Surprise tariffs are hitting shoppers this holiday season

If you order products from abroad this holiday season, you could end up with an unwanted surprise: a pricey tariff bill

If you order products from abroad this holiday season, you could end up with an unwanted surprise: a pricey tariff bill.

This is the first holiday shopping season since the Trump administration made a major change to customs rules, extending tariffs and customs fees to low-value packages that had long been exempt.

Since the new policies went into effect in late August, shoppers have reported being hit with surprise tariff charges on everything from rugs and computers to vitamins — sometimes costing hundreds of dollars.

Now, as the busiest shopping season of the year gets underway, the stakes are high for both consumers and retailers.

The National Retail Federation estimates that U.S. holiday sales will top $1 trillion for the first time this season, and Adobe Analytics expects shoppers will spend a record $253.4 billion online this holiday season.