Shipping small packages from China used to be the easy part of cross-border e-commerce. Parcels under $800 cleared US customs duty-free, so the only real decision was which carrier was cheapest. That is no longer true. The $800 de minimis exemption has been suspended, so a small parcel now needs a customs entry and owes duty just like a pallet does. This guide covers the methods still worth using, and how the rules changed.
What changed, and when
If you are working from advice written before mid-2025, it is out of date. The timeline:
- 2 May 2025 — de minimis treatment ended for goods of Chinese and Hong Kong origin.
- 29 August 2025 — Executive Order 14324 suspended it for all countries.
- 20 February 2026 — Executive Order 14388 continued the suspension.
- 24 June 2026 — two CBP interim final rules made it indefinite, covering the international postal network as well as every other mode.
- 1 July 2027 — statutory repeal under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, enacted 4 July 2025.
Two consequences matter for small parcels. First, low value no longer means duty-free: what you owe depends on the HS classification of the goods and their origin, not on the size of the shipment. Second, splitting an order into several small parcels to stay under a threshold achieves nothing, because there is no longer a threshold to stay under. It just multiplies the number of customs entries you pay for.
Methods for small packages from China
| Method | Typical use | Strengths | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Express couriers (DHL, FedEx, UPS) | Urgent or high-value parcels | Fastest, full tracking, clearance handled | Highest cost at retail rates |
| Postal services (China Post, ePacket) | Very light, low-value goods | Low headline rate | Slow, limited tracking, and no longer duty-exempt |
| Consolidated air through a forwarder | Regular replenishment | Far cheaper per kg than retail express | Needs planning; you ship on a schedule |
| Fulfilment from a China warehouse | DTC order-by-order dispatch | Stock held close to suppliers, ships on demand | Storage cost, and forecasting |
The single biggest saving available to most sellers is moving off retail counter rates. Express through a forwarder’s negotiated account is materially cheaper than the same service booked directly, for identical transit times.
What happened to ePacket
ePacket was built around duty-free low-value parcels. With the exemption suspended for postal shipments too, the economics that made it attractive have narrowed considerably, and postal parcels now go through a customs process like everything else. It still exists and can still make sense for very light goods, but it is no longer the automatic answer it was, and any guide still presenting it as a duty-free route is out of date.
What drives the cost
Volumetric weight
Air and express carriers charge on whichever is greater: actual weight, or volumetric weight, calculated as length × width × height in centimetres divided by 5,000. A light, bulky parcel is billed on its size. For small packages this is usually the largest controllable cost, and cutting carton dimensions saves more than negotiating the rate.
Duty and the customs entry
Now that every shipment needs an entry, there is a fixed cost attached to each one. That changes the arithmetic in favour of consolidation: one entry covering twenty items costs far less in total than twenty entries covering one item each.
Classification
Your HS code determines the duty rate. With duty now applying regardless of value, getting the classification right has gone from a compliance detail to a direct cost control measure. An incorrect code means either overpaying on every shipment or facing a penalty for underpaying.
How to cut what you pay
- Consolidate. Ship in batches rather than parcel by parcel. This saves on freight and, now, on entries.
- Hold stock closer to the customer. Sending one bulk shipment and fulfilling locally usually beats sending individual parcels from China.
- Cut volumetric weight. Smaller, slimmer packaging directly reduces air and express charges.
- Buy through a forwarder. Negotiated carrier rates plus handling of the customs entry that is now mandatory.
- Get classification right once. Confirm the correct HS code up front and reuse it, rather than guessing per shipment.
- Quote door to door. A cheap freight rate that excludes clearance, duty and delivery is not a cheap shipment.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest way to ship small packages from China?
For very light goods, postal services still carry the lowest headline rate, though they are slow and no longer duty-exempt. For most commercial sellers, consolidated air or express through a freight forwarder works out cheaper in total than either retail courier rates or shipping parcel by parcel, because it combines negotiated freight with a single customs entry.
Do small packages from China still qualify for the $800 de minimis exemption?
No. The exemption ended for Chinese and Hong Kong origin goods on 2 May 2025, was suspended for all countries from 29 August 2025 under Executive Order 14324, was continued by Executive Order 14388 in February 2026, and was made indefinite by two CBP interim final rules effective 24 June 2026 that cover postal and non-postal shipments alike. It is repealed in statute from 1 July 2027.
Is it cheaper to send several small parcels or consolidate them?
Consolidate, in almost every case. Each shipment now requires its own customs entry, so multiple small parcels multiply both entry costs and paperwork while forfeiting volume rates. The old practice of splitting orders to stay under $800 per parcel no longer provides any duty benefit.
How is the shipping cost of a small package calculated?
Air and express carriers bill on the greater of actual weight or volumetric weight, which is length times width times height in centimetres divided by 5,000. Bulky lightweight parcels are therefore charged on size rather than mass. On top of the freight you should budget for the customs entry, duty based on your HS code, and final delivery.
Do I need to pay duty on a low-value parcel from China?
Yes. Since de minimis was suspended, value alone does not exempt a shipment. The amount depends on the HS classification of the goods and their country of origin. Confirm before shipping whether your quote includes duty or whether it will be billed to you on arrival.
Which carrier is best for shipping small packages from China?
It depends on urgency and value. Express couriers suit urgent or high-value parcels where speed justifies the cost. Postal services suit very light, low-value goods where transit time does not matter. For regular commercial volume, consolidated shipping through a forwarder normally beats both on total landed cost.
Need help shipping small packages from China?
Easy China Warehouse consolidates small parcels into cost-effective shipments, handles the customs entry now required on every import, and can hold your stock in our China warehouse so orders ship when you need them rather than when a container sails. We work with Amazon, Walmart, Shopify and DTC sellers moving anything from a few parcels a week upward.
See our freight forwarding services or contact us for a quote on your next shipment.