What is changing with US shipping methods?
Due to new US regulations on international shipping, several US shipping options are being temporarily suspended on HobbyLink Japan until further notice. This includes DHL, FedEx, Airmail, Surface Mail and ECMS options. The EMS shipping method provided by Japan Post will remain available for US customers
When will shipping methods be suspended?
The above listed shipping methods will be suspended for the US from the 21st of April, 12:00 JST and become unavailable for selection. Shipments to the US will only be able to use the EMS (Express Mail Service) shipping method during this period.
Why are shipping methods being suspended?
Since the announcement of new US international shipping regulations and tariffs, many shipping companies have announced the requirement of additional information from the customer in order to process a shipping request. Some shipping companies such as DHL are also refusing to accept packages above specific values whilst a process for calculating tariffs and handling charges is implemented. Some companies have also chosen to set the sender of the parcel as the default payee for additional duties
These changes have increased the potential for additional charges to both our customers and HobbyLink Japan. For this reason, we have decided to temporarily suspend these shipping methods until a system can be implemented that allows for a smooth and worry-free experience for our customers.
Will my current shipment that uses suspended methods still be sent out?
Yes, we will still be sending out any orders that utilise the suspended methods that are placed before the cut-off time.
In certain circumstances, we may need to move your shipping method to EMS to ensure you receive it. In this situation, we will contact you to make necessary arrangements.
Will EMS work as well as other shipping methods?
EMS is a very reliable service used by thousands of customers every month. We highly recommend it in terms of speed, value and reliability, even when compared to other shipping methods in the US.
Will my parcel be subject to tariffs?
Currently, we have not seen any instances of tariffs affecting our customers from the US. This is likely because shipments under 800 USD are protected by the ‘de minimis’ rule, which gives an exemption from additional duties. However, the ‘de minimis’ rule is changing from May 2nd, 2025, which may open up the possibility of additional flat charges to parcels to the US.
Although we haven’t seen any tariffs be applied in practice yet, it’s important to consider that these are based on the country of origin of the shipped goods rather than the location being shipped from. This means that although we are based in Japan, it is possible that tariffs for other regions may be applied to parcels based on the origin point of these goods. However, as we have yet to see this in practice, we cannot make any guarantees about how tariffs will be applied.
In particular, parcels sent through the ‘international postal network’ (such as via EMS, offered by Japan Post) rather than private courier methods (such as FedEx, DHL) will still benefit partially from the ‘de minimis’ rule by receiving a flat rate fee rather than any of the previously announced tariffs. However, we have also yet to see how this will be implemented.
We recommend that US customers use their best judgement with regards to shipping, as we currently cannot tell the extent to which tariffs will be implemented. However, as EMS currently appears as the safest method, we feel comfortable continuing to offer this service as the US’s standard shipping method for now.
Thank you for your continued support of HobbyLink Japan,
HLJ Team
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