Shopify pushes for ‘open trade’ as Trump delays import exemption

On the same day that President Donald Trump delayed ending a trade exemption targeting certain Chinese imports, e-commerce company Shopify published a blog post making its stance on U.S. trade policy clear.

In the post, Shopify endorsed “open trade,” calling for regulators to give online merchants the “freedom to expand without constraints imposed by geopolitical brinkmanship.”

“Without small-business protections, legitimate entrepreneurs suffer under policies intended to curb exploitation,” the post read. “This hikes costs, disrupts supply chains, and hinders cross-border trade.”

Shopify, a platform that hosts millions of sellers domestic and abroad, has much to lose from the possible cancellation of the “de minimus” rule. The provision, which was signed into law in 1930, lets low-cost goods enter the U.S. without facing taxes.

The Trump administration has argued that the de minimis rule makes it difficult for customs officials to identify fentanyl shipments sent via the mail. Trump swiftly moved to close the rule but reversed course on Friday in the face of pressure from merchants and consumers.

The reprieve is only temporary. The de minimis exemption will be removed again once “adequate systems are in place to fully and expediently process and collect tariff revenue,” according to an executive order Trump signed Friday afternoon.

Shopify says the pause should be permanent. “De minimis protections are crucial for small businesses in international trade,” the company wrote in its post. “They exempt low-value shipments from taxes and duties, keeping costs low and improving competitiveness worldwide.”

Ottawa-based Shopify, which commands roughly 10% of the global e-commerce market and facilitates over $20 billion in annual cross-border sales, is hedging its bets. This week, the platform widely rolled out a feature that lets merchants display and collect duties during checkout, as well as a search filter that makes it easier for consumers to shop from their home country.

In the near future, Shopify plans to release updates “aimed at simplifying the handling of international sales,” the company said in the blog post.