Important Update Regarding New U.S. Customs Duties and Your Shipping Options

Date: August 20, 2025

Dear Customers in the United States,

We regret to inform you of an important change that will affect all future shipments to the U.S.

Starting August 29, 2025, the U.S. government will suspend the long-standing Section 321 “De Minimis” exemption, according to a recent Presidential Executive Order. This means that all imported goods, regardless of value, will now be subject to customs duties and carrier handling fees.

- What the New Tariff Policy Means for Your Orders
- Update on Shipping Options
- If You Already Have a Pre-Order with Us

1. What the New Tariff Policy Means for Your Orders

Until now, orders under $800 could enter the U.S. duty-free. With the exemption suspended, duties will apply to every shipment, regardless of value.

For goods originating from Japan (most of our products), the new tariff includes:

• Base Duty Rate (HTSUS): For most stationery items like paper notebooks and pens, this rate is often 0%. But for items like inks, plastic clips, and PET tapes, the rate can be 1-6%.
• Reciprocal Tariff: A new, additional tariff based on the product's country of origin. For Japanese-origin goods, the rate is 15%.

Example: To illustrate, let’s assume a $100 order containing a mix of stationery items, and use an average base duty rate of 1% across mixed stationery categories. With the new reciprocal tariff of 15% on Japanese-origin goods, the estimated duty would be:

($100 × 1% base) + ($100 × 15% reciprocal) = $1 + $15 = $16

In addition to the U.S. duties, carriers also charge extra handling fees for managing the customs process. This fee depends on both the carrier and the order value.

Continuing with the $100 order example, the estimated duties and handling fees with PostNord or DHL would be approximately as follows:

2. Update on Shipping Options

Due to these sudden changes, PostNord Sweden has temporarily paused its merchandise letter service to the U.S. from August 23, 2025.

During this period:

• PostNord Sweden – We’ve temporarily disabled the PostNord shipping option due to recent policy uncertainties. Once PostNord updates its system and resumes U.S. delivery, we’ll make this option available again.
  
• DHL Express – We now offer DHL Express as an alternative. This option allows your order to ship without delay, though it may result in higher overall costs upon delivery, as outlined above.

3. If You Already Have a Pre-Order with Us

We understand that the upcoming U.S. customs duty changes, combined with PostNord’s temporary suspension of service, create particular difficulties for customers who have a pre-order with us that has not yet shipped. To address this fairly, we want to give you full flexibility in deciding how to proceed with your order:

• If you wish, you may cancel it for a full refund by emailing us at info@paperwhisper.com with your order number.
• If you prefer to keep your pre-order, we will ship it as soon as the pre-order items arrive and the PostNord service resumes. Please note that when dispatched, the shipment will be subject to the new U.S. customs duty rules.

We sincerely apologize for the impact these new U.S. customs regulations may have on your orders. Although these changes are beyond our control, we remain committed to being transparent with you and to respecting whatever decision you make.

We are deeply grateful for your trust and support. Sharing Japanese stationery with you has always been a joy for us, and we truly value the connection we have with our customers in the United States.

We look forward to continuing this journey together in the future.

Warm regards,
Paper Whisper