Host: Annik Sobing

Guest: Marianne Rowden (CEO & Director, E-Merchents Trade Council)

Published: September 8, 2025

Length: ~42 minutes

Presented by: Global Training Center

🌍 Life After De Minimis: What E-Commerce Importers Need to Know

In this week’s Simply Trade Roundup, host Annik Sobing welcomes back Marianne Rowden, CEO of the E-Merchants Trade Council, for an in-depth discussion on the fast-moving crisis following the end of de minimis entry benefits on August 29.

Marianne breaks down what the loss of de minimis really means for importers, e-commerce sellers, and global supply chains — from skyrocketing compliance costs to postal suspensions and the new wave of IEEPA tariffs. She explains why this shift is far more than a duty issue, and how small businesses are now being forced into a maze of tariffs, complex customs filings, and compliance risks that could reshape the entire e-commerce landscape.

🧠 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

📦 The De Minimis Exit – Why this long-standing provision was critical for e-commerce and why its end is creating shockwaves.

💰 Tariffs on Tariffs – How overlapping IEEPA tariffs stack up, raising effective duty rates beyond 50% for some countries.

📮 Postal Suspensions – Why more than 30 countries have halted shipments to the U.S., and what carriers are doing to adapt.

🏬 Business Model Pivots – The rise of B2B2C structures, bonded warehouses, and changes in Incoterms — and why many of these “quick fixes” may not work.

⚖️ Compliance Pitfalls – First Sale, transfer pricing, and tariff engineering — which are legitimate tools and which could get you into serious trouble.

🚨 New Enforcement Landscape – How DOJ’s expanded trade fraud task force changes the risk equation for importers and e-sellers.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

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  De minimis was about simplified compliance as much as it was about duty savings.

  
  


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  The removal forces importers into a high-tariff, high-complexity environment.

  
  


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  Quick fixes like transfer pricing or misused Incoterms can backfire — small importers must tread carefully.

  
  


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  Postal systems weren’t ready — the six-month “tiered duty” workaround is only temporary.

  
  


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  DOJ’s involvement means trade fraud enforcement will be broader and harsher than ever.

  
  

📌 Resources & Mentions:

• E-Merchants Trade Council


• 
  

  White House Fact Sheet: Executive Order Eliminating De Minimis for China and Hong Kong

  
  


• 
  

  FlavorCloud: The End of the U.S. $800 De Minimis Rule — What It Means for Consumers

  
  


• 
  

  AInvest: De Minimis Exemption Reshaping Commerce, Retail Margins, and Supply Chain Risks

  
  


• 
  

  CBP FAQ on IEEPA Reciprocal Tariffs

  
  


• 
  

  CRS: Court Challenges to IEEPA Tariffs

  
  

Credits

• Host: Annik Sobing - LinkedIn
  
  


• Guest: Marianne Rowden - LinkedIn


• 
  

  Producer: Lalo Solorzano - LinkedIn

  
  

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Presented by: Global Training Center — providing education, consulting, workshops, and compliance resources for trade professionals. 👉 www.GlobalTrainingCenter.com

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