Tariffs Are Changing How International Buyers Shop, Marketplace Founder Says

Australian marketplace founder Wayne Sedawie says international buyers are asking more questions about tariffs, customs charges and courier fees as import costs reshape purchasing behavior. His sites show mixed results across gemstones, opals and coins, suggesting buyers are adapting their orders rather than leaving cross-border shopping.

Why it matters: - Rising import-related costs are changing how collectors and gemstone buyers place orders across international marketplaces. - Sedawie says the shift is affecting buying behavior, order size and product mix, not just total demand. - The data suggests some exporters may need to adjust pricing, shipping and checkout clarity to keep cross-border sales moving.

What happened: - Wayne Sedawie said customer purchasing behavior has changed over the past three months as international buyers respond to new import costs and customs procedures. - Buyers are asking more questions about tariffs, customs charges and courier clearance fees before placing orders. - Many international buyers are combining several purchases into one shipment to spread fixed import or courier processing costs across multiple items. - Sedawie said his marketplaces posted different results in the most recent three-month period versus the prior three months.

The details: - GemRockAuctions recorded a 46% increase in sales value and a 7% increase in items sold. - OpalAuctions recorded a 9% increase in sales value and a 9% increase in items sold. - Coins Auctioned recorded a 38% increase in sales value and a 3% decline in items sold. - Sedawie said gemstone buyers tend to be younger and are purchasing higher-value gemstones. - Sedawie said opal buyers are generally older and are choosing more affordable opals. - Sedawie said coin collectors also have an older customer base, and many U.S. buyers have become more cautious. - Some U.S. customers are worried about a FedEx customs clearance fee that can add around US$15 to a shipment, even when no import tariff is payable. - Some buyers are delaying purchases or combining multiple items into a single parcel to reduce those fees. - Sedawie said his businesses have facilitated more than A$200 million in online sales over more than five decades.

Between the lines: - The pattern points to a reshaping of demand, with buyers optimizing for total landed cost instead of simply cutting back. - Different marketplace results suggest product type and customer age profile can matter as much as tariff pressure itself. - The mixed performance also shows the impact may take time to settle into a more uniform trend across categories.

What’s next: - Sedawie expects it may take about six months before a more uniform pattern emerges across his marketplace sites. - His businesses will continue monitoring international e-commerce trends as trade conditions keep changing. - Exporters and marketplace operators may keep seeing buyers consolidate orders while they assess tariffs and clearance fees.

The bottom line: - International buyers are still shopping, but many are changing how they buy to manage tariff and shipping costs.