CreateTime:2010-09-02 Editor:zjl

CHINA Customs imposed a tariff of at least 50 yuan (US$7.34) on most items imported via mail delivery service agencies from yesterday.

The new tariff policy poses a threat to surging domestic online services where buyers in China hire agencies to buy products abroad at competitive prices or those that couldn't be found in the Chinese market.

Most of these products were brought in via international delivery services. They used to enjoy 400 to 500 yuan of duty exemption. But now China Customs have lowered the tariff threshold to 50 yuan.

The online prices of imported baby formulas and cosmetics, the most popular items on the shopping lists of domestic buyers, have increased 5 to 20 percent since the new rules were released, media reports said.

Online sales at the end of last month soared as people rushed to take advantage of the price difference before the new policy started yesterday.

An online store owner offering proxy purchase of Clinique products told Jiefang Daily that a buyer bought 45 pieces of clarifying lotion in one transaction last month when another purchased 136 pieces worth more than 25,000 yuan in five days.