Unfortunately there are too many uncertainties and complicated legal paperwork forms to deal with shipping to the USA starting August 29th.
This is because the USA has decided to completely end De Minimis Exemption for All Commercial Shipments. Effective August 29th.
Sending from a small business like Bear Dance Crafts is a “commercial shipment”.
Starting August 29, 2025, the U.S. will no longer allow any commercial shipments, no matter how small, to skip duties and customs procedures.
It is the end of de minimis exemption, which was allowing shipments under $800 USD to enter duty-free.
The de minimis rule made it easy and affordable to send small packages into the U.S., especially for Bear Dance Crafts (and other small businesses globally). Now, all commercial shipments, regardless of how they’re sent, where they come from, or what platform they’re sold through, will need to go through full customs clearance and pay any applicable duties.
Here’s the bigger problem for Bear Dance Crafts to send to customers in the USA… we don’t know how much the amounts will be. Some of our items should be duty-free, but to set that up has not been clear (read: paperwork nightmare right now).
The shipments sent from here in Canada, to the USA, will require formal customs entry and paying of the relevant tariffs. There isn’t an easy solution to pay them for customers (add them to your order, and remit on your behalf, because it’s not even clear how much they will be). There are too many unknowns to send packages without them being paid, because our dear customers will have to pay before USPS will release their packages to them – as we have no idea how much that might be. We’ve heard USPS might charge a flat fee of $80. That’s a lot to pay for a $20 craft kit!
Sadly we are making the decision to suspend shipping starting today (unless you already have an order in the queue).
We are hoping for an easy resolution to this situation.
It’s been lovely making so many great customer relations, some of which have become more like friends and family.
Natalie
PS THIS DOES NOT AFFECT SALES TO CANADIAN ADDRESSES. All our product ships direct from Vancouver Island, BC, Canada.
