Cross-border Daily Briefing 2026-07-18

📋 Cross-border Seller Daily | 2026-07-18

⏰ 30-Second Speed Read

• •The US immediately and indefinitely suspends de minimis for non-postal channels; small parcel direct shipping costs jump; switch to postal or adjust pricing immediately.
• •Google Ads bidding reform has only 6 weeks buffer; some sellers' CPA doubles; urgently review ad bidding strategies.
• •EU PPWR packaging regulation takes effect Aug 12; unregistered EPR will lead to delisting and fines; start registration in each country immediately.
• •TikTok Shop Southeast Asia cross-border direct fulfillment adaptation period ends tomorrow; delayed deliveries face fines and order limits.
• •Shopee starts today to strictly check listing language compliance; non-local language exceeding 50% results in direct product removal and penalty points.

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🔴 Key Focus

US Suspends De Minimis for Non-Postal Small Packages

Effective immediately, CBP indefinitely suspends duty-free status for ≤$800 packages via non-postal channels like DHL, UPS; formal customs entry and duties are now required. Direct-to-consumer small parcel sellers (especially Temu, SHEIN, Amazon FBM) will see costs surge. It is recommended to switch to postal channels immediately or adjust pricing, and check customs clearance status of in-transit packages.

⏰ Immediate Effect

Google Ads Bidding Reform Forces CPA Doubling

Google has forced the removal of old bidding options with only 6 weeks transition left; some advertisers' CPA has already doubled. Cross-border sellers must immediately review all campaigns, adjust target CPA and ROAS to affordable levels, or employ portfolio strategies to prevent budget runaway.

⏰ Adjust by August 17

EU PPWR Packaging Regulation Effective August 12; eBay Reminds Sellers to Register for EPR

All sellers of packaged goods in the EU must assume packaging recycling responsibility and complete EPR registration in the selling country. Non-compliant products face delisting or severe fines. Immediately check your EU storefronts, contact local authorized representatives, and secure registration numbers before August.

⏰ August 12, 2026

Tariffs Soar 104%, But Competitors Lower Prices? 3 Self-Help Paths for US Sellers

The US imposes 104% tariffs on some goods, intensifying price wars. Immediate three-pronged self-help: pass on tariff costs through product upgrades and price increases; use third-country transshipment to mitigate origin risks; accelerate expansion into non-US markets like Latin America and the Middle East.

TikTok Shop Southeast Asia Cross-Border Direct Fulfillment Adaptation Period Ends Tomorrow

From July 19, all Southeast Asia cross-border direct orders will face strict fulfillment time checks; late shipments trigger fines or order limits. Immediately review your fulfillment process, ensure online tracking within 48 hours, and buffer logistics capacity for peak seasons.

⏰ July 19, 2026

Amazon Rankings Plunge as Amazon Basics Dominate; Sellers’ Order Volumes Halved

Recently, Amazon’s search algorithm seemingly changed, causing many third-party sellers to drop drastically in rankings while Amazon Basics took top spots, cutting order volumes in half. Immediately check your core keyword rankings, optimize titles and A+ content, and increase investment in precise long-tail keyword ads to reduce reliance on broad traffic.

US Department of Justice Establishes Global Trade Enforcement Unit to Crack Down on Tariff Evasion and Import Fraud

The new unit will target underreporting of values, misdeclaring origin, etc., drastically raising fine and criminal liability risks. Sellers must ensure all clearance documents are truthful and declared values compliant, avoid gray channels, and conduct a full-process compliance audit for goods destined for the US.

Shopee Cleans Up Listings in Non-Local Official Languages; Over 50% Non-Compliant Vocabulary Leads to Product Deletion and Penalty Points

Starting today, Shopee scans product descriptions across multiple sites; products with over 50% non-local language vocabulary will be deleted and incur penalty points. Check every listing immediately, write in pure local language, especially pay attention to titles and bullet points.

⏰ Effective Immediately

TikTok US New Program Launched; Three Major Impacts on Sellers

The new operational plan involves data compliance and operational rules, directly affecting store traffic allocation in the US. Note whether store registration documents need re-certification, adjust ad strategies, and check if inventory models match new fulfillment requirements.

Amazon Product Star Ratings Disappear from Front End; Sellers Must Adjust Operations

Star ratings may be removed from the front-end display, directly hitting conversion rates. Immediately optimize main images and videos, highlight differentiating selling points in the first few lines of the description to reduce reliance on ratings; also test diverting a small ad budget to social media to spread risk.

TikTok Shop Sellers Face Goods Seizure Risk Due to New CPSC Rules

June policy update requires submitting CPSC import certificates and 15 other documents; missing documents may lead to customs seizure. Immediately check whether any children's products, electronic devices, etc. you sell on TikTok Shop require CPSC certification; upload compliance certificates before shipping.

Russia Tightens E-Commerce Product Information Authenticity Supervision Starting September

From September, Russia will strictly check consistency between product descriptions, physical goods, and qualification documents; violators face delisting and fines. Sellers involved with Russia should complete listing compliance checks this week, ensuring certificates, compositions, etc., match declarations.

⏰ September 1, 2026

US Proposes Up to 100% Tariffs on Goods from Major Russian Energy Purchasers; China Affected

As a major purchaser of Russian energy, China’s relevant export categories may face up to 100% tariffs. Immediately screen supply chains for Russian-sourced materials or components, especially metals and chemicals, and prepare contingency plans for origin replacement or market shifts.

Three Departments Adjust Battery Consumption Tax: Mercury-Free Primary Batteries Taxed at 2% from September; Sodium and Solid-State Batteries Temporarily Exempt

Mercury-free batteries, lithium primary batteries, etc., will be subject to 2% consumption tax from September, while sodium batteries and solid-state batteries are temporarily exempt. Battery sellers should immediately reassess costs and adjust pricing before September; also consider increasing supplies of tax-exempt categories like sodium, solid-state batteries.

⏰ September 1, 2026

EU Customs Duty Reform Effective July 1; Cross-Border Logistics Companies Issue Warnings

The €150 de minimis exemption has been eliminated; all incoming packages must undergo formal customs clearance and pay duties. Estimate your EU order logistics cost increases, adjust pricing immediately, update declaration templates, and confirm IOSS or DDP arrangements with logistics providers to prevent goods from being held at customs.

TEMU Mandates UK Responsible Person and EU Authorized Representative for All Products; Non-Compliance Results in Delisting and Penalties

TEMU will directly delist products without UK Responsible Person or EU Authorized Representative registration. Immediately sign contracts with compliance service providers, obtain the required agreements, and complete labeling on product packaging and the platform, achieving full compliance within 7 days.

Shopee Mandates Account Real-Name Matching with Withdrawal Account; TikTok Shop Overhauls Delay Rate Calculation

Shopee sellers must immediately verify that registration information matches withdrawal accounts, or funds will be frozen; TikTok Shop sellers must understand the new delay rate algorithm, especially weekends and holidays, and adjust shipping rhythms and logistics selections to avoid failing performance metrics.

67,000 Cross-Border Sellers Exit Shenzhen in One Year; Industry Reshuffling Accelerates

Over 60,000 seller departures reflect cutthroat competition and soaring compliance costs. Survivors must shift to refined operations: deepen product differentiation, build brand moats, diversify platform and site risks, and stop profitless price wars.

Shopee Singapore Local Stores Tighten Non-Integrated Channel Fulfillment Management

Singapore local stores using non-platform-designated logistics face stricter fulfillment reviews; delayed shipments directly impact store weighting. It is recommended to switch to platform-recommended logistics providers this week or upload logistics proofs in advance for transparency.

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📌 Worth Noting

Platform Dynamics

• •Amazon Global Selling Launches Benchmark New Seller Incubation Program — New sellers get traffic and training support (AMZ123)
• •TikTok Shop Vietnam Adds Medical Supplies Category, Opening July 17 — Prepare medical device registration certificates (TT123)
• •TikTok US Testing Full-Management Operations Service — Lowers operation barriers but compresses margins (AMZ123)
• •Ozon Global Opens Uzbekistan Market to Chinese Sellers — Central Asia new blue ocean worth watching (Cifnews)
• •Mercado Libre Fully Opens Fulfillment Centers in Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Argentina from August 1 — Stock up in Latin America for faster delivery (AMZ123)
• •SHEIN Entry: Three Modes Explained (Full-Managed/Semi-Managed/Seller Self-Operated) — Choose based on your supply chain (Cifnews)
• •TikTok Shop Indonesia Local Stores Add Restrictions on Electrical and E-Sports Accessories — Quickly check compliance qualifications (AMZ123)

Compliance Regulations

• •CBP Proposes Excluding Goods Affected by National Security Actions from $800 De Minimis — Will require 10-digit HTSUS classification in future (Federal Register)
• •US Extends Low-Value Shipment Data Pilot to August, Opens to More Participants — Small parcel clearance rules evolving (Federal Register)
• •US Implements HFC Quota System — Affects export of air conditioners, refrigerators containing HFCs (Federal Register)
• •South Korea Enhances Cross-Border E-Commerce Regulation, Requires Platforms to Appoint Domestic Representatives — Temu, AliExpress, SHEIN affected (AMZ123)
• •Brazil Launches Retaliatory Tariffs and Sanctions Against US — Transshipment or procurement via Brazil may be impacted (AMZ123)
• •Indonesia Not Raising Tax Rates Mid-Term but Strengthening Digital Supervision, Cracking Down on Gray Clearance — Must use legitimate customs channels (AMZ123)

Logistics & Warehousing

• •AliExpress Israel Optimizes Tax and Logistics Services — Leverage for expanding into Israel (AMZ123)
• •TikTok Shop Florida Sellers Can Sign Up for CBT Program; Last-Mile Delivery Fees Reduced and Speed Improved — Good news for East Coast warehouse sellers (Seller Home)

Marketing & Promotion

• •TikTok Launches Search Ads for the First Time; Sellers Already See 6x Conversion Rate Increase — New traffic channel worth testing (Cifnews-TikTok)
• •Amazon DSP Adds Podcast and Audio Ad Inventory — Expand brand exposure via audio ads (PPC.land)
• •TikTok Streaming Ads Outperform Competitors 80% of the Time — Consider testing to boost conversions (PPC.land)
• •Fake CTV Ad Fraud Generates 2 Billion Impressions Daily; Guard Against Budget Waste — Strengthen programmatic anti-fraud monitoring (PPC.land)

Payment & Finance

• •Shoplazza x Stripe Deepen Cooperation, Provide Global Payment Solutions — Shoplazza sellers should monitor integration features (Cifnews)
• •Cross-Border Seller Searching for WorldFirst Gets Phished, Loses Over 200,000 Yuan — Always use official payment channels (AMZ123)

Market Trends

• •TikTok Shop Becomes UK’s Fourth-Largest Beauty Retailer — Opportunities in beauty cross-border export (TT123)
• •Canada E-Commerce Market Reaches €360 Billion in 2025 — Time to deploy multi-site North America (TT123)
• •UAE E-Commerce Market Expected to Hit $12.3 Billion in 2026 — Middle East market growth surging (Seller Home)
• •Nigeria Social Commerce Penetration Rate 86%, Facebook Main Channel — Africa market ready for social commerce (AMZ123)

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💡 Today’s Insight

Today’s situation signals the definitive end of the “wild growth and quick profit” era for cross-border e-commerce. The US de minimis suspension, EU tariff and EPR chain tightening, coupled with platform algorithm fluctuations and fulfillment pressures, are pushing out a large number of sellers reliant on low-price, massive listings. Competition has shifted from mere price wars to a triple test of “compliance capability + brand positioning + supply chain resilience.” Sellers are advised to do three things starting today: first, pull all your SKUs, match the latest tariffs, EPR, and certificate requirements by destination country, and prioritize cutting high-risk, low-margin items; second, immediately test combinations of postal channels and small parcel clearance sales to retain US traffic; third, focus operations on video and detail page selling points to reduce absolute dependence on ratings and ads, shifting from “selling products” to “selling brand value.”

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Intelligently generated by AltoSea | Coverage across 10 overseas news sources

👉 Full Daily Report: https://aitosea.ai/daily-reports/2026-07-18