Trump Tariffs for the USA

There's a new CPSC eFiling that begins July 8th. I wonder if this will affect us doll collectors. Volks says their dolls are for ages 15+ correct? 

So the CPSC regulation that the filing for is not new, just the e-filing itself is from my understanding. E-filing is just meant to make the process easier. Since the regulation has been around for a while, established doll companies should know how to handle those already, so if you're buying direct from a retailer you should be fine. 

Secondhand, however...make sure that the code for collectible is used when importing, as that bypasses the regulation. There was a reddit post going around of a doll that had been seized and inspected because of the wrong code. Looks like that had been resolved safely for that doll, but Liccas were getting destroyed since they're playline dolls. 

14 minutes ago, Oculae said:

So the CPSC regulation that the filing for is not new, just the e-filing itself is from my understanding. E-filing is just meant to make the process easier. Since the regulation has been around for a while, established doll companies should know how to handle those already, so if you're buying direct from a retailer you should be fine. 

Secondhand, however...make sure that the code for collectible is used when importing, as that bypasses the regulation. There was a reddit post going around of a doll that had been seized and inspected because of the wrong code. Looks like that had been resolved safely for that doll, but Liccas were getting destroyed since they're playline dolls. 

Thanks for explaining this. 

Also take note that apparently this new regulation also applies to Ebay sales - i.e. sell an item that does not match the current regulation regarding toys under the wrong category is going to end badly. What this may hide is an attempt to destroy the second-hand market in the USA, thus forcing people into only buying only new items.

Regarding CPSC, I would be cautious about importing to the USA any dolls rated for ages 12 and under.  They could very easily get seized by US Customs.  Most Licca dolls are rated for ages 3 and up, so they could get seized and destroyed.  Volks' Dollfie Dreams should be fine, as they are intended for age 15 and older, although I'm not sure if all Dollfie boxes say that in English.  Frieren 2.0 does say "Ages 15&up" in both English and Japanese on the box. 

The HS/HTS Code 9503.0000.90 (Toys, Dolls, Scale Models, Parts & Accessories) that Volks Japan uses is on the high-risk list of getting flagged for inspection.  So we'll see how this plays out.

I also feel like DHL shipments get flagged/inspected more than Japan Post shipments, although most of the time we have no choice, as few stores offer to ship via Japan Post DDP (duty pre-paid).

As for Ebay, it sounds like they use AI to automatically flag and remove listings (often erroneously), which has put the burden of proof on the sellers.

Edited June 19 by nanika

I have some items from Volks JP and all of them are high risk items. Of course I find out about this rule now. -_-

Contents:

- x1 plastic model kit
- x5 figure parts [x4 heads and x1 shoes]
- x2 doll parts [dollfie hands]

The plastic model kit is rated for +15 in the listing. The other things have no obvious age rating I can find in their listings and judging from secondhand listings, I don't see anything on them either.

I'll make an update on them when it hits the US. If I am lucky, all I need to deal with the delivery driver being unable to find my address (again). If I am not, the whole thing gets seized.

Update: Package was shipped with DHL as that is the only option Volks JP has at the moment. Passed through customs with no issue. This is before the 7/8 implementation. Package has arrived safely. I don't see the HTS codes on the packing slips but they are labeled as 'Plastic model kit' and the hands 'Doll accessories'.
 

I also have 4 preorders that will release after July 8 and if it's bad enough, I'll likely just cancel the ones that can be canceled. One of the can't be canceled but is also likely the highest risk one. Can't really do anything at the moment than just wait and see.

Edited July 2 by Amapola

My smart doll is labelled 'fashion doll 15+' etc, I'm wondering what the actual code is on them though and if those will be effected. 

Edit: My smart doll to have not been affected. My family is halting any overseas imports for collectables due to a lot of weirdness going on with the new CSPC rules. Plushies appear to be getting repackaged by the CSPC, and Liccas as mentioned above appear to be either getting destroyed or held onto. Goodsmile might be okay, but we're also waiting on a verdict for that. Secondhand items are getting inspected as well. No courier is immune from this. 

Sources to look at: 

• Reddit: What's my recourse if customs seizes and destroys a package?
  • Someone in this thread ordered an extremely expensive BJD labelled with the 15+ up, CSPC did open and inspect the box but didn't actually look into the inner doll box. They did receive their doll, but it looks like they did have to do some legwork. 
• Reddit: CPSC Violations - Amazon Japan Mario and Princess Peach Licca-chan
• Reddit: Customs/CPSC Plushie Package

I hope people will continue to add updates to this thread with their experiences as the new guidelines come into play. 

Edited June 22 by sunlightandtea
added information

I know it's a different tarrif code for anime figures, but I have an AmiAmi order coming here real soon, so we'll see how this plays out. Figures they would only offer DHL or their 4 month long wait Surface Premium. 

I have two Volks outfits coming across via DHL right now. The Shipment Options page says Exception, and the Track & Trace page says "Clearance Event" at the Cincinnati hub.

T&T also says:

I've never seen CITES certification on any of my orders. One of the items in the order was the Nine Tails accessory. Fingers crossed this isn't going to be an issue.

Regarding future shipments, I am really worried for my 2.0 Luka preorders. She seems to get screwed out of other merch. I could totally see fate screwing with her again and the 2.0 DDs ending up destroyed.
Thankfully there's still a few months before she ships so maybe things will iron out, or Volks decides they won't ship from Japan to the US anymore.

1 hour ago, 313C7 said:

I have two Volks outfits coming across via DHL right now. The Shipment Options page says Exception, and the Track & Trace page says "Clearance Event" at the Cincinnati hub.

T&T also says:

I've never seen CITES certification on any of my orders. One of the items in the order was the Nine Tails accessory. Fingers crossed this isn't going to be an issue.

Regarding future shipments, I am really worried for my 2.0 Luka preorders. She seems to get screwed out of other merch. I could totally see fate screwing with her again and the 2.0 DDs ending up destroyed.
Thankfully there's still a few months before she ships so maybe things will iron out, or Volks decides they won't ship from Japan to the US anymore.

I'd contact DHL and stress that the ninetails (kitsune) are a reproduction item using synthetic hair, not actual fox hair.

Furthermore, I can say with certain authority that kitsune won't be on the list of Endangered Species, and if anyone thinks they are they need to go see a shrink. The list is online, so you can have a look for yourself: https://checklist.cites.org/#/en The most likely type of fox, the arctic fox, ain't on the list either. Furthermore, arctic foxes don't occur in Japan.

It would help if Volks, instead of putting the item name on shipping labels, would restrain themselves to using the correct goods codes...

Edited July 5 by Kemonomimicry

Volks Japan needs to get their tariff codes correct with these new regulations asap. AmiAmi got their's figured out just fine.

Edited July 6 by ThatSubaru86

Its getting weirder. OnDemand no longer says Exception, but In Transit.

However, T&T says:

Called DHL a few minutes ago and the agent wasn't all that helpful. All they could say was customs had the package for inspection and it could take a few days or a week before it gets back to DHL. Tried to push him that I've imported this type of product before and never had it flagged for CITES or for further inspection. Unfortunately the convo was going around in circles at that point. I'll call back in a few hours, hopefully getting a different agent.

 

11 hours ago, ThatSubaru86 said:

Volks Japan needs to get their tariff codes correct with these new regulations asap. AmiAmi got their's figured out just fine.

I've been continuing to use Volks Japan because the pricing + shipping + import fees have been less than what VolksUSA charges. But, depending on how this goes, I may finally be forced to pay the premium and just use VolksUSA. I hate that their pricing seems to assume 1USD:100Yen but at least I won't be dealing with import issues.

3 hours ago, 313C7 said:

Its getting weirder. OnDemand no longer says Exception, but In Transit.

However, T&T says:

Called DHL a few minutes ago and the agent wasn't all that helpful. All they could say was customs had the package for inspection and it could take a few days or a week before it gets back to DHL. Tried to push him that I've imported this type of product before and never had it flagged for CITES or for further inspection. Unfortunately the convo was going around in circles at that point. I'll call back in a few hours, hopefully getting a different agent.

The whole problem is that it has been flagged for CITES, i.e. they're suspecting you're smuggling illegal animal parts or products made from them - in some countries this can land you in jail or get you a very hefty fine. This is also why the DHL agent wasn't helpful, probably.

Which is why I wrote you should stress they are made of synthetic hair (fake fur).

Now the other problem is that the easiest way to check for real or fake fur is to cut off a piece and hold a flame to it (fake fur is made from plastic and melts, real fur burns with a particular smell), so there's a chance that it arrives damaged, too.☹️

Edited July 6 by Kemonomimicry

On 7/6/2026 at 11:36 AM, Kemonomimicry said:

Which is why I wrote you should stress they are made of synthetic hair (fake fur).

I did. It didn't matter to the rep. They kept saying customs had it, it will take a few days, be patient.

By yesterday afternoon the shipment cleared and I got the duty fees text. Box arrived today. It was never opened by customs so it seems they took care of it without opening for inspection.

2 hours ago, 313C7 said:

I did. It didn't matter to the rep. They kept saying customs had it, it will take a few days, be patient.

By yesterday afternoon the shipment cleared and I got the duty fees text. Box arrived today. It was never opened by customs so it seems they took care of it without opening for inspection.

I'd either email Volks USA or the Japan side to see if they were contacted by customs and if they plan on updating their customs descriptions to avoid this issue with the new regulations, because if not,  ordering from directly from Japan will be a huge gamble. 

 

I may contact them myself as well to see what they have to say. 

 

I had a recent AmiAmi order through DHL and AmiAmi clearly states adult collectible ages 15+ now. No issues. No drama. Cleared customs fast. 

Edited July 8 by ThatSubaru86

I'm starting to get the impression that DHL has a fairly new automated system for flagging packages that has a huge rate of false positives and little correction in place (probably shitty AI). Couple that with the new US regulations and overworked agents on the US side, and to me it looks like a mechanism for an expensive class action in the future.

5 hours ago, Kemonomimicry said:

I'm starting to get the impression that DHL has a fairly new automated system for flagging packages that has a huge rate of false positives and little correction in place (probably shitty AI). Couple that with the new US regulations and overworked agents on the US side, and to me it looks like a mechanism for an expensive class action in the future.

Its a huge corporation backed by an oligarch somewhere. It'll never happen. 

I don't know if this will be helpful to anyone, but my husband and I recently did an order via the proxy From Japan and we received our package about 2 weeks ago. We used UPS, it wasn't opened by customs and was cleared quickly, but we were charged the tariff on it. We've imported a few things since the beginning of the year from AmiAmi and From Japan, and have used UPS nearly every time. We prepaid the duties on 2 orders, and didn't on 4 others. Two of those four arrived a few months ago and we never got a tariff invoice, one is still on a boat somewhere still but we haven't gotten a bill for it, and then this most recent one required us to pay the tariff before delivery. Our most recent order was the largest, and most expensive, of our orders, so I suspect that's why we got hit with the bill this time. 

I bring this up because I had two doll items in our order, but it was just a DD wig and head ordered from JP Mercari, and they seem to have slipped under the radar. I cannot for the life of me find the tariff code From Japan used for our package unfortunately. Most of what my husband ordered was acrylic stands, so the description of our package's contents on the shipping label just says "acrylic display stand anime", but we also had two scale figures and my two doll items in the same package.

I'm not sure if we got lucky that our package wasn't opened or otherwise affected by the new rules regarding toy imports, or if the majority of our items not being toys/dolls is why we were ok, but I wanted to share my experience nonetheless. 

Contacted Dollyteria on how they're handling the new July 8th e-filing etc,

 

 

Thank you for your inquiry.

For customs purposes, we declare our dolls as "Used collectible dolls for adult collectors."  

If you have further questions, please feel free to contact us.

According to Big in Japan, packages sent via Japan Post to the USA are not subject to the CPSC e-filing until late October.

So if your proxy ships via Japan Post DDP, you have a few more months before the regulations take effect.  But it's still good to avoid the HTS codes that get flagged.

Edited July 25 by nanika

quick question, Has anyone order VOLKS dolls from mandarake after cpsc take effect? 
I saw mandarake says they can’t offer the documents the cpsc would be need, I was wondering if anyone has been filling out the form? Using DHL

Here's how Volks Japan is handling the CPSC update. No issues with going through customs today. Cleared fast. 

 

 

Edited August 1 by ThatSubaru86
Photo

1 hour ago, ThatSubaru86 said:

Here's how Volks Japan is handling the CPSC update. No issues with going through customs today. Cleared fast. 

 

 

That's good to know, I have some wants in the release next week and was starting to sweat it.  Here's hoping just clothes get marked similarly.

46 minutes ago, DesertPhantom51 said:

That's good to know, I have some wants in the release next week and was starting to sweat it.  Here's hoping just clothes get marked similarly.

They should. I had another order clear today, it was resin hands.  Adult collectible doll accessories was on the import paperwork. 

Edited August 1 by ThatSubaru86

Haven't ordered from Volks recently, but thought I could add info for what I have. I've had two doll related orders come in safely from Kikagoods and one from Zenmarket for secondhand clothes. This is the code Zenmarket used and it went though fine with ECMS shipping.

But on the other hand...I ordered a custom suit for my DDB from a seller on ebay and I'm unable to see what code they used. I assume the standard code for toys and dolls. It's been stuck in and out of customs for over a month now. I'm starting to honestly think they may have seized it, but no one can really tell because Orange Connex is apparently a major pain to get ahold of(and I can't until 45 days has passed, which is approaching.) 

Haven't received it yet either, but I ordered some plush/cotton dolls that come with doll clothes using Superbuy, but so far so good on passing first initial clearances. It seems to be on schedule for delivery this week if there are no holdups. This is the code Superbuy has been using since the change.(Thought this info would be useful for those ordering doll clothes from Taobao etc)