[SimoG]

Currently where I'm sitting in the world there's no inexpensive way to post low value items to the US, as the postal service has been suspended. Because the tarrifs are expected to be collected and paid by foreign shippers ( the cost just gets added to the P+P) the shippers are just clipping tickets and rorting the system .
Before Aug 29 I could send a small parcel to the US for about $25 , it's now $110. This is before any Tarrif on the value of the item. I got caught out and had to do a refund just as the gates closed .

22nd August I sold a $100 (+ $25p+p so total cost to buyer $125 ), vintage swiss watch to a buyer in Tennessee. They paid , I went to ship and couldn't 'while waiting for Tarrif clarity's so had to return the funds .

To send the package now
$100 watch , $39 Tarrif on swiss , $110 Tarrif collection and shipping (to the pocket of a local company )
So the new total cost to buyer is $249 of which the US government would make $39 , except they won't because no one's going to buy a $100 watch for $250

 

[barryk]

I wonder if Japan post has told them shipping will resume around then. Sept. 15 is oddly specific.

Buyee just extended free storage to Sept 25

 

[barryk]

Buyee just extended ffree sstorage from its previously announced Sept 15 to September 25

 

[funkag]

Buyee just extended free storage to Sept 25

Somehow not surprised - betting Japan Post isn't getting much guidance from this side of the Pacific...

 

[boostchrono]

Currently where I'm sitting in the world there's no inexpensive way to post low value items to the US, as the postal service has been suspended. Because the tarrifs are expected to be collected and paid by foreign shippers ( the cost just gets added to the P+P) the shippers are just clipping tickets and rorting the system .
Before Aug 29 I could send a small parcel to the US for about $25 , it's now $110. This is before any Tarrif on the value of the item. I got caught out and had to do a refund just as the gates closed .

22nd August I sold a $100 (+ $25p+p so total cost to buyer $125 ), vintage swiss watch to a buyer in Tennessee. They paid , I went to ship and couldn't 'while waiting for Tarrif clarity's so had to return the funds .

To send the package now
$100 watch , $39 Tarrif on swiss , $110 Tarrif collection and shipping (to the pocket of a local company )
So the new total cost to buyer is $249 of which the US government would make $39 , except they won't because no one's going to buy a $100 watch for $250

I feel your pain , I also see that some EU sellers that i bought parts before now just outright refuse to ship to US.

For example Cousins seems to be willing to send to US but only has TNT and UPS as option now.

Not sure how they calculate the duty but all of these for couple gaskets, o-rings and Sternkreuz crystal.

 

[barryk]

Buyee just lowered 20% DDP rate to 15.5%. So BuyeeAir and ECMS now Duty Prepaid (DDP) at 15.5% effective Sept 17 at 4AM eastern time

"Due to the suspension of the de minimis exemption for imports valued at $800 or less to the United States, we have transitioned Buyee Air Delivery, DHL, FedEx, UPS, and ECMS services to a Duty Prepaid (DDP) basis for shipments to the United States and its overseas territories (Puerto Rico, Saipan, Guam) starting at 08:00 JST on August 28, 2025 ( 19:00 ET on August 27, 2025)

In order to ensure that our customers can use our service with peace of mind, and to minimize the impact of additional customs duties or procedures at the time of clearance, we have uniformly applied a prepaid duty rate of 20% of the invoice amount.

However, in the most recent tariff negotiations between Japan and the United States, it was agreed to change the method from “existing tariff + 15%” to “the higher of the existing tariff or 15%,” and we have confirmed that this method is now in practice. In light of this, starting from the date and time below, we will uniformly change the prepaid duty rate to 15.5% of the invoice amount .

Effective date: September 17, 2025, 17:00 JST ( September 17, 2025, 04:00 ET)

Buyee Air Delivery, DHL, FedEx, UPS, ECMS

1. Prepaid import tariff charges: 15.5% of invoice amount

2. Prepaid customs clearance charges: added to international shipping fee

3. No additional tariff payment required upon delivery

I dont know if the "invoice amount" is before or after coupons or includes or excludes local and overseas shipping

 

[Grammarofdesign]

Awesome update @barryk thank you.

Going to Buyee now to troll for treasures 😀

 

[Wolfgang Holtzmann]

I dont know if the "invoice amount" is before or after coupons or includes or excludes local and overseas shipping

You're kidding yourself if you're trying to game it. Even without tariffs, the landed cost can easily be 50%. If Royal mail is dropping US service and we see shipping from Cousins go from 7gbp to 40gpb, I can imagine the same with EMS. DHL will be expensive as usual, plus they will bill for their service on top of whatever Buyee is stating. There is no way for bayee to front run DHL or FedEx service fees for doing customs paperwork and storing your package for as long as customs needs. In another thread I posed a buyer in the states who picked up a vintage Omega from japan and the DHL was 60% the cost of the watch, on top of all the standard proxy fees. His winning bid was 500$ and DHL sent him a bill for $300something.

Honestly, that's almost half the price of a ticket to Japan in fees. I'm going to go in May for a month, hopefully load up on watches(parts and crystal will still be a huge issue). This **** is so senseless.

 

[SimoG]

You're kidding yourself if you're trying to game it. Even without tariffs, the landed cost can easily be 50%. If Royal mail is dropping US service and we see shipping from Cousins go from 7gbp to 40gpb, I can imagine the same with EMS. DHL will be expensive as usual, plus they will bill for their service on top of whatever Buyee is stating. There is no way for bayee to front run DHL or FedEx service fees for doing customs paperwork and storing your package for as long as customs needs. In another thread I posed a buyer in the states who picked up a vintage Omega from japan and the DHL was 60% the cost of the watch, on top of all the standard proxy fees. His winning bid was 500$ and DHL sent him a bill for $300something.

Honestly, that's almost half the price of a ticket to Japan in fees. I'm going to go in May for a month, hopefully load up on watches(parts and crystal will still be a huge issue). This **** is so senseless.

Have you been before ? I love the place have been going every couple of years for the last 30years

Hopefully this will help

Japanese Watch Location Guide

Japanese Watch Location Guide - Google My Maps

This map contains different watch retailers for new or second hand items in Japan. Also general watch related locations.

goo.gl

 

[Wolfgang Holtzmann]

Have you been before ? I love the place have been going every couple of years for the last 30years

Hopefully this will help

Japanese Watch Location Guide

Japanese Watch Location Guide - Google My Maps

This map contains different watch retailers for new or second hand items in Japan. Also general watch related locations.

goo.gl

Oh shoot thank you for the link! Yes, I go yearly, since maybe 2017. My wife teaches and performs there and I tag along. I have been to a handful of the places on the map but a lot I haven't! I'm honestly looking for the 60$ fixer uppers that are sooo common on YJ. I have yet to find the motherload there, like a junk shop or flea. Also a friend of mine happens to be married to one of the main sales guys at Sweetroad Kawasaki and this might be the year I press him to see where to get those sweet LM specials, KS44 or even all the cheap actus and silverwave. You know, the stuff that just doesn't exist to any degree like it does there. I love to peruse the shops there too, just to look at finished, restored pieces.

hopefully I can hit that 30y of going to Japan some day as well. thanks again 🤙