Update for U.S. Customers – Import Duty Changes & Shipping Plans

If you’ve ordered from me in the U.S. before you’ll know I’ve always tried to make things as straightforward as possible, both in the making of your pen, and in how it makes its way across the pond to you.

From 29 August 2025 the U.S. Government is removing something called the “de minimis” exemption. Until now this allowed goods valued at under $800 to enter the United States without import duty. That’s been the rule for years and, for many of my customers it meant that your pen arrived with no extra fees to pay.

That exemption is now gone.

What’s Changing?

• Every UK-made item entering the United States will now incur import duty, no matter the value.

• For UK goods, the standard rate is 10% of the item value — payable directly to U.S. Customs before your parcel is released.

• Normally, if you ordered from me, this would simply mean a 10% duty, calculated on the declared value of your pen, and collected by USPS on delivery.

But here’s the curveball:

Right now, USPS and Royal Mail systems are not yet fully updated to handle this new rule. In the meantime, there’s a risk that packages sent through the postal system could be charged a flat $80 fee instead of the correct 10% duty.

What I’m Doing About It

To avoid this, I’m making a temporary change to how I ship U.S. orders:

• For at least the next 6 months, I’ll be sending all U.S. orders by reliable couriers such as UPS, FedEx, or DHL — rather than through Royal Mail/USPS.

• Couriers already have the correct systems in place, so they will apply the right 10% duty rather than a flat $80.

• This keeps things fair, predictable, and transparent for you — and avoids any nasty surprises when your pen arrives.

Once USPS systems are properly updated, I’ll review my options and may return to my usual postal service.

I’ve also added two shipping options so you can choose the level of insurance cover that works for you:

• £17 – Includes up to £50 insurance coverage

• £34 – Includes up to £300 insurance coverage

It’s entirely up to you which option you pick. If you’d like full cover for the value of your pen, I recommend the higher-insurance option.

What This Means for You

• You’ll still be able to order from me as usual — nothing changes on the product or checkout side.

• The only difference is that your order will be shipped via a courier instead of the postal service.

• When your parcel arrives in the U.S., U.S. Customs will request payment for the duty (about 10% of your order value) before releasing it for delivery.

• Rockster Pens does not collect this money, and I don’t benefit from it — it’s simply a government import charge.

Example:

A $400 pen will have around $40 duty to pay when it reaches U.S. Customs.

In Summary

I wish I could make this all go away — but it’s outside my control. What I can do is make sure my shipping process works in your favour, avoids unnecessary extra charges, and keeps the experience as smooth as possible.

Thank you for your patience and understanding while the dust settles on this new rule. Most of my customers are in the U.S., and I’ll always do my best to get your pens to you quickly, safely, and without unexpected surprises. 💛