The Trump administration said the exemption is finishing to protect Americans. He said that the provision, which was codified in the United States Tax Code, has been used to “evade tariffs and channel mortal synthetic opioids, as well as other insecure products or under the market that damage US workers and companies to the United States.”
The minimis shipping volume has been globalized in recent years, increasing approximately 637 million shipments in fiscal year 2020 to almost 1.4 billion in 2024, according to customs and border protection data.
“I appreciate that the reasoning behind much of this is to stop all cheap imports from China,” Chappell said. “But we are very different businesses for those.”
Chappell has already decreased the speed of sale to countries of the European Union in the last two years after the changes in the regulations there, and stopped completely in December. Now, the end of the United States to the exemption of Minimis leaves it with even less places to sell its art.
“More and more countries introduce taxes and other barriers to sell internationally,” he said. “It is sad that they are people like us who are trapped in that.”
Advance
Chappell hopes that in a couple of months he can at least restart sales of portraits to American customers, but the damage will have already been done.
“The problem is that those five or six months are Christmas for me, which is most of my income for the year,” he said. “I have a lot of money not to sell to the US., But I don’t see any other option.”
Chappell is not sure if he will ever resume the sale of US clients in Etsy.
Etsy said that as new commercial policies enter into force, it is fortifying the protection of the purchase, letting buyers know if their orders can be subject to tariffs, advocate for small businesses and facilitate sellers to confirm their countries of origin before sending their items.
“Etsy is closely monitoring the regulatory changes in rapid evolution and remains committed to presenting our community by providing a transparent and reliable experience for buyers and equipment sellers with the support they need to succeed,” said CEO Josh Silverman.
For now, Chappell is looking to sell more in the United Kingdom stores. She hopes to keep a full -time artist if she can.
“I love working for me. I love interacting with my customers. I spent my days painting,” he said. “It’s not as if I were earning large amounts of money, but it is worth doing something that I love.”
