Three tax-free US lines, one of them new
"litbuy" drew about 8,100 US searches a month (Semrush, 19 Oct 2026); the question behind a search like that is usually what a row costs to reach an American address. We queried LitBuy's shipping estimator for a US address on 27 October 2026, with only a weight entered. All the US lines we read were labelled "Tax free", and the estimator added nothing on top of the shipping figure. A fourth line, FF-GOFO-US-3, cost $25.89, $42.85 and $76.78, so it was never the cheapest. A new line, ZF-GOFO-US-1, appeared between our 19 and 27 October readings.
| Line | Days | 500 g | 1 kg | 2 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZF-GOFO-US-1 (new line) | 8–16 | $25.55 | $41.17 | $72.41 |
| FF-GOFO-US-2 | 9–18 | $25.38 | $41.84 | $74.76 |
| XD-USPS-US-1 | 9–15 | $29.42 | $46.21 | $79.80 |
ZF-GOFO-US-1 is cheapest from 1 kg upward, at $41.17. FF-GOFO-US-2 beats it by $0.17 at 500 g but costs $0.67 more at 1 kg. The USPS line is $5.04 dearer at 1 kg and takes 9–15 working days. US prices are far steeper per step than European ones, which changes which rows make sense. Rerun a weight in the landed price calculator.
ZF-GOFO-US-1 for 1 kg and up; FF-GOFO-US-2 is only 17 cents ahead at 500 g.
Steep steps: why US parcels reward planning
A parcel up to 500 g costs $25.55, up to 1 kg $41.17 and up to 2 kg $72.41. Divided by weight, that is $51.10 at the first step, $41.17 at the second and $36.21 at the third. Moving from 1 kg to 2 kg adds $31.24, twice the 1 kg jump. The practical rule is to fill 1 kg and think hard before crossing it.
A lone ¥55 tee lands at $35.29, with $25.55 of that postage. Light rows only work when they share a box. The light add-ons page lists fillers, and the tees page shows under-300 g picks. All weights quoted here are our planning estimates, not measurements.
Fill the 1 kg step, then stop; the next one costs $31.24 more.
Rows that fit 1 kg and rows that do not
Fits: a hoodie (est. 0.75 kg) plus a cap (0.15 kg); jeans (0.70 kg) plus socks; a windbreaker (0.50 kg) plus a tee and socks; three summer garments. Does not fit: boxed shoes (1.30 kg), a puffer (1.50 kg), a tracksuit set with extras (1.00 kg plus packing), backpacks with fill. Those land in the 2,000 g step at $72.41. A hypothetical ¥260 puffer costs $118.43 alone.
For heavy rows, ask whether two US parcels of 1 kg each ($82.34 for the freight) beat one 2 kg parcel, then use the combine-parcels guide to see how LitBuy re-weighs. Our windbreakers page and hoodies page give the weights for the 1 kg rows.
Pick garments that add up to 0.9 kg; leave puffers for a 2 kg box.
A worked parcel in dollars
Both prices are invented. The rate comes from LitBuy's product pages on 27 October 2026, ¥1 ≈ $0.177. Your card statement and the checkout total in dollars are what count.
Worked parcel: a hoodie and a cap to the US on ZF-GOFO-US-1
Hoodie ¥150 + cap ¥40 = ¥190 × 0.177$33.63
Estimated 0.90 kg, so the 1,000 g step, no extras$41.17
Two rows, one parcel, landed in the US*$74.80
*Shipping and items only: LitBuy labels the line "Tax free", but check the checkout page for anything else. The same two rows sent as separate parcels would cost $33.63 in items plus $25.55 and $41.17 of shipping, or $100.35, so one box saves $25.55.
Two rows in one box saved about $25.55.
Size, volumetric weight and restricted rows
GOFO lines use a volumetric divisor of 8,000 and some USPS lines 6,000 (estimator, 27 Oct 2026). A 40 × 30 × 20 cm carton is billed as 3.0 kg or 4.0 kg respectively, which on a US line is another step. The estimator shows the US size limits as two bare figures without saying what they measure, so check it for bulky rows. Liquids, creams and powders need support's approval first, perfume can be refused by a line, batteries and adhesives may be removed, and tobacco, alcohol and knives are prohibited. See the fragrance page and the winter jackets page.
Bulky or liquid rows need a question before they need a price.
US duty rules, short version
Duty-free treatment for low-value parcels ended for China and Hong Kong on 2 May 2025 and for all countries on 29 August 2025 (CBP). LitBuy labels its GOFO and USPS lines "Tax free", with nothing added in the estimator; its EUB, ETK and EMS lines say "duties payable by recipient". LitBuy's help adds that parcels above 10 kg are likelier to count as commercial. Declare the true value and keep the figure equal to what you paid.
The de minimis exemption is gone; treat the checkout total as the number to trust.
Search habits and where to go next
A reader who types "litbuy usa" most likely wants a line and a price. LitBuy's iOS app showed 4.56 from 450 US ratings on 27 October 2026. Compare with the UK page, where the same 1 kg costs £16.83, or the Germany page. To skip the account step, scan the WhatsApp QR on the contact page with your row; the reply is one delivered price in dollars, photos before dispatch, and you pay per order.
In the US, weight steps matter more than line names.
FAQ
Which LitBuy line is cheapest to the US right now?
On 27 October 2026 ZF-GOFO-US-1, a new line, was cheapest from 1 kg: $41.17 for 1 kg and $72.41 for 2 kg, with 8–16 working days. FF-GOFO-US-2 was 17 cents cheaper at 500 g ($25.38 against $25.55) but dearer from 1 kg. XD-USPS-US-1 was the dearest. None adds a tariff prepayment.
Why is shipping to the US so much dearer than to the UK?
LitBuy prices the US in steeper steps. On 27 October 2026 the cheapest US line charged $41.17 for 1 kg, while the cheapest UK line charged £16.83. The 1 kg to 2 kg jump alone is $31.24 in the US. In practice that means US parcels need to be planned to 0.9 kg, and heavy rows weighed carefully.
Does the US still have a duty-free limit for small parcels?
No. Duty-free treatment for low-value parcels ended for China and Hong Kong on 2 May 2025 and for all countries on 29 August 2025 (CBP). LitBuy's GOFO and USPS lines were labelled 'Tax free' on 27 October 2026, while its EUB, ETK and EMS lines say duties are payable by the recipient. Check the checkout total.
Which spreadsheet rows fit the US 1 kg step?
Rows that add to roughly 0.9 kg: a hoodie (est. 0.75 kg) with a cap (0.15 kg), jeans with socks, or a windbreaker (0.50 kg) with a tee and socks. All weights are planning estimates. Together they pay $41.17 on ZF-GOFO-US-1. Boxed shoes (1.30 kg) and puffers (1.50 kg) fall into the $72.41 step.
Should I send two 1 kg parcels or one 2 kg parcel to the US?
On ZF-GOFO-US-1, two 1 kg parcels cost $82.34 in freight against $72.41 for one 2 kg parcel, so one box is cheaper by $9.93 if the rows share a box. But a 2 kg parcel with an unused half-step wastes money, and two orders may arrive separately. Weigh the actual rows first.
What should I search to find US-friendly LitBuy rows?
Search the category with 'litbuy spreadsheet' plus the item word, such as hoodie, windbreaker or tee, then filter by estimated weight under 1 kg. About 8,100 US searches a month used 'litbuy' alone in October 2026 (Semrush, 19 Oct). Sheets show rows, not prices to your door, so run each through the calculator.