August 2025 Update for Our US Customers

Dear friends in the USA,

There’s a lot happening in global trade right now, and we want you to feel completely informed and 100% confident when ordering from us. This page is here to give you the latest updates—and show you how we’ve already adjusted things to keep your shopping experience smooth, transparent, and stress-free.

What’s Changing?

Two big updates affect orders shipped from South Africa to the US:

  1. No more “under $800” duty-free threshold
    Starting August 29th, 2025, the US “De Minimis” exemption will disappear. In plain English: there’s no longer a rule that lets imports under $800 skip import duties. This applies to all countries—not just South Africa.
  2. Tariffs on South African goods
    Right now, US tariffs on goods from South Africa are set at 30%. We’re hopeful that this will improve soon, and we’ll keep you posted.

The Good News

  • Our wooden toys are duty-free under the US classification system. That means the only extra cost is the current South Africa tariff (30%), not an additional product duty.
  • We’ve made big changes behind the scenes so you don’t have to deal with confusing surprise charges or paperwork.

How We’re Making Things Easier for You

  1. Prices you see = prices with tariffs included
    When you select “United States” as your country on our site, the prices you see will already include the current 30% tariff. This helps you know the real cost while shopping—no unexpected “tariff shock” at checkout. Your checkout page and invoice will still break down products and tariffs separately, to be correct.
  2. Hassle-free Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) shipping
    We now ship all US orders DDP—meaning we collect the tariffs when you order, then handle all the payments and paperwork for you. Your package arrives at your door without your paying anything extra on delivery. Nice and simple!
  3. Economy shipping for all order sizes
    In the past, Economy shipping was only for orders under $800. Not anymore! You can now choose Economy for any size order—bringing you better shipping rates and more flexibility.

We know tariffs aren’t anyone’s favourite news—but we’re committed to making this process as easy and clear as possible, so you can shop with confidence and enjoy our products without hassle.

We’re here for any questions you might have—just reach out.
Enjoy your shopping at Good Shepherd Toys, and thank you so much for your support ❤️!