American Tariffs on China-made Products: What You Need to Know

Article updated February 24, 2026

Here’s what you need to know about the latest changes to U.S. customs rules concerning GONG shipments:

In February 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down much of the so-called “reciprocal” duties (IEEPA Reciprocal).

As a replacement, the U.S. administration is now applying a temporary global surcharge of 10%, via Section 122 of the Trade Act (valid for 150 days, i.e., until July 24, 2026).

👉 The “De Minimis” exemption (less than $800) remains eliminated.
All imports are subject to duties and taxes, regardless of amount.

Most GONG products (HS 9506.29 – sporting equipment) are manufactured in China.

In addition to this global 10% surcharge, there is 7.5% customs duties tied to Section 301 targeting products of Chinese origin, for a total of 17.5%.

Exceptions (not affected by the surcharges because not made in China): GONG T-shirts, hoodies, twin-tip kiteboards, and certain items from partner brands.

• April 10: U.S. authorities raise duties on Chinese imports, affecting a large portion of the GONG catalog.

• May 2: End of the temporary exemption for orders under $800.

• May 14: Duties temporarily reduced to 30% (instead of a maximum of 145%).

• August 25: Postal operators suspend shipments to the United States. All GONG orders are shipped by DHL Express, so they are not affected by this suspension.

• August 29: Official end of the “De Minimis” exemption for all shipments under $800.

• February 2026: Repeal of “reciprocal” duties by the Supreme Court and the implementation of a 10% global surcharge by the Trump administration.

Duties are calculated by U.S. customs based on the following elements:

• Detailed product description

• HS/HTS Code: tariff classification

• Country of origin: place of manufacture, not the shipping country

• Customs value: value of the products only (excluding transport and insurance)

• Shipping charges are not refundable.

• Return shipping costs and duties will be deducted from your refund.

• Refund is issued once the package has returned to our warehouse.

These changes are imposed by the U.S. Customs & Border Protection.
We cannot influence these rules, but we commit to:

• Keeping you informed transparently,

• Adjusting our processes to reduce customs clearance times,

• Assisting you with questions about your duties or shipments.