Agent Parcels to New York: What Changed After the $800 Rule Ended

What US duty will a New York parcel pay?

For years, parcels worth under $800 entered the US without duty, which made small agent hauls cheap. That ended for goods from China on May 2, 2025, and for all countries on August 29, 2025. Every parcel now goes through formal duty assessment.

Two parts decide the bill: the duty rate for the type of goods — clothing, footwear and bags each have their own — and the additional tariffs on goods of Chinese origin, which have been raised and lowered several times since 2025. Because those tariffs move, we don't publish a fixed percentage. What stays true is that duty is charged per shipment, so fewer, larger parcels mean fewer entries and fewer handling fees.

Verdict: For New York buyers the old habit of many small parcels is now the expensive option. Build one haul, ship it once.

Who delivers agent parcels in New York, and who collects the duty?

Agents offer several shipping lines to the US. Some hand the parcel to a courier such as UPS, FedEx or DHL for the whole journey; others fly it to the US in bulk and pass it to a domestic carrier like USPS for the last mile. Who collects the duty depends on the line:

• Duty paid in advance — some lines include duty in the shipping price, so nothing is due at the door.
• Duty collected on delivery — the courier pays customs and bills you, often with a brokerage or handling fee.

Check which kind your line is before you pay for shipping. The cheapest line on the agent's page can end up dearer if a courier adds a handling fee on top of the duty.

Getting the parcel delivered in the city

• Apartment buildings: use your unit number and the name on your buzzer or mailbox exactly. Parcels with incomplete addresses are a common reason for returns to sender.
• Signature and hold options: if you're out during the day, courier accounts often let you redirect a parcel to a pickup point near you.
• Phone number: give a US number on the shipping form; couriers text delivery windows and duty payment links.
• Keep the tracking number from your agent — if customs holds the parcel for information, the courier will contact you through it.

Two checks before shipping to New York

Sizing for US buyers

Weidian sellers size for Chinese buyers, so a Chinese L usually fits like a US M. Shoes are listed in EU sizes; an EU 42 is about a US men's 8.5. Our size converter has the full tables, but the listing's own chart in centimetres is the one to trust. Ask your agent for a measurement photo at QC if you're between sizes.

Items US customs may hold

Separately from duty, US Customs and Border Protection can seize goods that copy a registered trademark. That applies whatever the parcel's value, and paying duty doesn't change it. Unbranded and small-label items aren't affected. If you're not sure about an item, ask before you ship it.

Which agents ship to New York?

All the online agents we track ship to the US. Compare fee and free storage — storage matters if you plan to build a large haul over several weeks before shipping once.

Sources: agents' own fee pages where available (Superbuy), rep.tools and W2C Spreadsheet profiles and Sept 2026 ranking, and Trustpilot (fetched Sept 26–27, 2026). 'Score withdrawn' means Trustpilot removed the rating after review-guideline breaches. A dash means we could not confirm the figure from a primary source.