eBay Requires DDP for Low-Value Shipments from Japan and South Korea to the EU
eBay will require shipments from Japan and South Korea to the EU with a merchandise value excluding shipping of no more than €150 to use DDP for customs clearance.
What are the key facts?
- 1DDP will be required for applicable shipments from October 1, 2026
- 2Applies to low-value shipments from Japan and South Korea to the EU
- 3Merchandise value excluding shipping of no more than €150
- 4DDP requires the seller or logistics provider to handle import duties and customs clearance
What happened?
eBay’s export policy page states that from October 1, 2026, shipments from Japan and South Korea to the EU with a merchandise value excluding shipping of no more than €150 must use Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) logistics services to complete customs clearance. The arrangement aligns with the EU’s plan to impose a €3 duty per item on imports valued below €150 from July 1, 2026. The main affected sellers include those shipping from warehouses in Japan and South Korea, as well as sellers using eBay to sell low-priced goods to EU markets such as Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands. Under DDP, the seller or logistics provider must handle duties, declarations, and customs clearance at import, rather than simply having the buyer pay taxes upon delivery. The original notice also advises sellers to confirm whether their logistics provider offers DDP, whether shipping labels correctly transmit IOSS or import data, and to assess return-related taxes and the profitability of shipping low-value goods directly to the EU.
What does this mean for cross-border sellers?
From October 1, 2026, eBay shipments from Japan and South Korea to the EU with a merchandise value excluding shipping of no more than €150 must use DDP; sellers can no longer have buyers pay taxes upon delivery. Sellers should also recalculate how the €3-per-item duty, customs clearance, and return-related taxes affect the profitability of low-value goods.
What should sellers do now?
- 1This week, identify eBay Listings shipped from warehouses in Japan and South Korea to the EU, including Germany and France, with a merchandise price excluding shipping of no more than €150. Confirm for each Listing that the logistics provider offers DDP and transmits IOSS or import data, and retain written confirmation and shipping-label test results.Profit calculator
- 2Use a profit calculator to recalculate product, shipping, €3-per-item duty, customs-clearance, and return-related tax costs for the low-value SKUs above. For each Listing, create a list classified as continue direct shipping, adjust pricing, or discontinue, and record the resulting profit.