In addition to new United States import duties, Bermuda’s online shoppers now have extra courier fees to pay.

Buyers of goods imported into the US valued at $800 and under, escaped paying duty until August 29.

Now Mailboxes chief executive officer Bricen Hakeman has told The Royal Gazette that major couriers such as DHL, FedEx and UPS, are charging handling and processing fees ranging from $15 to $34 per parcel, per shipment, when handling customs clearance for their customers.

Meanwhile, ZipX advised customers today they will not be responsible for duty on packages sent to their Delaware facility from outside the US.

“ZipX will not cover these duty fees,” the firm said. “Any shipments requiring cash on delivery for duties will be refused by our Delaware facility.”

Mailboxes said that while consignees are ultimately responsible for US duty charges, they will work with customers to achieve a positive outcome.

“That means paying US duties directly, contacting the major carrier for resolution, or refusing duty charges and having the package returned to its origin,” Mr Hakeman said.

All this was in response to Executive Order 14324 issued by the White House last month, which eliminated the previous duty exemption for goods arriving in the US valued at $800 or less.

Gifts under $100 are still exempt from duty.

The Bermuda Post Office has temporarily suspended shipments of packages to the US, following the actions of postal providers in Britain, Canada, France and other places.

ZipX Bermuda and Mailboxes are still shipping to the US.

The long-running global tariff exemption was used by buyers of low-cost goods. But they not only will no longer be duty-free, but they will also face tighter customs checks, in a move set to affect millions of shipments a day.

Officials say nearly 1.4 billion packages, worth a total of more than $64 billion, last year entered America without being charged duties under a rule called the de minimis exemption.

Experts are still debating how US President Donald Trump's policy change will hit small businesses, as shoppers even at a retail level brace for higher prices.