Music platform Bandcamp is warning users that the ongoing tariff war initiated by US President Donald Trump may impact shipments to the United States.
Earlier this week, postal services across the world warned they would be halting shipments to the United States “starting Friday.” This came after President Trump abolished the so-called “de minimis” trade exemption that allowed shipments worth less than $800 to enter the United States without paying customs duties.
Under the new rules, shipments worth less than $100 and which are listed as “personal gifts” will still qualify for the exemption.
In response, postal carriers around the world announced a hold on shipments until clear procedures from the Trump administration are in place.
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Bandcamp is warning users about the impact this may have on shipments into the United States. In practice, they write, “fees may be applied to some types of merchandise on US-bound shipments, and some Bandcamp sellers may choose to temporarily pause shipments to the US.
“Also, several international postal carriers are temporarily suspending delivery to the US. These restrictions do not come from the artists or labels but from global carriers.”
In a similar message sent to sellers on their platform, Bandcamp points out there is an exception for “informational media” entering the US, which includes vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, books, sheet music, and other items.
But “despite this exception, many global mail carriers have suspended shipments to the United States without regard to the contents of the package.”
Like the global carriers, Bandcamp appears to be somewhat at a loss, advising prospective customers buying vinyl or merch to contact sellers directly if they have concerns about shipments. They also (rather unhelpfully) note that digital music is not subject to shipments, and you can still buy that.
Photo by Jiawei Zhao on Unsplash
