Shipping to the United States

Good news! US shipping has resumed!

After a tempory suspension due to changes in US customs regulations, I'm happy to announce that I can now ship to the United States again via DDP (Delivery Duty Paid) service.

Current Shipping Details:

  • Shipping Costs: 13€ per order (approximately $14-15)
  • Customs Duties: Included in checkout - no additional fees upon delivery
  • Processing Time: Up to 2 weeks (orders are batched twice monthly)
  • Delivery Time: 7-11 business days after shipment via Transglobal Express

And good news for printed materials buyers! Comics, artbooks, zines, and art prints are classified as "informational materials" under US law and are exempt from import duties. The means my printed books and art prints have no additional duty charge - you only pay the base shipping cost. 

What's duty-free:

  • Comics and graphic novels
  • Artbooks and zines
  • Art prints and posters 

Important note about checkout duty calculations: 

Due to ongoing issues with Shopify's duty calculator since August 2025, art prints currently incorrectly show duty charges at checkout, even though they are legally exempt. If you are charged duties for printed materials, I will manually refund the incorrect duty amount when I process and pack your order. 
Please allow a few business days for the refund to be processed and appear in your account. 

Why the batched shipping?

Since I work with an external shipping provider (Transglobal Express), I need to cosolidate US orders and ship them within Germany to their facility first. To optimize costs and logistics, I collect US orders for up to two weeks before forwarding them for international shipment. This means your order will be shipped approximately twice per month. 

What changes on August 29th, 2025?

The United States abolished the de minimis rule that previously exempted packages under $800 from import duties. The means all packages entering the US are now subject to customs duties and fees, regardless of their value. 

However, printed materials and art remain exempt under the Informational Materials Exception (50 U.S.C. § 1702(b)). This exemption covers:

  • Publications, films, posters, photographs (HTS Chapter 49)
  • Art prints and lithographs (HS Code 4911.91.2020)
  • Books and printed matter (HS Code 4901.99
  • Other informational materials protected under First Amendment principles 

For non-printed merchandise in my shop (such as enamel pins, stickers, or other items):

  • For shipments from the EU, the base customs rate is 15% of the goods' value
  • Standard postal services like Deutsche Post temporarily suspended US shipments because USPS requires DDP clearance, which they don't offer

What is DDP (Delivery Duty Paid)?

DDP means all customs duties and import fees are calculated and paid before your package arrives in the US. When you place an order, you'll see the total cost including shipping and all applicable duties at checkout. This means:

  • No surprise fees when your package arrives
  • No customs delays
  • Clear, transparent pricing upfront

All duties are automatically calculated at checkout based on your order contents and current US customs regulations.

Timeline:

  • Day 0-14: Your order is collected and batched with other US orders
  • Day 14-25: Shipment via Transglobal Express to the US (7-11 business days)
  • Total estimated delivery: 3-4 weeks from your order date

I'll send you tracking information once your order has been handed over to Transglobal Express for international shipping.

 

Last updated: November 5th, 2025