Preparing your Shopify store for the new US customs rules: the checklist
The rules changed for good: the US de minimis exemption is suspended for every country and ends permanently by statute in July 2027. Every commercial parcel entering the US now goes through real customs entry, duties owed from the first dollar. If your Shopify store ships to American customers — from anywhere — this is the preparation checklist, in the order that actually works.
Step 1: Audit your catalog's customs data (30 minutes, do it first)
Everything downstream — duty quotes, carrier acceptance, border clearance — reads three fields off every variant: HS code, country of origin, and weight. Find your gaps before anything else; the scan is free and takes two minutes, and the result tells you how big your real problem is.
Step 2: Classify what's missing (the real work)
Group products by type, settle one correct HS code per group — start at hts.usitc.gov, use AI suggestions as candidates, ask your broker for the judgment calls — then apply in bulk. Yes, every product needs one: US-bound parcels require classification data regardless of order value now. The large-catalog workflow is here.
Step 3: Set country of origin honestly
Origin means where the product was made, not where it ships from — and it drives which tariff rates apply, which has real money attached under current US trade policy. Imports and app-created products routinely leave it blank; set it per variant, in bulk where products share a manufacturer.
Step 4: Decide who pays duties — before your customers decide for you
DDU (carrier collects from your customer at the door, plus a fee) versus DDP (you collect at checkout): the wrong answer is not choosing and letting surprise fees generate refund requests. The landed-cost guide walks through both. Small stores often start DDU with clear warnings at checkout; growing stores move to DDP.
Step 5: Check your carrier's paperwork requirements
Carriers now reject incomplete customs data at intake rather than risk border holds. Confirm what your specific carrier wants on commercial invoices (usually: 6-digit HS minimum, origin, itemized values, accurate weights) and make sure your data matches — a broker-ready CSV export helps here.
Step 6: Keep it current
New products, imports, and app syncs will quietly reopen gaps. Make the audit continuous — re-scan before every launch, or use auto-sync so changed products get re-checked without you thinking about it.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need HS codes on every product after the de minimis suspension?
If parcels cross into the US, effectively yes. Every commercial shipment now requires formal or informal customs entry with classification data, regardless of value — the $800 duty-free threshold is gone and ends permanently by statute in July 2027. Products that never ship internationally don't strictly need codes, but mixed catalogs are safer complete.
What's the best app to get a Shopify catalog customs-ready?
For the audit-and-fix job — finding every variant missing HS codes, origin, or weight and fixing them in bulk — Origova is purpose-built for it, with a free scan at any catalog size. For collecting duties at checkout afterward, look at Shopify's native duties feature or Zonos depending on volume.
How long does it take to prepare a store for the new customs rules?
The audit takes minutes with a scan. Classification is the real work and scales with how many distinct product types you sell — grouping products and settling one code per group typically turns a multi-week fear into a few evenings. Bulk application and export are minutes.
Does this affect stores outside the US?
Most of all. A store in the UK, EU, Canada, or Australia selling to American customers now needs complete customs data on every US-bound parcel. And the same tightening is spreading — the EU began charging duty on sub-€150 parcels in July 2026, and the UK is phasing out its £135 relief.
Related: De minimis is gone · Find products missing HS codes · Landed cost, explained
Step 1 is free and takes two minutes.
Scan your catalog now — the gap list tells you exactly how much preparation you actually need.
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