Guide to Shipping, Duties, and Taxes for US Customers

We've made the difficult decision to temporarily pause all new shipments from Art East Quilting Co. to the United States. Please know that this decision was not made lightly, as you are a vital part of our community.

We want to be fully transparent about the challenges we're facing due to recent changes in U.S. tariff regulations and what we're actively doing to resolve them.

⭐️ You can still place an order, but it will be held until mid-October, when we are hopeful that shipping to the U.S. will recommence. 

As shipping resumes, we will prioritize re-shipping any current orders that were stuck in customs or returned by the U.S. Customs & Border Protection.

Please note that digital downloads continue to be shipping free and tariff free!

We know many of you have preordered fabrics that are due to ship soon. Please rest assured, your orders are safe, the inventory is reserved for you, and we remain committed to fulfilling them.

We are actively working on a solution that will allow you to prepay any applicable import taxes and duties before we ship your items. This will ensure your package arrives without surprise fees or further delays at the border. We will be contacting all customers with existing U.S. preorders individually via email to provide details and arrange for the prepayment of these duties once we have the necessary information.

The United States government has recently instituted a significant policy revision regarding tariff enforcement, effectively curtailing the 'de minimis' provision. Whereas shipments valued at less than $800 were previously exempt from duties, the new regulations mandate formal customs processing for a vast majority of international imports.

This shift has created significant hurdles for small international businesses like ours and, unfortunately, has resulted in a poor experience for you:

1. Surprise Fees at Your Door: We have seen a sharp increase in customers receiving unexpected duties and tariffs charged upon delivery.
2. Severe Customs Backlog: The sudden requirement for formal processing of millions of packages has created a massive backlog at the U.S. border.
3. Lost and Returned Shipments: Due to this backlog, our shipments are getting stuck, lost, or automatically returned to us in Canada because they cannot be processed in time.
4. Financial Burden: If a package is refused due to surprise fees, Art East Quilting Co. must pay the tariff, a fine, and either pay for the return shipping or have the shipment destroyed by customs.

This situation is unsustainable for us as a business, and more importantly, it’s not the level of service we ever want to provide to you.

We are committed to serving you and all U.S. quilters and are using this pause to implement a robust solution for all future orders.

We are fast-tracking the development of a new website with a new provider. This upgraded platform will provide a much better experience with two critical features:

1. U.S. Dollar (USD) Pricing: You will be able to browse and shop in your local currency.
2. Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) at Checkout: Our new system will accurately calculate all applicable duties and taxes during the checkout process.

What DDP means for you: The total you pay at checkout is the final price. There will be zero surprise taxes or fees at the door, and your packages will move through customs much more efficiently.

As a temporary solution, a 30% US Federal Import Tax (tariff surcharge) will be applied at checkout. This allows us to pay the taxes due on your order directly to shipping providers, so that there are no surprises at your door. On the rare occasion that additional fees are collected, but are not necessary, these will be refunded to you upon the creation of the shipping label. 

We are working around the clock to implement these changes quickly. We anticipate launching the new website and resuming U.S. shipments by the week of Monday, October 13th.

We understand this is frustrating news, and we sincerely apologize for the disruption. We are incredibly grateful for your patience, understanding, and continued support as we navigate these complex changes.

Thank you,

John & Matt