This rule made many online purchases dirt cheap for U.S. consumers. Now it's ending

For nearly a century, the "de minimis" trade exemption let people skip import fees for shipping small stuff. But after the U.S. raised its limit to $800, that small stuff became big business, driven by online shopping.

"We're talking about 4 million de minimis packages being processed a day," says Courtney Griffin of the Consumer Federation of America.

The de minimis rule also became increasingly contentious. Backers say it brings low prices to consumers. But critics say the rule hurts U.S. companies and allows unsafe or even illegal items to be imported without a close customs inspection.

Sweeping changes are arriving Friday, when President Trump's executive order suspending the de minimis rule for all U.S. imports takes effect. The shift is already rippling around the world: From As