If you’ve noticed your Indo4ward order is taking longer than expected — or you’ve gotten a “completed” email before delivery — you’re not alone. Several recent changes with U.S. customs are causing delays, and we want to explain why it’s happening and what you can expect.

🇺🇸 What’s Changed with U.S. Customs

1. De Minimis Rule Has Been Suspended

• On August 29, 2025, the U.S. suspended the “de minimis” exemption globally, via Executive Order 14324. That means packages valued under US$800 no longer enter the U.S. duty-free. ^{1 2}
• Previously, many low-value parcels (often international mail) could skip duties and many customs formalities. Not anymore.³

2. More Tariff & Documentation Complexity

• Custom duties now depend not only on where the item comes from, but also what materials it’s made of and its HS (Harmonized System) code. Products with mixed materials or ones needing classification are more likely to be held for review. ⁴
• Many carriers and postal operators are adapting to new requirements — collecting taxes, updating product descriptions, ensuring country of origin, etc. These changes increase processing time. ⁵

📧 Why “Completed” Emails Might Come Before You’ve Received Your Order

Normally, our system automatically sends a “completed” email about two weeks after your order is shipped, because most orders used to arrive by then under the old customs rules.

But here’s what’s happening now:

• With delays caused by more rigorous customs checks (thanks to the end of de minimis, extra documentation, material/material-origin questions), many shipments are arriving later than two weeks.
• This means the system might mark your order “completed” while it’s still in transit or being held up by customs — leading to confusion.

🛠 What Indo4ward Is Doing to Help

We want to make this as smooth as possible for you. Here’s what we’ve already done or are doing:

• We’ve extended the completion email timeframe, so the “Order Complete” notice better matches current transit times.
• We are improving communication — when there are delays, we’re prepared to respond to your messages and emails whenever we receives them.
• We ensure that package declarations (value, description, materials) are as accurate as possible to reduce customs friction.
• If anything is unclear (tracking, customs, “completed” status), we encourage you to email or chat us — we’ll help check the status and clarify.
  

✅ What You Can Do (Tips to Avoid Delays)

To help your order arrive more smoothly:

1. Be patient; things are going to get some hiccups along the way.
2. Track your shipment; some delays happen at customs.
3. Be ready to respond to requests for clarifications and make any customs & duties payment (sometimes customs or carriers ask for extra info).

🔎 References & Where to Learn More

• U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s announcement: suspension of de minimis globally as of August 29, 2025.⁶
• Legal/Trade commentary on what this change means for shipments under $800.⁷
• CBP E-commerce FAQs confirming that shipments valued under $800 will no longer be exempt.⁸

1. https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/national-media-release/cbp-ready-enforce-end-de-minimis-loophole-securing-borders-and ↩︎
2. https://www.hoganlovells.com/en/publications/de-minimis-customs-exception-for-small-packages-entered-into-the-united-states-to-end-in-august-2025?utm_source=chatgpt.com ↩︎
3. https://flavorcloud.com/the-end-of-the-de-minimis-rule-and-what-it-means-for-international-ecommerce/ ↩︎
4. https://www.hunton.com/insights/legal/us-customs-and-border-protection-issues-guidance-on-reciprocal-tariffs ↩︎
5. https://group.dhl.com/en/media-relations/press-releases/2025/new-us-customs-regulations-temporary-restrictions-on-postal-goods-shipping-to-the-us-for-private-and-business-customers.html ↩︎
6. https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/07/suspending-duty-free-de-minimis-treatment-for-all-countries/ ↩︎
7. https://www.hoganlovells.com/en/publications/de-minimis-customs-exception-for-small-packages-entered-into-the-united-states-to-end-in-august-2025 ↩︎
8. https://www.cbp.gov/trade/basic-import-export/e-commerce/faqs ↩︎