The end of a key import tax exemption appeared to spell doom for the Chinese online retail giants. Instead, they are thriving.
A Shein distribution center in Whitestown, Indiana. Credit: Jet City Image via Adobe Stock
On August 29, the U.S. government ended a trade exemption that has helped small package shippers worldwide earn billions of dollars. Exporters around the world, from mom-and-pop stores to clothing brands like Lululemon, are now reeling. But not Temu and Shein — the apparent original targets of the move.
An excerpt from a White House fact sheet on the Executive Order ending 'de minimis treatment' for goods from China and Hong Kong signed by President Trump, May 2, 2025.
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