations and use the country.
Country of origin is where the product was originally manufactured or produced, unless it underwent a significant change in another country after it was produced (called a “substantial transformation”). There can only ever be one country of origin, so if an item was worked on in multiple places, the country of origin is the last place the item was worked on.
If a product has been altered in some way that greatly affected its value, it may affect what its COO is.
There are many small rules around country of origin but this is generally how it works.
If you are in Canada, shipping an item made in China to the U.S., the country of origin is China, not Canada.
Get more information on marking country of origin on U.S. imports through U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
If there are no tags or clues to provenance for your item based on its materials, try to figure out the dominant material and where it was most likely to be made. For example, there's a good chance a fur might be made in Canada, and a silk made in China. This is how the border agencies classify tagless items.
If you can't figure it out, the safest thing to do is assume it was made in China and declare it as such.
If you have reason to believe an item was manufactured in Canada or the U.S., you can declare it as such. If it's a vintage piece it's more likely to have been locally manufactured. But you need to be able to prove that within reason.
And if you can't prove origin with manufacturer information and product-specific rules of origin, don’t try to claim it as USMCA/CUSMA compliant.
Again, items entering the U.S. will not be subject to tariffs so long as they are valued under US$800, no matter which country they are from, until Aug. 29.
But you do need to declare a country of origin on all packages, regardless of the value of the item. Couriers are reporting that entire trucks are being turned away at the border if packages are improperly documented. Check directly with your shipping provider or marketplace provider for more best practices.
If your shipment has products with multiple countries of origin and you're sending after Aug. 29 via a delivery duty paid option, you will have the opportunity to list each item and COO on its own line.
For pre-assembled bundles/kits with products containing multiple countries of origin, the customs agent will look at two things first: 1) if there was value added, and 2) whether or not the final bundle has undergone a significant transformation.
For example, say you have a three-piece bundle containing a silk from China, a silk from Canada and a wool from France.
Has putting them together in one set added to their individual value? (No in terms of the actual item replacement value).
Have the pieces undergone a significant change from their original state? (Also no).
That means that while you assembled the bundle in your shipping country, you don't claim the bundle as made in your shipping country. You look at the sum of its parts.
If there are more products from one country than another, mark country of origin as that country. If not, turn to the material that captures the essence of the majority of product.
In the case of our example, it's silk because two out of three pieces are silk. The country most associated with silk as a material is China, so the COO is China.
It's up to the individual customs agent to make the final determination if they disagree.
ChitChats, a carrier in Canada, has stated that U.S.-origin items (aka Made in the USA) will be able to enter duty free, even after Aug. 29. They do indicate a brokerage fee may apply, but have not confirmed it. We have not received direct confirmation from U.S. Customs & Border Protection on this.
No, the items themselves don’t need to be marked individually with country of origin if they are older than 20 years old, according to a representative at U.S. Customs and Border Protection and 19 U.S.C. 1304, but it is advisable to mark every item individually anyway because you don't know what agent you are going to get at customs.
If you choose to not mark COO on individual items over 20 years old, the outermost package or container the items are being shipped in must be marked clearly and legibly with country of origin as part of the required import documentation.
Informational materials and some artworks may qualify for exemption from the U.S. tariffs. For an overview of what these are, see the relevant question above.
In order to be considered for exemption, items must be correctly classified under the exempt headings and subheadings of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States.
The goods classified under the following HTS headings and subheadings may qualify for exemption:
9903.01.22
9903.01.12
9903.01.03
9903.01.31
Chapter 49
3704
3705
3706
5807
8310
9701
9702
9703
9704
9705
6307.90.30
6307.90.85
8523.80.10
8523.29
8523.41
8523.49
9405.61
9405.69
Note that assigning these HS codes does not guarantee your item will be exempt. It’s up to the U.S. customs agent to decide if the HS code supplied matches an item.
You as the vendor do not collect tariffs directly from your buyer for items that previously fell under de minimis (Section 321) unless you have the option to adjust your shipping and handling charges on your chosen selling platform and can work in line items for this (keep in mind the fees will be different for every parcel).
Your chosen selling platform may also introduce a way to collect these duties before the deadline on Aug. 29.
If you do not have access to the above options, the simplest way is to pay the tariffs and import duties to your shipper (e.g. ChitChats DDP or Stallion Express DDP) directly in advance of the parcel crossing the border. That means you as the business has to front the money.
In the event you can't cover that cost for your customer (highly unlikely as a micro-business!), in order to recoup that money, you need to raise the selling price of your items.
Rulings are specific to the individual cases they pertain to and shouldn’t be used as precedent. If you are importing to the U.S. and would like to request a ruling, you can do that here.
The U.S. tariffs do not apply to items certified as USMCA/CUSMA-compliant.
Only items that were originally manufactured in Canada, U.S. or Mexico are eligible to be considered for USMCA/CUSMA exemption. If you are buying something made in England or selling something made in Spain, it doesn’t count toward USMCA/CUSMA.
If you have a product made in Canada, U.S. or Mexico, it does not automatically qualify for USMCA/CUSMA. You need to prove it either through an informal statement or formal certification of origin, and it needs to be approved.
To qualify under USMCA/CUSMA, your product must fulfill specific production requirements depending on what it is. This often involves a calculation called Regional Value Content to determine how much of the content was produced in a USMCA country.
Check Chapter 4 of the USMCA Rules of Origin and Annex 4-B: Product-Specific Rules of Origin to see what the product-specific requirements for your item are (Canadian link here and US link here).
Learn more below about what's required for USMCA/CUSMA compliance.
The USMCA-compliant exemption only applies to goods being shipped into the U.S. Canada’s surtax on retail goods is applied, even if the goods comply with CUSMA requirements.
They can be, but it’s not always easy. You would need, ideally, a certificate of authenticity or something that shows the traceability or provenance of the item.
Jewellery, antiques and items that have been professionally appraised may have this.
Tags, written documents, research and/or records can be used to trace a producer to North America, but the materials used to produce the item also need to meet certain origin requirements outlined in USMCA in order to qualify.
You have to be able to prove the “product-specific rules of origin,” many of which use a calculation to determine how much of the product's content was created in that region.
This is difficult in many cases — secondhand items are often missing tags, marks and manufacturer information. If the company that produced the item is defunct, it can be difficult to know where the company obtained its materials.
For more answers about USMCA compliance, see relevant questions below.
Ordering/shipping into the U.S.
If the item is valued at less than US$800, it currently doesn’t matter if it’s not USMCA-compliant. It meets the de minimis exemption that is still in place and can arrive into the U.S. duty free until Aug. 29.
If the item is originating in Canada, valued over US$800 and is without certification of origin paperwork or a written statement certifying that the product was made in Canada, it will be subject to a 35 per cent tariff, usually paid by the U.S. importer (customer) unless it arrives Delivery Duty Paid.
If the item is originating in Mexico, valued over US$800 and is without certification of origin paperwork or a written statement certifying that the product was made in Mexico, it will be subject to a 25 per cent tariff, usually paid by the U.S. importer (customer) unless it arrives Delivery Duty Paid.
Ordering/shipping into Canada
If the item being shipped via courier is over CA$150 (or via mail, over CA$20), and on the list of goods receiving a surtax, it will receive a surtax of 25 per cent regardless of whether it’s CUSMA compliant.
Buyers: Remember that it can be difficult to prove origin when it comes to vintage, antiques and secondhand. If your seller sends an item over the ”de minimis” exemption that likely was made in Canada, U.S. or Mexico but they can't prove with certainty that’s where the item was manufactured using approved materials, you may still have to pay the tariff.
A certificate of authenticity is best. Or you have to be able to prove, if required, through maker's marks, written documents, research or records that 1) the manufacturer of your item was located in North America and that 2) it was largely produced in North America.
You also have to prove if components were sourced from outside North America, that those materials would pass the rules of origin outlined in Chapter 4 of the USMCA Rules of Origin, as well as Annex 4-B.
The certification of origin declaration is rigorous. It asks for certain manufacturer and origin information to be included (see below) — and more importantly, that you'd be able to prove it if audited.
“The value of the good doesn't change whether you are eligible for the rules of origin or not,” says Dave Coulson, chief operating officer at online customs brokerage BorderBuddy. “Whether it's a $30,000 good or $10 good, you still have to prove whether it's CUSMA-eligible or not.”
For goods valued under US$2,500, you need what's called an informal statement to certify origin. That's a written declaration from you that the product is what you say it is. To write that statement, you would have to be 100 per cent certain that the item you’re shipping was originally either:
a) 100 per cent produced within North America using North American materials, or;
b) 100 per cent produced within North America using some materials from outside North America, while still meeting the rules of origin requirements for those specific materials as stated under the USMCA agreement.
For goods valued over US$2,500 (entering the U.S.) or CA$3,300 (entering Canada), you need what's called a formal certification of origin. It includes nine points of information (see below).
Note you still need to know the nine points of information if you claim USMCA/CUSMA for goods valued under US$2,500, because you may get audited. You just don't have to include all of it in your import documentation.
If you know the manufacturer and can do some research on how that manufacturer conducted their business and where they sourced their materials, you may be able to provide enough information to satisfy the USMCA/CUSMA requirements.
But be wary. In order to qualify for USMCA/CUSMA, “you have to have a legitimate — legal — proof that you know that you meet the rules of origin,” says Coulson at BorderBuddy.
“If audited and you can't prove enough evidence — to prove the supply chain, essentially, of where it came from — then you're in trouble, and they can come back to you five to seven years later.”
If you falsely make a USMCA/CUSMA claim, you could be fined.
No. You need to provide proof of origin. This means an informal written statement of origin if the item is entering the US and valued less than US$2,500 or entering Canada and valued less than CA$3,300.
If the item is valued over US$2,500 (entering the U.S.) or CA$3,300 (entering Canada), you need to complete a formal certification of origin.
More on what those involve below.
If you have a product labelled “Made in Canada,” “Made in USA” or “Made in Mexico,” it does not automatically qualify for USMCA/CUSMA. It needs to meet what are called “rules of origin.”
Check Chapter 4: Rules of Origin and Annex 4-B: Product-Specific Rules of Origin in the USMCA agreement to see what the product-specific rules of origin requirements for your item are (Canadian link here and US link here).
You then need to certify the rules of origin through a written statement or full certification (more below), and that needs to be approved in order to get clearance under USMCA/CUSMA.
If you have an item made in Canada, USA or Mexico and think it might be a USMCA/CUSMA eligible item:
Step 1
Find your product’s HS code.
Step 2
Figure out if your product might meet USMCA/CUSMA rules of origin. You will need to use USMCA Chapter 4 Rules of Origin to do this.
Step 3
Ensure you can satisfy all other points required on a certification of origin.
This includes:
You can use the following certifying statement (via CBSA) if you are confident you can prove origin if asked:
“I certify that the goods described in this document qualify as originating and the information contained in this document is true and accurate. I assume responsibility for proving such representations and agree to maintain and present upon request or to make available during a verification visit, documentation necessary to support this certification.”
Note that if you’re the reseller shipping the item into the U.S., you are considered the “exporter,” and your customer is the “importer,” and vice versa for U.S. resellers shipping into Canada.
The “producer” is the manufacturer of the good, which you might not know — in which case you won’t be able to meet the USMCA compliance rules.
Step 4
a)
If you can satisfy all nine points, and your product is valued under what's called the Low-Value Threshold (LVT) — US$2,500 (entering U.S.) or under CA$3,300 (entering Canada) — include a written declaration of origin alongside your import paperwork.
The informal statement for LVT is not as simple as labelling the country of origin as Canada, U.S. or Mexico. You still need to know the nine points of data that are required for a formal certification (see below) in case you get audited. But you don't have to fill out all the name and address info on your customs paperwork.
b)
If you can satisfy all nine points, and your product is valued over the LVT — US$2,500 (entering U.S.) or under CA$3,300 (entering Canada) — complete a formal certification of origin.
You can search online to find a template for this. There are no “official” forms you need.
The formal certification of origin has nine points of data (above, in step 3) that need to be included, including manufacturer name and address, and a detailed reference to the USMCA/CUSMA agreement and how the good meets the rules of origin. (That's the sticky part for vintage and antiques, because how an item was made and where its materials were sourced from is hard to know.)
Visit the Canada Border Services Agency site to get more details on USMCA/CUSMA requirements (they are the same in Canada and the U.S.) and how to format them for the formal certification of origin.
Short answer: You can’t. In order to classify your item under USMCA/CUSMA requirements, which means it can enter the U.S. tariff-free, you need to know nine points of information about your item. The manufacturer name and address are one of them.
You do not need a certification of origin to ship products made in Canada, Mexico or the U.S. Just label your package with country of origin and if the item is valued under or at US$800, it will remain tariff-free until Aug. 29. If it's after that date, or if it's before that date and the item is valued over US$800, will receive a tariff.
No, and you should not unless you are certain you can fulfill the nine points required to certify, or you might be fined.
The “Rules of Origin” point is the most challenging to fulfill for vintage, secondhand and antique products but it can be done if you have enough records. See the relevant question above.
Not necessarily. Goods you purchase within your own country won’t have a tariff, taxes or duties applied.
But over time, the base cost of goods, even those you purchase within your own country, will cost more, because:
a) all raw materials will cost more;
b) U.S. companies that import inventory will need to raise their own prices to cover price increases from their international vendors who must pre-pay duties before shipping them the items;
c) almost all international orders shipped directly to you after Aug. 29 will likely cost more because the vendors need to cover the charges for pre-paid duties, and;
d) many items related to running a business will also have their costs go up (for example, if a vintage shop is purchasing office supplies that cost more than they did a year ago due to tariffs, the shop might pass that cost on to their consumer by raising the prices for their vintage items).
Right now until Aug. 29, the ways buyers directly pay a tariff are:
1) If you are a U.S. consumer or company (the importer) purchasing goods valued over US$800 that are originally from Canada, Mexico or a country on the U.S.'s list of more than 180 countries (excluding China, Hong Kong or Macau) from any seller outside of the U.S.
However, if the business shipping to you is located in Canada or Mexico and can certify their product is USMCA/CUSMA-compliant, you as the buyer would be exempt from paying tariffs.
2) If you are a U.S. consumer or business purchasing goods, no matter the value, originally manufactured in China, Hong Kong or Macau, from any seller outside of the U.S.
3) If you are a Canadian consumer or business ordering certain goods that originated in the U.S. valued over CA$150 (courier), CA$20 (mail) or CA$200 (in-person), from any seller outside Canada. In those cases you will have to pay surtax (retaliatory tariff).
4) If you are in a country other than Canada or the U.S. that has its own set of tariffs applied to U.S.-made goods, and you are ordering a U.S.-made product from any seller outside your country.
In all cases, you may be subject to additional tariffs depending on what you are buying and from where.
Small secondhand businesses across North America rely on cross-border sales and with duty-free exemptions in the U.S. and Canada still allowed until Aug. 29, it’s business as usual for most low-value shopping that takes place online. There are no tariffs on goods valued at or under US$800 made in countries other than China, Macau and Hong Kong until Aug. 29. Please continue to support as you can.
Supporting locally can help to avoid tariff fees, but depending on the item you are buying and from what country, you may still find better prices than equivalent finds in your own country, even with tariff fees applied, because of the exchange rate.
Shopping local and supporting your communities has always been, and will always be, a good idea, too — find vintage, antiques and pre-loved shops near you, and online-based businesses that ship to you, at the Shop Secondhand Directory, which lists nearly 3,500 shops and services across Canada and the U.S. in more than 130 categories.
Now is the time to revisit your sourcing strategies, your marketing tactics and your local networks.
In a Feb. 5 Instagram Live (linked below), we covered tariffs with vintage seller Sarah Israel, founder of Dwelling on the Past, and she shared some tips:
Go local. Join buy-and-sell groups or collectors' communities in your area.
Make connections. Host events with fellow sellers to expand your audience.
Optimize your online presence. Make sure your shop is easy to find. Update SEO-friendly descriptions, list shipping details clearly and highlight your location to attract regional buyers.
We have shared many more ideas on how to navigate this new era in our other tariff content below. Follow us on Instagram for timely updates.
The tariffs are expected to cost the average U.S. consumer an additional US$3,800 per year and the average Canadian consumer CA$1,900 per year.
For U.S.-based vintage sellers, the impact of Canada's retaliatory tariffs might not be felt as immensely, at least not immediately. The Canadian dollar is weak, which means sales to Canadian consumers are lower in general.
For Canadian secondhand shops, especially those operating online, the impact of the U.S. tariffs could be broader. Some Canadian e-commerce resellers we polled see up to 85 per cent of their clientele from the U.S.
Until Aug. 29, purchases entering the U.S. under US$800 with a country of origin of Canada or Mexico are not subject to tariffs. That's good news for both Canadian sellers and American consumers.
But for any American consumer ordering over US$800 from a Canadian seller, they may have to pay both normal duties, and the 35 per cent tariff if the item was originally manufactured in Canada or Mexico and that item is not considered USMCA/CUSMA-compliant (see above for how this works).
If the item is considered USMCA/CUSMA-compliant with a value over US$800, U.S. customers do not have to pay a tariff at this time.
And for any Canadian seller importing bulk shipments or large pieces from the U.S., they're subject to Canada's retaliatory tariffs and are seeing their costs raise, too.
As for local stores, the effects of tariffs vary.
It largely depends on where a local store sources its inventory from. For shops that source entirely locally, the impact of tariffs likely won't be felt until they possibly trickle down to the cost of other goods needed to run the business.
In other cases, there could be a trickle-down effect from the traditional retail market. In the case of the firsthand jewellery market, which is seeing tariffs applied to every raw material component and thus higher prices of finished goods, there could be subsequent higher prices in the secondhand market once those pieces are resold.
Some bricks-and-mortar vintage and thrift stores are seeing higher foot traffic and sales because shoppers can find affordable items there and are turning to shop locally.
But there are many other local storefronts that source internationally, and tariffs affect the cost of their goods depending on the value of what they are importing.
Tariff proponents argue these price increases will level out over time and ultimately create more jobs and demand domestically.
For a detailed picture of how the tariffs may affect individual Canadian sellers and any sellers that source in bulk or ship large volumes, watch our Mar. 3 interview with CityNews Toronto (below) and read the corresponding article.
Any shop, reseller or supplier that is buying or selling goods valued over US$800 into the U.S. may have their inventory subject to a tariff if that import is not USMCA/CUSMA compliant.
Many products in the vintage, antiques and secondhand category total over US$800, including luxury resale products, bulk bales of clothing, antique art and jewellery, vintage and antique furniture, wholesale buys and more.
Any shop, reseller or supplier that is shipping an item originally manufactured in China, Hong Kong or Macau at any value will also see a tariff applied, because de minimis now has tariff rates for those locations.
Shops, resellers or suppliers that are shipping goods from most countries (except China, Hong Kong and Macau) under US$800 into the U.S., or who are shipping goods valued under CA$150 (via courier) or CA$20 (via mail) into Canada will have their inventory exempt from tariffs until Aug. 29, after which point sales to the U.S. may decrease.
Remember, it's the consumer (the shopper, or the business that orders the item) that ultimately pays the tariff.
However, the tariffs will still impact everyone on a broader scale due to the effect tariffs have on our economy.
Bricks-and-mortar stores in border towns are also feeling the pinch as consumer boycotts dry up cross-border traffic. But storefronts in some cities, as well as large online marketplaces, are seeing a boost in traffic as local and domestic sales pick up.
For a deeper dive on this, watch our recent Instagram Live.
Depends on who you ask! The market is vast, and subsets within the sector are experiencing the effects of tariffs differently.
Vendors who sell across the border have largely reported a decrease in sales to The Vintage Seeker since the onset of the trade war.
That's true for border-town shops that relied on Canadian or American customers, e-commerce shops and wholesalers that ship or mail across the border, any American shops that import their vintage inventory from outside the U.S., and any Canadian shops that import their vintage inventory from the U.S.
The domestic vintage, antiques and secondhand scene could stand to benefit, however.
Shoppers are checking out local thrift stores and vintage shops to keep their dollars close to home, and to seek out lower prices compared to newly manufactured items that have been hit with tariffs. However, as demand rises, prices may rise in vintage, too.
Be wary of language that vintage, secondhand and resale items are "tariff-free", "exempt from tariffs" or not subject to tariffs. This can only be true if those shops source their products within their own country and the items are purchased within their own country.
While sourcing domestically makes a shop's inventory relatively insulated from tariffs, not every shop sources domestically. Many shops import inventory from elsewhere, or they ship to customers internationally, and in those cases, items are not tariff-exempt. Prices on shelves may be slightly higher than they used to be to account for higher cost of goods.
Canada, the U.S. and Mexico have a free trade agreement they signed in 2018 called USMCA in the U.S., CUSMA in Canada, and T-MEC in Mexico.
The agreement is not set to expire until 2036, though there is a planned review between all three countries scheduled for 2026.
Upon taking office in January, President Trump declared a national emergency on fentanyl that allowed him to circumvent the free trade agreement and apply tariffs. His reasoning for tariffs is they drive up production in one's own country and encourage domestic spending.
Then, the U.S. announced a 25 per cent tariff on all goods imported into the U.S. from Canada and Mexico would go into effect on Feb. 1. In response, Canada threatened to retaliate with its own 25 per cent tariff.
After reaching a temporary agreement, the countries agreed to pause their respective tariff measures for 30 days. That pause expired on Mar. 4.
The U.S. also initially imposed 10 to 15 per cent tariffs on goods originating from China (they shot up to 145 per cent as of Apr. 11, then cut back to 30 per cent for all large and small items arriving via courier or commercial carrier, and 54 per cent for small parcels valued under US$800 arriving via mail, as of May 12).
The China tariffs remain, and now they apply to all goods regardless of value, because the de minimis duty-free exemption was removed on May 2.
The trade war between the United States, Canada and Mexico officially began on Mar. 4, when the U.S. applied 25 per cent tariffs on goods valued over US$800 originating in Canada and Mexico.
The government stated its “de minimis” exemption — which allows goods valued under US$800 to enter the country duty free — would not be removed right away, allowing more time to acquire the personnel and infrastructure required to collect duties on lower-value shipments.
On Mar. 4, Canada enacted retaliatory tariffs, called a surtax, of 25 per cent on a suite of American goods valued at $30 billion, which includes secondhand staples like clothing, jewellery and glassware.
The Canadian surtax applies to goods that originate in the U.S., even when exported from a country other than the U.S. into Canada.
Just two days later, on Mar. 6, the U.S. offered some reprieve with its tariffs, indicating they would be paused through Apr. 2 so long as the goods in question were USMCA-compliant.
Canada was planning more tariffs on another $125 billion worth of retail goods, but on Mar. 6 paused the second set of tariffs and has not reinstated them.
There have been many back-and-forth-developments over the following months, but for the latest and most relevant, scroll to the top of this article.
Instagram Story Highlight on Tariffs — updated regularly
Vintage & Secondhand Tariff Cheat Sheet - May 13, 2025
Could Tariffs Help Secondhand Sellers? - Apr. 24, 2025
Catch the full discussion below or on YouTube (tariff update begins around the 51-minute mark).
Are Tariffs in Place for Buying & Selling Vintage & Secondhand? - Mar. 9, 2025
Catch the full discussion below or on YouTube.
Tariff Updates for Buying & Selling Vintage & Secondhand - Feb. 10, 2025
Catch the full conversation below or on YouTube (the tariffs conversation begins around the 30-minute mark).
Catch the full conversation below or on YouTube (the tariffs conversation begins around the 25-minute mark).
eBay Tariff Updates: Canadian Buyers & Sellers
eBay Tariff Updates: U.S. Buyers & Sellers
Etsy: Will I Have to Pay for Tax, Customs or Tariffs on My Order?
General
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Information Center Helpline
Canada's list of retaliatory tariffs
Tariff schedules
United States Harmonized Tariff Schedule
HTS (HS) codes
United States Harmonized Tariff Schedule Search
United States Census Bureau Schedule B Search Engine
Country of origin
Marking of Country of Origin on U.S. Imports (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
USMCA/CUSMA compliance
USMCA Frequently Asked Questions (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
Understanding CUSMA Compliance (Canada Trade Commissioner Service)
Chapter 4: Rules of Origin and Annex 4-B: Product-Specific Rules of Origin (USMCA agreement)
Rules of Origin by Tariff Shift (International Trade Administration via U.S. Department of Commerce)
Online selling guidance
Etsy Seller Handbook: Navigating Evolving Global Tariff Policies
eBay Tariff Updates: Canadian Buyers & Sellers
eBay Tariff Updates: U.S. Buyers & Sellers
— With files from Suha Momand
How is the trade war affecting your buying and selling? Let us know in the comments!
