ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - A trade rule that once allowed low-value packages into the United States tariff-free has ended, and experts say the change could reshape the way Americans shop online.

For years, the “de minimis” exemption has let Americans order goods valued under $800 without paying tariffs. That meant cheaper clothes, gadgets and supplies shipped straight to consumers’ doors.

But as of 12:01 a.m. Friday, the exemption expired. Now, every package must clear customs and face tariffs ranging from 10-50%. For the next six months, carriers can instead choose to pay a flat fee of $80 to $200 per package.

The impact is expected to be wide-reaching. U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported that 1.36 billion low-value packages worth $64.6 billion entered the U.S. last year, compared to just 134 million in 2015. Roughly 60% of those shipments came from China and Hong Kong, with others from Canada, Mexico, the European Union, India and Vietnam.

For small business owners, the new rules are already causing concern.

Cher’don Reynolds, who owns She Prints It in Atlanta, said she relies on overseas distributors for her products.

“I can’t find these kinds of products, for those prices, in the U.S. And now I’ll have to pass those costs on to my customers,” Reynolds said.

Reynolds said the higher shipping costs and loss of the duty-free threshold will ripple beyond her shop, affecting major online retailers like Temu and Shein.

The White House argues the new tariffs will help protect American jobs and boost domestic manufacturing. Officials also point to a financial upside: the Congressional Budget Office estimates the policy could reduce the federal deficit by as much as $4 trillion over the next decade.

On Thursday, Vice President J.D. Vance defended the change.

“If you build crap overseas and try to undercut the wages of American workers, you’re going to pay a big fat tariff,” Vance said.

Economists say the long-term impact remains uncertain.

“Many economists think of this as sort of an experiment,” said Tucker Balch, an economics professor at Emory University. “The president hypothesizes this will increase U.S. manufacturing. A counterhypothesis is that America just isn’t suited for the manufacturing it did 50 or 100 years ago. We’re much more of a service economy now.”

For consumers, that means online deals from abroad could soon be more expensive and slower to arrive. For businesses and the global supply chain, experts warn that the ripple effects are only beginning.

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