How Trump Upended E-Commerce Overnight

President Donald Trump’s weekend decision to simultaneously hike tariffs and eliminate a popular duty-free import method for direct-from-China sellers including Temu and Shein has forced e-commerce companies, logistics firms and customs authorities into triage mode to minimize disruptions.

The most immediate headache is figuring out how to meet stiffer customs entry requirements now that retailers can’t use the tariff-free entry method, known as de minimis, for shipments from China. One retailer, bra brand Understance, took the extreme step of suspending shipping orders to the U.S. entirely on Tuesday while it sorts out how to comply with the new rules, the company’s director, Jiayi Lyu, said.