[Oct '25] Service Announcement: New US Shipping Conditions

Hi guys, Han here~

And I'm back with good news! All shipping methods to the US have been reopened...

...however, this announcement comes with a lot of new conditions that will impact what your packages look like when you receive them.

I'm going to try and keep this post as simple as possible. Still, the TL;DR that I want you to know is that GO orders, particularly large orders with a lot of repeating items, are still vulnerable to being inspected and returned - but I have steps I plan to take to reduce that possibility as much as possible.

The Rules

Under the current shipping rules, packages sent as gifts valued under $100 USD are exempt from tariffs, however, there is still a small declaration fee (~$3) that needs to be paid by the sender (ie me) so this will just be added into the base shipping price in future shipping invoices.

Until now, I have always marked down package values and sent packages as gifts; however, the contents of a package are still vulnerable to inspection (ie being opened by customs), and the Korean post office has provided a specific list of what US customs inspectors look for when they want to check if something is a gift or not.

They have specified that packages featuring the following will not be considered gifts by customs during inspection:

• boxes with company logos on the outside with the company name as the sender

• packages containing new items (outer vinyl, clothing tags, plastic packaging, etc.)

• packages containing free gifts, samples, POBs etc

• packages containing multiples of the same items

All packages that are flagged by customs as being falsely marked as gifts will be returned to me in Korea, but there will be no refund; you may have to pay the return shipping fee, and you will have to pay a new shipping fee to have it sent out again.

Important: Under no circumstance should you be charged a tariff fee for a package that has been sent by EMS, air, Kpack or sea!!!! The shipping agreement with Korea dictates that tariffs will be paid by the sender at the time of sending when applicable, and as I said, gifts valued under $100 have no tariffs.

My Solutions

Now, the first point is an easy fix. I often use new boxes anyway, but even when I do reuse weverse boxes it is usually clear that they have been opened before, so they don't look new - but to be on the safe side, I will start additionally scribbling over the logos too to make sure it's clear that they aren't coming from the company, and prioritize using new boxes whenever possible.

For the second point about items looking too new, I think the best way to avoid this is for me to remove some of the original wrapping where possible. For albums, they already all come without vinyl because of PC swaps, but for things like regular clothing and merch, I may start removing some of the outer packaging/tags, or putting multiple items inside one single package to make them look 'not brand new'. Likewise, for POBs and free gifts, I will do my best to disguise and hide them among the other items you've ordered so they don't draw suspicion. While I know this does take away some of the unboxing magic, if multiple of my packages start to get flagged, it will ruin shipping for everyone, so I feel this is a necessary step. (For bigger orders, don't be surprised if you find a rogue 'happy birthday' card in there! XD)

Finally, for packages containing multiples of the same items - honestly, this is the tough one. It is ultimately up to you what you decide to order, and there is no guarantee that any specific package will or will not be inspected; however, if you know you really want to order lots of the same item (especially to split with friends and family), I highly recommend using EMS Premium to ship the package instead.

If you use EMS Premium, there is a very small risk you might get a 15% tariff bill, but I can significantly mark down the value of the package, and the chance of them doing an inspection is much lower. If you would like to use this option on any future orders, please just indicate so in your order note when checking out. Otherwise, I will process the order as normal, and you are agreeing to the risk of your package getting flagged by customs.

These are the best solutions I've been able to come up with, and fortunately, I do think we will be able to continue to cheat the system! XD I have over 5 years of experience dodging and diving customs rules, and so far, no one has expressed any customs issues to me, so you should be in good hands! And of course, if you have any issues, I'm always here to help.

For LARGE Orders (Declared Value of $100)

Also, I want to make a quick note for specific cases:

• LARGE orders of many repeating items (eg 10+ of the same item, or GOMs)

• Joiners who want their declared customs value over $100 for package insurance reasons

If you do want your package value marked as over $100 in value, then (even when marked as a gift) it is required that you pay a 15% tariff bill when the package is shipped, not after you receive it.

As such, if you indicate that you want this option when placing your order, I will charge you the 15% with your shipping and pay it on my end when I send you the package, so you don't run the risk of companies like USPS and DHL charging you service fees for prepaying the tariff after you get it. It also means your package shouldn't get caught up at customs for weeks on end when it enters the US.

So final TL;DR:

• Shipping is back, but there is still a small risk of fake 'gift' packages being inspected and returned

• I will do what I can to reduce the chance of your package being returned to me by customs

• The contents of your package may not look 'factory new' to fool customs inspectors, but it will be in tip-top condition

• If you buy packages containing lots of repeats, I highly suggest using EMS Premium to avoid returns

• If your package's declared value is over $100*, you must pay a 15% tariff charge at the time of shipping

*I never declare a value over $100 unless specifically requested, so if you didn't request this, don't worry about it!

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me via the FMA app or website. And as always, thank you for trusting me to handle your merch - I'll continue to do my best!

Magic & Purple Hearts,

Han