Buyer beware: End of de minimis exemption means higher prices for overseas goods, experts say

The end of the de minimis tax loophole on Friday means that low-cost shipments to the U.S. are no longer exempt from import duties , a potential hit to consumers ordering goods from abroad.

Under the prior tax break, parcels containing goods worth less than $800 were not subject to tariffs, making many products from overseas, such as clothing and beauty products, a cheaper alternative to U.S.-made items.

Now, stepped-up duties apply to all online orders entering the U.S. That could lead to higher costs and longer delivery times given that customs agents must now inspect and process the shipments, experts said.

"This means that, when making e-commerce purchases from your favorite international sites that you didn't have to worry about paying duties on before — now you have to," Rath