A simple Christmas gift turned into a financial nightmare for a Boston grandmother after a major shipping error led to a staggering tariff bill. Bonnie O'Connell ordered a CA$30 Barbie doll from Canada for her granddaughter, only to be charged US$802 in tariffs and fees weeks after delivery due to a FedEx worker's mistake on a customs form.
A Shocking Bill Arrives Weeks Later
The grandmother received the unexpected bill from FedEx several weeks after the doll, mailed from Nova Scotia, had already been delivered to her Massachusetts home. "I just got a pain in the pit of my stomach," O'Connell told ABC affiliate WCVB. "I didn't even know what to do or say." The doll was a Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) and Tim Hortons-themed Barbie, intended as a holiday gift for her four-year-old granddaughter who loves both skating and Barbie.
The Decimal Point Error That Inflated the Bill
The problem began when O'Connell's cousin in Nova Scotia shipped the doll via FedEx. A clerk advised they would handle the required customs paperwork. However, when the shipping form was prepared, the declared value of CA$29.97 was incorrectly entered as nearly CA$3,000—a simple but costly shift of a decimal point two places to the right.
This error triggered a chain reaction:
- The inflated value was converted to roughly US$2,100.
- U.S. Customs applied a 35 per cent tariff—a rate imposed under the Trump administration on goods from Canada—resulting in about $742 in duties.
- Additional FedEx fees brought the total bill to $802.
"How many Barbies do you know that cost close to $3,000," O'Connell remarked to reporters.
Resolution After Media Intervention
Frustrated after FedEx said a resolution could take months, and upon receiving a final demand for payment, O'Connell contacted WCVB. The news station reached out to FedEx on her behalf, after which the company removed the charge from her account.
The incident highlights the complexities of cross-border shipping under current trade rules. The U.S. had eliminated the de minimis exemption, which once allowed shipments under $800 to enter duty-free. A duty-free gift exemption still exists for items under US$100, but they must be clearly marked as gifts and shipped between personal addresses.
On its website, FedEx notes that "inaccurate declared values are one of the most common reasons for duty and tax disputes." When shipping internationally, if no party is specified as responsible for duties on the label, the bill defaults to the recipient.
The National Post has contacted FedEx for further comment on how duties and taxes are processed for items shipped from Canada to the United States.
