White House Targets Temu, Shein by Cracking Down on Small Package Imports

The existing low-value package inspection exemption was intended for individuals for personal use items, not for commercial transactions.

A cellphone displays the app of cross-border e-commerce platform Temu, in Shenzhen, in Guangdong Province, China, on Oct. 28, 2022. CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images

WASHINGTON—To close a loophole that Chinese e-commerce platforms such as Temu and Shein can exploit to evade tariffs, the White House announced on Sept. 13 that it would exclude low-value imports subject to tariffs from qualifying for a fast-track customs process.

Known as the de minimis rule, imports under the $800 threshold can enter the United States free of duties and taxes. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) also inspects these products minimally. The low-value package exemption was created for individuals to avoid paperwork and tariffs on items for personal use, not for commercial transactions.