At You Betta Merch, we believe in being transparent with our customers. That’s why we want to take a moment to explain some important changes in U.S. import rules that could affect how your orders get to you.

 

The End of the $800 “Duty-Free” Rule

For years, U.S. shoppers enjoyed a handy benefit called the de minimis exemption. This meant that if you bought something worth less than $800 from overseas, it usually entered the U.S. without duties or tariffs.

But as of August 29, 2025, that rule has been scrapped. Now, all imports—no matter how small—are subject to duties when they enter the U.S.

For our customers, this means:

• No more automatic duty-free orders under $800.
• Every package is assessed duties by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
• For the next six months, shippers can choose to pay a flat fee (roughly $80–$200 per package) instead of percentage-based tariffs. This is designed to simplify things in the short term.

Unfortunately, this isn’t something we at You Betta Merch can change - it’s a broad U.S. government policy shift.

 

What About the UK–US Trade Deal?

You may have seen headlines about a new UK–US Economic Prosperity Deal, signed in June 2025. This agreement lowered tariffs on certain industries—like British-made cars and aerospace parts.

While this is great news for automakers and jet engine manufacturers, it doesn’t apply to most small business exports like the merch we create. So, for our customers, this deal doesn’t change the new duty requirements.

 

What We’re Doing to Help

We know unexpected costs can be frustrating, so we’re doing everything we can to make this transition smoother:

• Clearer shipping info at checkout – so you’ll know exactly what to expect.
• Working with carriers to explore the flat-fee duty option where it saves you money.
• Absorbing some of the admin burden on our side, so you don’t get caught in customs paperwork.

Our goal is to keep our merch accessible and fairly priced, even as the rules change.

The Bottom Line

• Duties now apply to all shipments from the UK to the US, regardless of value.
• The old under-$800 loophole is gone.
• The new UK–US trade deal only benefits certain industries, not general consumer goods.

At You Betta Merch, we’re committed to being upfront with you and making sure your orders arrive with as little hassle as possible. We’ll continue to monitor these changes closely and keep you updated.

Thank you for supporting us through these shifts. The world of international trade might change, but our promise doesn’t: we’ll always deliver quality merch and transparency you can trust.