From November, shopping in Latvian stores will become cheaper than with Chinese internet giants

Latvian shoppers have realized that purchases on popular platforms are not always as advantageous anymore. A woman shared her experience on the social network "X," stating that she decided to cancel her order on "Temu" and buy the necessary items from Latvian online stores. "The joys of 'Temu' have come to an end. Yesterday, I placed an order — earring clasps, a rechargeable lint remover. I also added microfiber cloths to reach the minimum purchase amount of 15 euros. At checkout, the amount jumped to 33 euros (thirty-three euros!!!) because an import duty was applied. I gave up and bought everything I needed from Latvian online stores. Including delivery — 15 euros. Goodbye, my little friends Yin and Yang...," the woman writes. Arta also mentions that she initially wanted to buy various Halloween trinkets for her children, but changed her mind upon seeing the total expenses. Meanwhile, another shopper admits that the additional costs at least help refrain from buying unnecessary items. However, he notes that the work shoes purchased on "Temu" turned out to be of quite good quality and even after additional payments, they cost less than a similar offer at the "Deichmann" store. In turn, another shopper shares that even after additional payments, accessories for the air fryer cost about three times less than in Latvia. However, he admits that he no longer orders various small items from "Temu" that he previously bought without much necessity. ## ## Starting in November, there will be another fee The State Revenue Service (VID) explains that the changes will affect goods that residents purchase from online stores and trading platforms outside the European Union (EU). This applies not only to Chinese platforms such as "Temu," "Shein," and "AliExpress," but also to purchases from other non-EU countries, including the USA, the United Kingdom, and Norway. The first changes took effect on July 1, 2026. The previous exemption from customs duty for shipments valued at no more than 150 euros has been abolished. A simplified customs duty calculation now applies to such shipments — three euros for each separately declared item. However, the changes do not stop there. From November 1, 2026, a processing fee of two euros for each declared item is also planned to be introduced. This means that this fee will not be applied once for the entire shipment — its amount will depend on the number of declared items. How much will one actually need to pay? VID has also published an example calculation on its website, which helps to understand how the new rules will affect consumers' wallets. Suppose a person buys two different items from an online store, one costing seven euros and the other ten euros. Delivery costs one euro. The total purchase amount is 18 euros. In this case, a total of six euros in customs duty will be charged for both items — three euros for each item. The value-added tax (VAT) of 21% will be calculated based on the value of the goods, delivery costs, and customs duty, which in this example will amount to 5.04 euros. In turn, the new processing fee for the two items will reach four euros. As a result, the additional payments will total 15.04 euros. This means that for goods and delivery, the initial price of which was 18 euros, the total expenses could reach 33.04 euros. It should be noted that this is an example provided in the VID explanation, and not the same amount that will need to be paid for every order. Actual expenses depend on the quantity and value of goods, delivery charges, and the rules applied to the specific shipment. ## ## Will one have to handle customs clearance themselves? Not always. VID explains that if the online store or trading platform uses the special import regime IOSS and collects the corresponding payments at the time of purchase, the buyer will be able to pay them immediately when placing the order. If the platform also provides the carrier with the necessary information, the buyer will not have to handle customs formalities themselves — the delivery service provider will do that. In other cases, customs duty, VAT, and the processing fee will need to be paid when the shipment undergoes customs clearance. The buyer can handle the formalities themselves using the VID Electronic Declaration System and the customs declaration system, or choose the services of a customs broker, "Latvijas Pasts," or an express carrier. A separate fee may be charged for such a service. ## ## Why are such changes being introduced? VID indicates that the aim of the changes is to ensure fairer competition between sellers from third countries and EU companies that are required to pay taxes in full. They are also intended to reduce the opportunities for customs duty evasion by artificially splitting shipments or declaring unrealistically low values for goods. Another goal is to improve control over goods entering the EU market, including helping to identify products that do not meet EU standards or may pose safety risks. Therefore, before placing the next order, it is worth carefully checking not only the price of the goods but also all additional expenses related to the purchase. Sometimes an initially cheap purchase can turn out to be significantly more expensive than expected after adding all the payments.