Billions of ‘cheap’ goods now subject to steep tariffs

(CNN) - It’s the end of an era as billions of packages of so-called “cheap” goods shipped to the United States are now subject to steep tariffs.

As of Monday, a loophole that had reshaped the way countless Americans shopped has expired.

It’s a big change for American customers looking to buy low-value goods from abroad.

After nearly a century, the “de minimus rule,” which has allowed some packages to enter the United States duty-free or exempt from certain taxes, is no more.

“It’s a massive impact,” Sean Henry, CEO and cofounder of Stord, said.

Since 2015, the exemption applied to packages worth less than $800. That allowed ultra-low-cost ecommerce sites to take off, as they sold and shipped everything from clothing to furniture to electronics directly to American shoppers.

“In 2012,