I've got a real life example finally for a company in Switzerland selling pedals to the U.S. after the end of the 800 USD de minimis.
The Swiss Post only accept to ship to the U.S. if we pre pay the custom fee. Here is a breakdown:
- Pedal is sold 179 USD
- Shipping: 34.30 USD
- Customs (39%): 69.81 USD
- Disbursement Fee (2%): 2.98 USD (I have no idea what that is)
- PDDP (Postal Delivered Duty Paid) Fee: 12.01 USD
Total since September 22nd: 119.70 USD vs 26.43 USD before August 29th.
Adding the PayPal fee, 12 USD and that gives you a 130 USD cost to sell a 179 USD pedal to a U.S. customer
Out of the 49 USD left, I still donate 5% of the selling price to a local food bank (that's on me), that's 8.95 USD.
You've 40.05 USD left to get your PCB, coffee, components, pizza, parts, beer, enclosure, etc.
In 2025 so far, the U.S. represents 18.45% of our customers.
We are doing it for this month for fun and then we'll change our system, either increase the price, charge shipping, no idea, but we will change something for sure.
The tough part is that customers from most countries already pay some sort of fee at delivery themselves, and that's just how it is. Anytime I buy something from abroad here in Switzerland, I have to pay a custom fee to the brokerage and then the Swiss VAT. That is just how it is. I've never thought the seller should cover these.
If we decide to absorb the cost for the U.S. customers, why not absorb it for the rest of the world?
I'm not sobbing, this is a hobby and never made money on this, but I can't imagine how companies who do this as a full gig can go through this without trying to find another customer base.
thoughts?