Why US shoppers are still getting hit with tariff invoices on overseas e-commerce orders

In many cases, the retailers are claiming these surprise invoices are clerical errors, and some, like direct-to-consumer brand Quince, have urged customers not to pay as they get the issue resolved with the carriers. But that has left many customers feeling suspicious and confused as they wait to see whether the brand will indeed stick to its word and resolve the issue with the carrier. It all goes to show how brands, retailers and carriers are still figuring out how to adapt to this new tariff schema, especially when new tariffs are enacted on a different country or industry seemingly every few weeks.

One customer interviewed for this article, for example, wondered whether she should pay a tariff bill she received after ordering from a Canadian website because she had read news reports that the U.S. and Canada may be close to a trade deal. (Modern Retail spoke with the customer before President Trump said on Friday that he was terminating talks with Canada.) There is also speculation that the White House may choose to refund some paid duties, if the Supreme Court successfully repeals the enacted levies.

In turn, logistics experts say the complicated issue of accidental bills could drag on for months.

One U.S.-based shopper — who asked to be quoted under a pseudonym because she didn’t wanted to be quoted by name in an article where she discussed not paying a bill — said she recently received a tariff invoice on an order from the Canadian confectionery shop Palm Bites. Modern Retail reviewed the invoice to confirm its legitimacy.

The shopper, whom we’ll call Chloe, placed an order on September 20, which was delivered on October 2. Then a surprise bill came on October 20, she said. “My order was $76, and the FedEx charge is $41.24,” she told Modern Retail. “The bill cites the tracking ID for that order.” Chloe said she is unsure of how customs and the carrier arrived at that figure.

Tariffs on Canadian goods are currently at up to 35% for most products, with an additional 25% tariff on steel, aluminum and auto imports. Last week, the two countries were still in the middle of negotiations, with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney saying Canada would drop some of its retaliatory tariffs to “re-establish free trade” for the majority of products.

After inquiring about the issue with the Ontario-based Palm Bites, the shop told Chloe that her invoice also came as a surprise to them, as they already paid the duties and taxes when they shipped the order. Chloe  is currently awaiting Palm Bites to resolve the issue with FedEx on her behalf.

Another shopper, who asked to go by Joe, recently ordered car parts that were shipped from Japan via UPS. On the day of their arrival in September, he received a UPS notice to pay a $174.31 tariff fee in addition to a brokerage fee. According to his calculations, the total invoice is equivalent to about 84% in duties and fees on the order. “It doesn’t sound right, but I’m not sure what there is for us customers to do,” he said. The bill remains unresolved as of this writing. 

Over on Reddit, beauty enthusiasts have been tracking tariff duties on orders from K-beauty brands and other Asia-based online retailers. Many shoppers are also receiving what looks to be errors. One commenter reported getting slammed with nearly $8,000 tariffs on a $200 Yesstyle order, which shipped from Hong Kong via DHL.

Scott MacRae, the CEO of international logistics services provider Landmark Global, said, “The recent surge in surprise tariff bills should be a massive red flag for logistics companies and retailers.”

When taxes and duties aren’t communicated upfront for international online orders, said MacRae, consumers feel blindsided and retailers face reputational damage risks. “What we’re seeing isn’t just a billing issue, it’s a symptom of growing compliance and data challenges,” MacRae said. 

Today’s scale of cross-border trade requires transparency and accuracy at every stage. MacRae said it’s up to the retailers to ensure that shipment data is correct. “That means every product description, value, and country of origin detail is complete and correctly classified before a customs officer checks it,” he said. Then, final fees are calculated at this stage, based on the type of commercial goods, their value and the laws of the importing country. 

MacRae suspects that these surprise tariff bills and their seemingly random dollar amounts are likely due to shipment data being incomplete or inaccurate, which then skews the declared value. 

All in all, customs officers rely on the retailer’s data to verify that duties and taxes have been correctly applied, so customers don’t end up with costly bills post-delivery. 

“When it comes to tariffs, what matters most is not just calculating the fees,” said MacRae. “It’s how those financial impacts are understood internally and communicated externally.” Typically, customers don’t mind paying for what they expect. “It’s the unexpected surprises that break trust.” 

In order to get to a long-term solution, tariff policies must stabilize long enough to allow retailers and shipping providers to plan ahead. For now, MacRae said retailers can at least communicate the estimated duties to shoppers at checkout for a smoother customer experience. Some retailers may choose to absorb these additional costs rather than pass them on, he said, if their margins allow.

As of this writing, Chloe has still not paid the FedEx bill. She is waiting out U.S.-Canada negotiations, which can modify the tariff rates at any moment. “And I won’t [pay it] unless there are repercussions,” she said.