They got rid of the de minimis exemption. Now every package needs to pay duty.
They may not inspect the package but they still have to collect duty on it.
I live in Canada where our de minimis exemption is like $20. Generally when a package comes to in it is help at the border where a broker certifies it for customs. Below $20 there's no broker.
Now you need brokers etc for every single package. Def more paperwork even if they keep the same inspection ratio.
Sure when you courier stuff into Canada but when it’s through the postal service, duty & sales tax collection is at the discretion of customs.
Customs used to check everything and tax/duty any parcel over $20 until ~2011 or so.
Not sure if it was because of cutbacks, rationalization (it’s a lot of paperwork to collect a couple bucks even with their, at the time, $6.95 fee), or a part of their reinvention as gun carrying “law enforcement” and consistent tax collection being beneath them.
There's still more paperwork though. Canada Post cites a $9.95 handling fee on international packages over $20.
I'm not saying US customs will inspect everything. My point is on $800 packages they're moving from a very low level of scrutiny to some scrutiny and at scale that matters. They'll need to add staff to handle the new process and make the new process.
They may not inspect the package but they still have to collect duty on it.
I live in Canada where our de minimis exemption is like $20. Generally when a package comes to in it is help at the border where a broker certifies it for customs. Below $20 there's no broker.
Now you need brokers etc for every single package. Def more paperwork even if they keep the same inspection ratio.