4 ms·

Any idea why?? Presumably the tariff/trade debate?

csours 2y ago
and drugs --- edit: there's why and there's why. Drugs is the answer you sell
ajross 2y ago
Surely the tariff/trade debate. The question is which side pulled this particular trigger? Yes, it could be Trump. But it could also be Xi, seeing that Trump just got cold feet vs. Mexico and thinking he could get ahead of things and force a concession. Folks, this is why you don't engage in brinksmanship at this scale. It gets out of hand really quickly. I await the coming economic crisis (I mean, the stock market was already primed for a correction) with resigned exasperation.
- reaperman 2y ago
  If it was China pulling the trigger, USPS wouldn't say "we are suspending acceptance of inbound parcels". It's pretty clear this is a US action.
  - ajross 2y ago
    Or China pulled the plug and this is just PR? Meh. I don't think anything's going to be "clear" here. Brinksmanship is literally a policy based on uncertainty and fear.
  - ethagnawl 2y ago
    Don't underestimate the pettiness of this administration.
    - reaperman 2y ago
      What the fuck does this even mean? Is it agreeing with me, arguing I am wrong, or simply stating something related/orthogonal?
      - defrost 2y ago
        Mind the F-bomb's, this ain't a TISM concert mate. It is simply stating that if China was stopping parcels bound for the US then the current US admin might be petty enough to pretend that they are the ones stopping incoming parcels from China to appear in control. This doesn't seem likely, but the sentiment is reasonable .. the current crowd do seem exceptionally petty.
        swores 2y ago
        I agree that their aggression wasn't needed, but while this isn't a concert it is a grown up discussion space where we can see the word "fuck", spelled more than the first letter, without fainting!
        defrost 2y ago
        [flagged]
        swores 2y ago
        Are you complaining that I failed to "avoid general tangents" or something? Because I don't believe swearing is against the guidelines... (and I agreed with your criticism of the swearing used by the person you initially replied to)
neuroelectron 2y ago
The orders against China, Canada and Mexico all halt a trade exemption, known as “de minimis,” which allows exporters to ship packages worth less than $800 into the U.S. duty free, arguing it has helped Chinese e-commerce companies undercut competitors with lower prices.
- anigbrowl 2y ago
  I don't mind paying an extra 10% on small electronics imports (mostly ESP32 CPUs and related modules for hobby projects). I mean, I do a bit but I rarely order more than $100 of goods at a time, it's just an annoyance rather than a real problem. I DO mind not getting my orders delivered.
  - jeroenhd 2y ago
    The language of the order getting rid of the exemption seems to reclassify all Chinese post as formal post to get around the exemption. That means the amount of dues is still calculated as a (fraction of a) percentage, but there is a minimum of about 30 dollars. That means a $10 order of components or LEDs can end up costing you $42 to actually get it through the mail. When you go beyond those thirty dollars, the rate isn't too steep, though, so you can still order in large quantities.
keltex 2y ago
They are trying to close the de minimis exception which is a, "100-year-old tariff loophole that Trump wants to close." https://www.theverge.com/news/605483/shein-temu-amazon-trump-tariffs-de-minimis-exemption https://www.theverge.com/news/605483/shein-temu-amazon-trump...
- reaperman 2y ago
  Why stop the packages though? Just make the shipper declare a value and let the receiver pay the tariff if they want their package.
  - graeme 2y ago
    My guess is customs isn't prepared to inspect that volume of packages and would need to up their infrastructure to handle it.
    - reaperman 2y ago
      The USA doesn't inspect every package -- almost all current tariffs are on the honor system. They could start by checking every 1 in 10,000 packages and then build up the system until they're spot-checking x in 100. Customs doesn't even know what half the shit is. If I order a quarter-pound of palladium for $4,000 from China, but pay tariffs on 4 ounces of lead (say, $5), do you really think customs can tell the difference? They open the package, see a chunk of metal, and go "okie dokey". Yes, sometimes they'll whip out an XRP gun and double-check the alloy, but not for a completely random & arbitrary 4-ounce package. This will happen for every. single. product.
      - graeme 2y ago
        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.
maxglute 2y ago
PRC hit back with tariffs vs Mexico/Canada buying time by conceding on border / drugs.
- addicted 2y ago
  Mexico/Canada conceding by restating actions they had already agreed to months ago?
  - maxglute 2y ago
    Conceded _more_, i.e. CAN adding fentanyl czar, whatever that entails, MX adding another 10k troops. Western reporting alleged PRC would offer restoring phase1 trade, but PRC did the opposite and counter tariffed, on energy and agriculture goods, so relative to CAN/MX it's escalating/rejecting or no sign of conceding.
    - davorak 2y ago
      Is there a primary source for sending "additional troops" by Mexico? All I found was the twitter post from Mexico's president: https://x.com/Claudiashein/status/1886434747238514776 https://x.com/Claudiashein/status/1886434747238514776 And the summary of the speech on on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firstpost/reel/DFntTIlvOpe/ https://www.instagram.com/firstpost/reel/DFntTIlvOpe/ Neither confirm additional troops rather than just having 10k at the border.
      - maxglute 2y ago
        A lot of the English reporting I'm reading said "reinforce" which implies addition. I don't speak spanish but the tweet from Sheinbaum also translates to "reinforce" if translation valid: >1. Mexico will immediately reinforce the northern border with 10,000 members of the National Guard to prevent drug trafficking from Mexico to the United States, particularly fentanyl.
        davorak 2y ago
somat 2y ago
Probably attempting to correct the shipping imbalance. Shipping china to US is much cheaper than shipping US to china. My understanding is that a large part of that is due to china not needing to pay full local delivery(USPS) fees. Something with how international mail is governed. I think it is this but I don't have access. https://www.upu.int/en/Postal-Solutions/Programmes-Services/Remuneration/Terminal-dues#rates https://www.upu.int/en/Postal-Solutions/Programmes-Services/... And I found this article which is probably relevant(2019). https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/upu-postal-rate-change/564615/ https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/upu-postal-rate-change/... update with an actual current article: https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/trump-tariff-de-minimis-exemption-section-321/739083/ https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/trump-tariff-de-minimis...
warmlander99 2y ago
Might it be to cut down on fentinal shipments? China is where most of it comes from, not that you would know that if you listen to Trump go on about Canada.
- lazyasciiart 2y ago
  No. The ingredients ship from China and India to Mexico, then the finished product comes over the border. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg93nn1e6go https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg93nn1e6go
marcus_holmes 2y ago
maybe this is the payoff that Bezos gets for toeing the line
Taniwha 2y ago
My guess is that because of Trump's "de-minimus" change the USPS will now have to collect import duty on each and every parcel - they've probably stopped so that they can tool up for doing this. The annoying part of buying something is going to be physically going down to the Post Office and paying them, (or possibly having to poll them to pay online). I live in NZ, manufacture open source hardware in China and ship from there. I ship all over the world, some countries charge import duty, some don't, but as an exporter I NEVER have to pay anyone's tariffs - Americans are going to learn who pays tariffs because now you personally will get the bill and have to deal with the annoyance of having to pay it. Note: NZ charges import duty (which here is essentially our sales tax), they have deals with places like AliExpress/Digikey/etc to pay it at source (ie it shows up in your cart as you check out)
blackeyeblitzar 2y ago
The most likely reason is because shipments below a certain value were not being inspected and this was a loophole that allowed China to undermine the US by shipping fentanyl ingredients. My guess is that the postal service needs time to resolve this issue, and are choosing to stop processing these packages for now. The other possible reasons are to impose tariffs on shipments below the low value threshold, to disrupt the Chinese economy which is currently weak, to discourage consumption of Chinese products, or to use as a negotiation tool in the current push to reset foreign policies.
- almaight 2y ago
  This is like when Mexico imports synthetic ammonia from China, but synthesizes TNT in Mexico and smuggles it to the United States, but American politicians say that China exports TNT. The funny thing is that TNT is a seriously illegal product in China.

and drugs --- edit: there's why and there's why. Drugs is the answer you sell

Surely the tariff/trade debate. The question is which side pulled this particular trigger? Yes, it could be Trump. But it could also be Xi, seeing that Trump just got cold feet vs. Mexico and thinking he could get ahead of things and force a concession. Folks, this is why you don't engage in brinksmanship at this scale. It gets out of hand really quickly. I await the coming economic crisis (I mean, the stock market was already primed for a correction) with resigned exasperation.

reaperman 2y ago
If it was China pulling the trigger, USPS wouldn't say "we are suspending acceptance of inbound parcels". It's pretty clear this is a US action.
- ajross 2y ago
  Or China pulled the plug and this is just PR? Meh. I don't think anything's going to be "clear" here. Brinksmanship is literally a policy based on uncertainty and fear.
- ethagnawl 2y ago
  Don't underestimate the pettiness of this administration.
  - reaperman 2y ago
    What the fuck does this even mean? Is it agreeing with me, arguing I am wrong, or simply stating something related/orthogonal?
    - defrost 2y ago
      Mind the F-bomb's, this ain't a TISM concert mate. It is simply stating that if China was stopping parcels bound for the US then the current US admin might be petty enough to pretend that they are the ones stopping incoming parcels from China to appear in control. This doesn't seem likely, but the sentiment is reasonable .. the current crowd do seem exceptionally petty.
      - swores 2y ago
        I agree that their aggression wasn't needed, but while this isn't a concert it is a grown up discussion space where we can see the word "fuck", spelled more than the first letter, without fainting!
        defrost 2y ago
        [flagged]
        swores 2y ago
        Are you complaining that I failed to "avoid general tangents" or something? Because I don't believe swearing is against the guidelines... (and I agreed with your criticism of the swearing used by the person you initially replied to)

neuroelectron 2y ago

The orders against China, Canada and Mexico all halt a trade exemption, known as “de minimis,” which allows exporters to ship packages worth less than $800 into the U.S. duty free, arguing it has helped Chinese e-commerce companies undercut competitors with lower prices.

anigbrowl 2y ago
I don't mind paying an extra 10% on small electronics imports (mostly ESP32 CPUs and related modules for hobby projects). I mean, I do a bit but I rarely order more than $100 of goods at a time, it's just an annoyance rather than a real problem. I DO mind not getting my orders delivered.
- jeroenhd 2y ago
  The language of the order getting rid of the exemption seems to reclassify all Chinese post as formal post to get around the exemption. That means the amount of dues is still calculated as a (fraction of a) percentage, but there is a minimum of about 30 dollars. That means a $10 order of components or LEDs can end up costing you $42 to actually get it through the mail. When you go beyond those thirty dollars, the rate isn't too steep, though, so you can still order in large quantities.

keltex 2y ago

They are trying to close the de minimis exception which is a, "100-year-old tariff loophole that Trump wants to close." https://www.theverge.com/news/605483/shein-temu-amazon-trump-tariffs-de-minimis-exemption https://www.theverge.com/news/605483/shein-temu-amazon-trump...

reaperman 2y ago
Why stop the packages though? Just make the shipper declare a value and let the receiver pay the tariff if they want their package.
- graeme 2y ago
  My guess is customs isn't prepared to inspect that volume of packages and would need to up their infrastructure to handle it.
  - reaperman 2y ago
    The USA doesn't inspect every package -- almost all current tariffs are on the honor system. They could start by checking every 1 in 10,000 packages and then build up the system until they're spot-checking x in 100. Customs doesn't even know what half the shit is. If I order a quarter-pound of palladium for $4,000 from China, but pay tariffs on 4 ounces of lead (say, $5), do you really think customs can tell the difference? They open the package, see a chunk of metal, and go "okie dokey". Yes, sometimes they'll whip out an XRP gun and double-check the alloy, but not for a completely random & arbitrary 4-ounce package. This will happen for every. single. product.
    - graeme 2y ago
      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.

maxglute 2y ago

PRC hit back with tariffs vs Mexico/Canada buying time by conceding on border / drugs.

addicted 2y ago
Mexico/Canada conceding by restating actions they had already agreed to months ago?
- maxglute 2y ago
  Conceded _more_, i.e. CAN adding fentanyl czar, whatever that entails, MX adding another 10k troops. Western reporting alleged PRC would offer restoring phase1 trade, but PRC did the opposite and counter tariffed, on energy and agriculture goods, so relative to CAN/MX it's escalating/rejecting or no sign of conceding.
  - davorak 2y ago
    Is there a primary source for sending "additional troops" by Mexico? All I found was the twitter post from Mexico's president: https://x.com/Claudiashein/status/1886434747238514776 https://x.com/Claudiashein/status/1886434747238514776 And the summary of the speech on on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firstpost/reel/DFntTIlvOpe/ https://www.instagram.com/firstpost/reel/DFntTIlvOpe/ Neither confirm additional troops rather than just having 10k at the border.
    - maxglute 2y ago
      A lot of the English reporting I'm reading said "reinforce" which implies addition. I don't speak spanish but the tweet from Sheinbaum also translates to "reinforce" if translation valid: >1. Mexico will immediately reinforce the northern border with 10,000 members of the National Guard to prevent drug trafficking from Mexico to the United States, particularly fentanyl.
      - davorak 2y ago

somat 2y ago

Probably attempting to correct the shipping imbalance. Shipping china to US is much cheaper than shipping US to china. My understanding is that a large part of that is due to china not needing to pay full local delivery(USPS) fees. Something with how international mail is governed. I think it is this but I don't have access. https://www.upu.int/en/Postal-Solutions/Programmes-Services/Remuneration/Terminal-dues#rates https://www.upu.int/en/Postal-Solutions/Programmes-Services/... And I found this article which is probably relevant(2019). https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/upu-postal-rate-change/564615/ https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/upu-postal-rate-change/... update with an actual current article: https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/trump-tariff-de-minimis-exemption-section-321/739083/ https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/trump-tariff-de-minimis...

warmlander99 2y ago

Might it be to cut down on fentinal shipments? China is where most of it comes from, not that you would know that if you listen to Trump go on about Canada.

lazyasciiart 2y ago
No. The ingredients ship from China and India to Mexico, then the finished product comes over the border. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg93nn1e6go https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg93nn1e6go

marcus_holmes 2y ago

maybe this is the payoff that Bezos gets for toeing the line

Taniwha 2y ago

My guess is that because of Trump's "de-minimus" change the USPS will now have to collect import duty on each and every parcel - they've probably stopped so that they can tool up for doing this. The annoying part of buying something is going to be physically going down to the Post Office and paying them, (or possibly having to poll them to pay online). I live in NZ, manufacture open source hardware in China and ship from there. I ship all over the world, some countries charge import duty, some don't, but as an exporter I NEVER have to pay anyone's tariffs - Americans are going to learn who pays tariffs because now you personally will get the bill and have to deal with the annoyance of having to pay it. Note: NZ charges import duty (which here is essentially our sales tax), they have deals with places like AliExpress/Digikey/etc to pay it at source (ie it shows up in your cart as you check out)

blackeyeblitzar 2y ago

The most likely reason is because shipments below a certain value were not being inspected and this was a loophole that allowed China to undermine the US by shipping fentanyl ingredients. My guess is that the postal service needs time to resolve this issue, and are choosing to stop processing these packages for now. The other possible reasons are to impose tariffs on shipments below the low value threshold, to disrupt the Chinese economy which is currently weak, to discourage consumption of Chinese products, or to use as a negotiation tool in the current push to reset foreign policies.

almaight 2y ago
This is like when Mexico imports synthetic ammonia from China, but synthesizes TNT in Mexico and smuggles it to the United States, but American politicians say that China exports TNT. The funny thing is that TNT is a seriously illegal product in China.