The sudden changes to US customs regulations and an overwhelming flood of packages are creating a shipping nightmare for customers across the country, particularly those waiting for packages that contain highly valuable or sentimental items. As new tariff rules, imposed under the Trump administration, make it increasingly difficult to process parcels, many Americans are facing long delays, unexpected fees, and the heartbreaking possibility that their belongings could be lost or even destroyed.
For some, the stress is compounded by the potential loss of irreplaceable items. This is the situation faced by Nicole Lobo, a 28-year-old graduate student who moved back to the United States in late August after a year in the UK. When Nicole shipped 10 boxes of possessions back to Philadelphia, she expected to receive them within a few days. But six weeks later, her shipment still hasn’t arrived, and she fears that her boxes, including important documents and personal items, may be lost or even destroyed by UPS due to the shipping company’s inability to handle the influx of parcels.
“It’s been horrific,” says Lobo, who was informed last month that her boxes could be disposed of. This left her scrambling to contact UPS, sending frantic emails and making phone calls to prevent her shipment from being lost forever. Unfortunately, her story is far from unique.
The Impact of Changing Customs Rules
The current shipping chaos is largely the result of new customs regulations that went into effect in late August 2025. Under these new rules, parcels valued at less than $800 are no longer allowed to enter the US without being inspected and subjected to taxes or tariffs. The Trump administration’s decision has had a cascading effect on the entire logistics industry, which is now grappling with the processing and paperwork associated with this sudden increase in parcels that need to be cleared.
The new rules, which impact approximately 4 million packages entering the US daily, require more extensive documentation, and businesses and individual customers are struggling to comply. Shipping companies, including UPS and FedEx, have reported significant delays, with some shipments getting stuck in limbo as they wait for customs clearance or additional paperwork. With these delays come unexpected and often higher fees, leaving many customers in limbo as they await their items.
Leighton Ku, a professor of health policy at George Washington University, notes that these challenges are particularly difficult for businesses that rely on the timely import of goods. “Shipping companies are not prepared for the volume and the amount of documentation now required,” he said. The regulatory shift has forced importers to become more vigilant, often scrambling to provide the necessary details about the country of origin or specific components in a product—information that many businesses don’t readily have.
Personal Loss: Wedding Heirlooms and Family Keepsakes at Risk
One of the most heart-wrenching aspects of the current shipping chaos is the loss of sentimental and irreplaceable items. Janani Mohan, a 29-year-old engineer from Michigan, is facing just such a tragedy. A package containing her wedding sari, which had been worn by her mother and grandmother, was sent from India by her parents in late spring. However, weeks later, a tracking alert from UPS indicated that her package was flagged for disposal.
“Everything in there is very close to my heart,” Mohan says, recounting how the sari had been passed down through generations. “I literally cried to them on the phone, begging them to let me have it. But they just told me the package was set to be destroyed.”
Mohan’s story is emblematic of the frustrations and deep personal losses that have become common as more shipments get stuck in the new customs bottleneck. For customers like her, who are missing out on important cultural artifacts and family heirlooms, the shipping delay isn’t just an inconvenience—it’s a devastating blow. Despite hours on hold and repeated emails, it wasn’t until the BBC reached out to UPS that Mohan received any form of assistance. Finally, after an inquiry from the media, she was notified that her package had cleared customs.
In the case of Nicole Lobo, whose belongings include clothes, documents, and personal items, her stress only intensified when she was informed that her boxes might be destroyed. Lobo did everything required of her by UPS, submitting additional documentation, but it wasn’t until late September that she received any updated information. After the BBC inquired about her shipment, the tracking information was finally updated, showing that the boxes were “on the way.” While this offers a glimmer of hope for Lobo, she still has no idea when—or even if—she will receive her items.
Small Businesses Struggling with UPS Delays
The disruption is not limited to individual customers. Small businesses that rely on international shipments are also feeling the effects of these delays. Take Mizuba Tea Co., an Oregon-based company that imports matcha from Japan. The company has been using UPS for over a decade to handle its shipments but has found itself in a precarious situation with five shipments currently delayed and valued at over $100,000.
“We have received conflicting alerts about the status of our shipments,” said Lauren Purvis, who runs the business with her family. “Some say the items are set for disposal, and we’re now worried we might run out of inventory if these delays continue.”
Purvis and her team have been in a constant state of uncertainty, trying to track down the whereabouts of their shipments and dealing with a range of bureaucratic hurdles to get the necessary paperwork filed on time. With tariffs and other duties becoming more complex to calculate and pay, the task of clearing customs has become a full-time job for small business owners like Purvis.
“It’s clear to us that the current importing systems were not prepared to handle the sheer volume of packages and the level of detail required,” Purvis said.
UPS Responds to the Backlog
UPS, which is at the center of the shipping chaos, has acknowledged the delays and the increasing difficulties faced by both individual and business customers. A spokeswoman for the company said that despite longer processing times, UPS has been successful in clearing more than 90% of international packages within a day of arrival. She also emphasized that UPS typically reaches out to customers at least three times before moving forward with the disposal of a package.
However, several customers interviewed for this article—including both individuals and small businesses—reported that they had received no communication from UPS before seeing a notification that their parcels were about to be destroyed. This lack of proactive communication has only fueled the frustration of customers who are left in the dark about the fate of their goods.
In contrast, FedEx, another major shipping company, stated that it does not typically destroy packages unless explicitly instructed to do so by the shipper. Still, with an influx of packages facing similar delays, customers of both UPS and FedEx are finding themselves navigating a complex, often opaque process to retrieve their goods.
The Road Ahead: Reforms and Solutions
As the shipping chaos continues to unfold, many customers and businesses are urging the US government to reconsider the changes to tariff and customs rules. The current situation, which has created a backlog of packages and increased the potential for lost or destroyed items, is unsustainable and unfair, especially for those dealing with personal or family treasures that cannot be replaced.
For now, those waiting on packages are left in limbo, hoping for updates and resolution from shipping companies that seem overwhelmed by the new regulations. Whether the government and private companies will adjust their systems to handle the new reality remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the delays are taking a significant toll on American consumers and small businesses alike.
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