Updated October 2026: This guide has been substantially revised to reflect changes following the 2025 tariff measures, the suspension of the U.S. de minimis exemption, and subsequent trade agreements that changed import conditions for products from Japan and other markets.

A clarification before we begin

This article is not intended to be a political analysis or a macroeconomic forecast.

Its purpose is much more practical:

to understand why a tariff change between two countries can eventually change what you pay when shopping online.

A common mistake is to assume that tariffs matter only when you personally act as the importer.

That is not always the case.

A product may have crossed an international border long before it appeared in the store where you eventually buy it.

The price shown by a store may contain costs you never see

A modern commercial supply chain can involve several countries.

A product may be designed in one country, use components manufactured in others, be assembled in another, and finally be sold from inventory located in a different market.

That is why a tariff increase does not affect only consumers who buy directly from abroad.

It may also change:

• the manufacturer’s cost;
• the distributor’s cost;
• the cost of inventory entering another market;
• and ultimately the retail price shown to the consumer.

But this does not mean that a 15% tariff automatically creates a 15% increase in the final retail price.

A company may absorb part of the cost, change suppliers, reduce margins, use inventory imported earlier, or pass only part of the increase to the customer.

That is why we need to separate:

the tariff applied

from

the final price the shopper actually pays.

The brand does not determine customs origin

This distinction is fundamental.

A Japanese company does not automatically make every product it sells a Japanese-origin product.

In the same way:

American brand ≠ American-origin product

and

Japanese brand ≠ Japanese-origin product.

For Customs purposes, factors such as the actual origin of the merchandise, its tariff classification, and the rules that apply to that specific product matter far more than the nationality of the brand.

A device sold by an American company may have been manufactured in Asia.

A product sold by a Japanese brand may have been manufactured in China, Vietnam, Thailand, Japan, or another country.

So the useful question is not simply:

“What country is this brand from?”

The better question is:

“What is the actual country of origin of this product, and how is it classified when it enters the destination market?”

In the United States, for example, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative provides tools based on HTS classification to help identify whether certain products are subject to additional trade measures.

Check the USTR tariff search tools.

Japan shows how quickly trade conditions can change

When the U.S. tariff measures of 2025 began, the conditions changed several times as negotiations continued.

That is why the previous version of this article — which described a temporary 10% tariff that could later rise to 24% — no longer reflects the current framework.

The later U.S.-Japan agreement established a reference treatment of approximately 15% for most Japanese imports, with specific rules and exceptions for certain products and sectors.

For a Japanese product whose normal U.S. tariff rate is below 15%, the mechanism generally brings the total tariff level to 15%. When the normal rate is already at least 15%, that particular provision does not add another amount simply to push the rate higher. Separate treatment can apply to specific sectors.

Read the official U.S.-Japan agreement implementation notice.

The important lesson for shoppers is not to memorize the number 15%.

It is to understand this:

trade conditions can change while the same product continues to appear in the same store with exactly the same photograph.

A comparison made one year ago may therefore no longer represent today’s real cost.

Tariffs and de minimis are not the same thing

This is another area where confusion is common.

A tariff determines what duties may apply when merchandise enters a market.

A de minimis regime, when one exists, may allow certain low-value shipments to receive simplified or exempt treatment.

They are different layers of the customs system.

The United States now provides a particularly clear example.

For many years, eligible shipments valued at up to US$800 could use the U.S. duty-free de minimis treatment.

That changed.

From August 29, 2025, the United States suspended duty-free de minimis treatment for low-value shipments from all countries. Non-postal shipments became subject to the applicable duties, taxes, fees, and entry procedures.

See the official U.S. Customs and Border Protection fact sheet.

The postal system initially included a temporary option involving specific duties of US$80 to US$200.

That measure was temporary and ended on February 28, 2026.

It should therefore no longer be presented as an option available to shoppers today.

This is a good example of why a purchasing strategy that worked in 2024 or early 2025 may no longer work in 2026.

Buying from Japan and buying a Japanese product are not necessarily the same transaction

Suppose you want to buy a Japanese camera.

You might:

• buy it directly in Japan and import it yourself;
• buy it from a U.S. seller that already imported it;
• buy it from a European distributor;
• or find a unit already inside your own domestic market.

The product may be identical.

The economic structure is not.

When you buy directly from Japan, you may personally face:

• international transport;
• Customs;
• duties;
• taxes;
• import procedures.

When you buy a unit that is already inside your country, those costs may have occurred earlier.

They did not necessarily disappear.

They may already be incorporated into the retail price.

This is why comparing only:

Japanese website price

against

local store price

can produce a misleading conclusion.

The correct comparison is the complete delivered cost.

Shipping origin is not necessarily product origin

Another common mistake is confusing:

Ships from

with

Made in.

A product may ship from a U.S. warehouse and still have Chinese or Japanese customs origin.

Likewise, an item may ship from Japan even though it was originally manufactured elsewhere.

For the shopper, both facts matter — but for different reasons.

The shipping location affects logistics.

Customs origin can affect tariffs.

And the location of existing inventory may determine whether you personally make the import or whether that import happened earlier in the supply chain.

Those three questions should remain separate.

Why can a “local” product become more expensive too?

Because local production and a fully local supply chain are not necessarily the same thing.

A company may assemble a product domestically while still depending on imported components, materials, machinery, or subassemblies.

If those inputs become more expensive, the manufacturer may face higher costs even when final assembly takes place locally.

But we should not automatically conclude that every domestically produced product will increase in price.

The impact depends on factors such as:

• cost structure;
• existing inventory;
• supplier contracts;
• ability to substitute inputs;
• commercial margins;
• company pricing decisions.

This is why the unsupported laptop percentages from the previous version of this article have been removed.

We do not need invented percentages to explain a mechanism that can be described accurately without them.

New tariffs can also create opportunities

Tariffs do not produce only higher prices.

They can also change the relative position of competing products.

Suppose two competing products previously entered the same market with similar costs.

If one becomes subject to a less favorable tariff structure while the other receives different treatment, their relative prices may change.

A shopper may then discover that:

• a product that once looked expensive has become relatively competitive;
• a JDM product makes more sense through direct purchase;
• a previous-generation model offers better value;
• a used or renewed product avoids part of the cost embedded in new inventory;
• or another market becomes a better source for the same purchase.

This connects directly with an idea that appears repeatedly in DJS analysis:

a change in the rules can create a new market asymmetry even when the product itself has not changed.

The object is the same.

The market around it changed.

Does traveling to shop no longer make sense?

We cannot answer that with a simple “yes” or “no.”

The previous version of this article stated too broadly that traveling to shop was no longer cheaper.

That conclusion should not be maintained.

A trip can involve significant costs, but shopping during a trip can also provide access to conditions that do not exist in a postal import.

In Japan, for example, an eligible visitor may use the applicable tax-free shopping system.

Some JDM products may also be unavailable internationally, and buying physically in Japan may avoid forwarding or certain logistics costs.

The meaningful comparison is:

a trip you were already going to make + local price + applicable tax benefit + rules when returning home

versus

international price + shipping + import costs + intermediaries.

That is why our updated Shopping in Japan: Expert Tips and Smart Strategies guide evaluates the complete purchase instead of assuming that one method is always better.

In the United States, removing de minimis does not mean every product pays the same tariff

This distinction is extremely important.

Suspending de minimis means that the former general duty-free benefit for qualifying shipments below US$800 no longer applies in the same way.

But it does not mean:

“Every product now pays the same percentage.”

The actual tariff treatment can depend on:

• country of origin;
• HTS classification;
• applicable trade agreements;
• sector-specific measures;
• other customs provisions.

DJS therefore keeps the more specific U.S. question in a separate article:

Is It Possible to Import With a 0% Tariff After the Removal of the U.S. De Minimis?

The important lesson here is simply:

de minimis removed does not mean universal tariff.

Before buying, verify what actually changed

An informed shopper should check at least these points before paying:

1. What is the real country of origin of the product?
2. From which country will it actually ship?
3. In which country will the import take place?
4. What classification or restrictions matter when the value justifies checking them?
5. Does the destination still have a low-value import regime?
6. Who will pay duties and taxes?
7. Are those charges already included at checkout or collected later?
8. Is domestic inventory available that avoids a new import?
9. Could another version, previous generation, JDM, used, or renewed product offer better value?
10. What is the final delivered cost rather than only the advertised price?

A label that says “Made in Japan,” “Ships from USA,” or “Free Shipping” answers only one part of the transaction.

Do not try to predict tariffs — verify the rule that exists today

During periods of rapid trade-policy change, one of the weakest pieces of shopping advice is:

“Buy now because the tariff will definitely rise.”

That kind of statement can become obsolete within weeks.

It is better to verify:

• the rule in force on the date of purchase;
• the product classification when relevant;
• the treatment of the actual country of origin;
• and the cost that applies to the real transaction.

Trade agreements change.

Tariffs change.

The shopper’s discipline should be more stable than either of them.

Shopping informed means understanding the route of the product

Tariffs can feel distant until they change the price shown on a screen.

But a shopper does not need to become an international trade specialist.

The goal is to learn to ask better questions.

• Where was the product made?
• Where is it shipping from?
• Who is actually importing it?
• What rule is in force today?
• Are taxes and duties included?
• Is there another market where the same purchase works better?

That allows the shopper to move beyond a simple reaction:

“Tariffs went up, so everything will become more expensive.”

and replace it with a much more useful question:

“How did the structure of this purchase change, and which alternative now offers better value?”

Trade rules change.

Supply routes change.

Prices change.

And that is exactly why shopping well is not about memorizing percentages.

It is about understanding the mechanism creating the price in front of you.

Related Reading

Shopping in Japan: Expert Tips and Smart Strategies
A complete guide to evaluating price, de minimis, JDM products, warranties, forwarding, tax-free shopping, used products, and renewed options when buying from Japan.

Is It Possible to Import With a 0% Tariff After the Removal of the U.S. De Minimis?
A focused analysis of tariff treatment after the suspension of the U.S. de minimis exemption.

Global De Minimis Guide
Our dedicated global de minimis guide is being updated separately so that current thresholds, exemptions, taxes, and market-specific rules can be reviewed without duplicating this article.