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US Customers Tariff and Duty Tax Information

MESSAGE TO OUR UNITED STATES CUSTOMERS

Unlike many countries that apply a standard duty rate to imported goods regardless of origin, the United States has introduced additional country-specific tariff taxes on top of the standard duty taxes that were already in place.  Furthermore, as of August 29, 2025, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency—acting under President Trump’s executive order—eliminated the “de minimis” tax exemption that previously allowed packages valued at $800 or less to enter duty-free.

The net result is a significant change:

    • Before: No import taxes on packages worth $800 or less, and only standard duty taxes on packages above that threshold.
    • Now: Every package entering the United States is subject to both duty taxes and country-specific tariff taxes, regardless of value.

This has made international shopping much more complex and unpredictable for US buyers as many times US customers may not know the country of origin of the product or what tariffs and duties to expect when they want to have the product delivered.  As a result of this we, at CHARISMATICO, have made the decision to incorporate the import duty taxes and fees into the checkout flow so that our US customers can see a landed cost (total price from our production studio to your front door) at checkout.  No surprise fees or any other hidden costs.  

We worked diligently to determine landed costs for our US customers and negotiated with our shipping partners and processing teams to reduce fees and create scale efficiencies.  We then passed those savings on to you.  While we cannot eliminate the cost of the new US tariff and duty tax requirements, as well as new processing fees associated with the collection of taxes and customs clearance processes, we have been able to lower the expense you would pay if duties were collected at destination.  These savings are a combination of fee negotiations with our carriers and CHARISMATICO absorbing part of the cost burden as well.

Our ultimate goal is to create a consistent and straightforward buying experience for you and provide you with a worry-free landed cost for your order.  While this is now the default method we have enabled for our US customers; you can still choose to pay duties, tariffs and all other associated fees yourself.  If you would like us to ship with duties collected from the recipient, please just contact us and we will create a manual order for you to do that.  

WHAT CHANGED FOR US BUYERS OF INTERNATIONAL GOODS

We’re committed to keeping you informed about changes that affect your orders — and to showing you why CHARISMATICO remains your best choice for show-stopping costumes. Our goal is to enable you to understand the new tariff rules applied by the US government and communicate this to you with maximum transparency so you have a good understanding of what changes are coming.

    • U.S. rule change (Aug 29, 2025): The de minimis exemption is gone — all imports are now subject to the country-specific reciprocal tariff rate and duty taxes, with no exemptions for low-value shipments. Previously, orders under $800 were not subject to import tariffs under the de minimis exemption.
    • Tariff rate for goods shipped from Thailand to the US: Fixed at 19% of declared value of the package + product specific duty (HS category).
    • Delivery process: U.S. Customs will require duties to be paid before the packages can be processed for delivery.
    • Sales tax advantage: You still don’t pay U.S. sales tax on international orders from CHARISMATICO.
    • Why we produce in Thailand: Local material sourcing and competitive skilled labor availability mean we can still deliver high-quality costumes at a much better value than producing in the U.S.

1. WHAT IS CHANGING IN U.S. IMPORT DUTY TAX REQUIREMENTS

    • As of August 29, 2025, the U.S. officially eliminates the “de minimis” exemption for all countries, meaning that previously duty-free small shipments (those under $800) are now subject to import duties.
    • Going forward, every shipment to the U.S. — regardless of order size or origin — must go through full customs processing and duty assessment and assessed duties based on the country of origin’s specific “reciprocal” tax rate.
    • In addition to the removal of the $800 de minimis exemption on duty taxes, US reciprocal tariffs have also taken effect, which means that imports into the United States are now also subject to the country-specific reciprocal tariff rate.  For Thailand, the negotiated rate with the U.S. is 19%---down from the original 36% rate. 
    • Once processing is complete, customs duties will need to be paid before delivery. This means U.S. customers will likely be contacted by the shipping company or USPS to arrange payment before the package can be released. It’s now very important to watch for and promptly respond to any contact from your delivery company — if duties remain unpaid, your package could be delayed, returned, or even destroyed. To prevent potential fraud, always ask the agent for the tracking number and make sure it matches the one provided by your shiper before making a duty payment.  Alternatively, duties and taxes can be collected from the shipper instead.  In this situation, the shipping couriers will charge the shipper for all duties, tariffs, and processing fees.  The benefit of this method is that the recipient will not have to worry about paying anything extra to clear the package once it arrives to the US.
    • While this is a standard process in much of the world — including the EU, Canada, and even here in Thailand — it will be a new adjustment for many U.S. buyers.

2. ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

    • No U.S. Sales Tax — As of now, the U.S. has not required sales tax to be levied on international shipments, so you will continue to save on domestic sales tax when ordering from CHARISMATICO.
    • Exclusive Designs — Our outfits are handmade and can’t easily be found in U.S. stores.
    • Material Costs Affect Everyone — Even if our costumes were produced in the United States, many of the specialized fabrics, feathers, sequins, and trims we use would still need to be imported as the US does not make these materials domestically. As a result, these materials would be subject to the reciprocal tariff rates of their countries of origin, raising production costs before a single stitch is sewn. Adding the substantially higher labor costs in the U.S. would increase prices even further — making each costume significantly more expensive for our customers.  By continuing to produce our costumes here in Thailand, we can source our materials locally, manage production efficiently, and offer the same premium quality at a much more cost-effective rate. This ensures you receive the best possible value without compromising on the artistry, quality, and detail that define CHARISMATICO.
    • Better Value for Your Money — You’re getting premium craftsmanship, full customization, and a unique stage presence that’s hard to replicate locally, even with the 19% duty.

3. OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU

We’re closely monitoring global trade and shipping developments and are doing everything possible to keep your costs fair and competitive. We will adapt swiftly as needed to ensure you receive the best value with minimal hassle.

If you have any questions or concerns about how these changes affect your order or to find out more about how we work to keep your costs as low as possible, please reach out to us at support@charismatico.com — we’re always happy to help.