[Scoundreller]

Does Temu? In Canada, I haven't received a thing from them through the post. It's all from small-time gig couriers. If they're not bringing it through the post, then it's getting brokered and applicable duties already paid by Temu.

But yes, the Etsy stuff is often sent piecemeal via Post.

[silisili]

Yes, well, sometimes. My wife used to shop there a lot. Some items 'came' from the US, which were little more than headshops and small warehouses, but shipping was much faster. Still, many items shipped directly from China to your mailbox.

What feels really gross is that they could ship a trinket from China to your door for less money than it would cost me to send it to someone in my own state.

[Scoundreller]

With a China Post/HK postmark?

Or some other courier or with a USPS postmark? Because that would indicate it got commercially brokered with all duties assessed and paid by someone.

[silisili]

Yeah China Post. It's a combination of factors, including something called the UPU, de minimis, and subsidies on both sides. The USPS loses money on every item sent.

Most small trinkets use something called ePacket, check its pricing here - https://jingsourcing.com/shipping-from-china-to-us-cost/

It would cost me as an American 4x that amount to send something to even my neighbor via USPS.

I wouldn't say I'm a tariff fan, but US sellers have been getting ripped off for years, and few people even know or care.