Selling Car and Motorcycle Parts From Thailand on eBay and Etsy: How to Quote US Buyers an All-In Price

Who pays the duty on an eBay or Etsy sale shipped from Thailand to the USA?

The buyer, unless the seller has chosen to ship duty paid and priced it in. Both platforms say so in their help pages, and both expect the seller to tell the buyer in advance. Since the end of the 800 dollar exemption there is no order small enough to slip through free.

"It is your responsibility to check which customs and import charges apply, and when to pay them"

Source: International purchases and shipping for buyers, eBay Help, the row for shipments handled outside eBay's own international programmes.

"If you're selling to buyers outside the US, you should inform them about the potential import charges they'll need to pay when they receive their item."

Source: Taxes and import charges, eBay Help, section Informing overseas buyers about import charges.

"As a buyer, you are generally responsible for paying the additional costs such as duties, taxes, tariffs, and customs clearance fees."

Source: Will I Have to Pay for Tax, Customs, or Tariffs on My Order?, Etsy Help, updated 15 September 2026.

The exemption that used to make this a non-issue on small orders is gone:

"The duty-free de minimis exemption provided under 19 U.S.C. 1321(a)(2)(C) shall no longer apply to any shipment of articles not covered by 50 U.S.C. 1702(b), regardless of value, country of origin, mode of transportation, or method of entry."

Source: Executive Order 14324, Suspending Duty-Free De Minimis Treatment for All Countries, Federal Register, 90 FR 37775, effective 29 August 2025.

A seller who ships duty unpaid is therefore selling a part at one price and delivering it at another, with the difference collected at the buyer's door by a carrier the seller does not control. The feedback that follows lands on the seller's account.

What does the buyer pay on arrival when the part ships duty unpaid?

For a car part under heading 8708, the ordinary 2.5 percent duty plus a 25 percent Section 232 tariff on the declared value, plus a merchandise processing fee and the carrier's charge for advancing the money. A motorcycle part under 8714.10 pays a 50 percent tariff on its steel and aluminium content instead of the 25 percent.

Sources: hts.usitc.gov for the 2.5 percent on 8708.30.50, Proclamation 10908 for the 25 percent, BIS notice 90 FR 40326 and Proclamation 10947 for the 50 percent on 8714.10, CBP Dec. 25-10 for the fees. The dollar figures are arithmetic on a 200 dollar declared value.

"all imports of articles specified in Annex I to this proclamation or in any subsequent annex to this proclamation, as set out in a subsequent notice in the Federal Register, shall be subject to a 25 percent tariff with respect to goods entered for consumption or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption"

Source: Proclamation 10908, Adjusting Imports of Automobiles and Automobile Parts Into the United States, Federal Register, 3 April 2025.

Motorcycle parts are not on that list, but they sit on a second one:

"BIS is adding 407 Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) codes to the list of products that will be considered as steel or aluminum derivative products. For such products, steel and aluminum tariffs based on Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (Section 232) will apply to the steel and aluminum content."

Source: Adoption and Procedures of the Section 232 Steel and Aluminum Tariff Inclusions Process, Bureau of Industry and Security, 90 FR 40326, 19 August 2025. The annex lists 8714.10.00 among the codes added.

"I have determined that it is necessary and appropriate to increase the tariff rate for imports of steel articles and derivative steel articles, and aluminum articles and derivative aluminum articles, from 25 percent ad valorem to 50 percent ad valorem effective as of 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on June 4, 2025"

Source: Proclamation 10947, Adjusting Imports of Aluminum and Steel Into the United States, Federal Register, 9 June 2025.

Most parts sold on a marketplace stay under the 2,500 dollar line, so the entry is informal and no broker is needed on the buyer's side; the duty is still charged:

"Shipments of merchandise not exceeding $2,500 in value (except for articles valued in excess of $250 classified in Chapter 99, Subchapters III and IV, HTSUS);"

Source: 19 CFR 143.21(a), Merchandise eligible for informal entry, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations.

How the duty inclusive price is built for garments, car parts and plants is set out on the page on shipping cost from Thailand to the USA.

How does an all-in price change the listing?

The price at checkout becomes the whole price. Etsy describes the two options in its own words, and the second is what a duty inclusive courier delivers:

"Delivered Duty Unpaid (DDU): The buyer is responsible for paying any tariffs and associated fees directly to the shipping carrier upon delivery."

"Delivered Duty Paid (DDP): The seller pays the tariffs up front, and the cost is included in the total at checkout. This ensures a smoother delivery process with no surprise fees at the time of delivery."

Source: Will I Have to Pay for Tax, Customs, or Tariffs on My Order?, Etsy Help, updated 15 September 2026.

Dragon Courier quotes one figure per weight band with the duty, the tariff and the fees inside it, so the seller adds that figure to the part and lists the total. Nothing is collected at the US door.

USA, duty and tax included, general price list of 3 August 2026. Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico are priced separately.

The e-commerce tier hands the parcel to UniUni for the last leg and the Standard tier to UPS; door to door runs around 5 to 8 days. A brake disc at 1.5 kg boxed sits on the 2 kg line, so a seller listing it at 90 dollars adds about 42 dollars of shipping on the e-commerce tier and knows that the buyer will pay 132 dollars and nothing else. Price is weight and dimension quoted for the country, there are no hidden fees or surcharges, and the same list applies to every customer, from a seller sending two parcels a month to one sending two hundred.

Both platforms require a processing time on the listing, and the honest one is the time to pack the part plus a day for collection:

"Processing time: How much time you need to get an order ready before handing off to a mail carrier."

Source: How to Set Processing Times, Processing Profiles and Ship By Dates, Etsy Help, updated 15 September 2026.

Collection is arranged for a date and time the seller chooses, and tracking is issued on export day and can be pasted into the order so the buyer follows the parcel from Bangkok to the local carrier. A seller with volume can connect a shop system to the booking through the Dragon Courier IT team.

What must the listing say, and what cannot fly?

The listing must describe the real condition of a used part, the customs form must carry the real value and description, and anything with a lithium battery or residual fuel is dangerous goods. Batteries do not ship with Dragon Courier at all.

"Used: The item was previously used. The item may have some signs of cosmetic wear, but it is fully operational and functions as intended. The item may be a floor model or store return that has been used. See the seller's listing for full details and a description of any imperfections"

"For parts or not working: The item does not function as intended and is not fully operational. This includes items that are defective in ways that render them difficult to use, items that require service or repair, or items missing essential components. See the seller's listing for full details"

Source: Item condition by category, eBay Help, section Motors: Parts and Accessories.

The same description goes on the customs form, with the price actually paid, because the seller signs for its accuracy:

"You're solely responsible for the accuracy of all information you provide on customs forms and to customs authorities."

Source: Information for Managing International Shipments, Etsy Help, updated 14 September 2026.

A used part declared as new, or a 300 dollar part declared at 40 dollars, is the seller's problem at both ends: the platform can act on the listing and customs can act on the entry, and on a duty inclusive shipment there is nothing to gain from a low value in the first place, since the duty is already inside the price.

Air transport sets the second limit. Lithium batteries are regulated as dangerous goods:

"Lithium batteries can be carried by air depending on configuration and Watt-hour rating (for rechargeable) or lithium content (for non-rechargeable). In addition, spare batteries are not allowed in checked baggage."

Source: Lithium Batteries, Dangerous Goods Regulations, International Air Transport Association.

Dragon Courier does not ship batteries to any country, so a control unit with a backup cell, a lithium starter pack or an electric accessory with its battery fitted stays out of the box. A carburettor, a fuel pump or a complete engine ships only when it is drained and free of vapour; the aviation rule written for passengers states the principle plainly, and cargo is not treated more leniently:

"No amount of fuel may remain in the engine, including residual vapors. 49 CFR 175.10(a)(22)"

Source: PackSafe, Engine Powered Equipment, Federal Aviation Administration.

What else is refused, from aerosols to religious items, is listed in the guide on prohibited and restricted items. Insurance covers loss only and is not available on the e-commerce tier, so a seller sending a high value part chooses the Standard or Express tier and declares the value in full; damage is not covered on normal shipments, which is the reason a disc goes between two sheets of cardboard and a chrome cover in bubble wrap inside a rigid box.

About Dragon Courier

Dragon Courier is a Bangkok courier with 30 years in the business and more than 20,000 shipments a month worldwide, the largest sender for eBay sellers and Etsy sellers located in Thailand, cheaper and faster than the post office on the routes it serves.

On the USA route the service is duty and tax inclusive door to door, with Dragon Courier clearing customs itself and a US carrier covering the final leg. The company sends only by air and does not handle sea freight, containers or pallets.

Contacts and drop-off

A quote needs the part, its boxed weight and size, and the delivery address. Office +66 2656 9019, LINE and WhatsApp at +66 6-5937-0812, or info@dragoncourier.com.

Drop-off runs until 17:00, Monday to Saturday, at the Bangkok office on Sukhumvit Soi 4 or the Chiang Mai office on Viangbua Road, and a collection can be booked for a date and time that suits the seller. Common questions on tracking, insurance and delivery are answered on the FAQ page.

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