Shippers Begin Refunding Tariffs After Supreme Court Ruling

Consumers who bought goods from overseas vendors last year may find a surprise credit in their bank accounts, as major shippers begin passing along tariff refunds they received from the federal government.

FedEx, UPS and DHL, which acted as customs brokers for imported packages, have started returning refunds to the customers who originally paid the tariffs. The payments are the final step in a process that began in February, when the Supreme Court struck down sweeping tariffs President Donald Trump imposed in March 2025 under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act on goods from nearly every country. The court ordered the government to return the tariffs it had collected.

So far, about $100 billion in tariffs have been refunded to companies through a system set up by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

FedEx said it has begun issuing $800 million in tariff refunds back to customers, who can check a company portal using tracking numbers to see if they're owed money. UPS said in April it had paid $5 billion in tariffs on clients' behalf and applied for $500 million in refunds in its first phase, with customers expected to receive money one to three months after UPS is reimbursed by the Treasury. DHL said it has filed claims for nearly all eligible shipments and is returning refunds as it receives them.

Most large retailers, however, passed on tariffs indirectly by adjusting product lineups or absorbing part of the added cost, making direct consumer refunds unlikely. Amazon said it received $600 million in tariff refunds in the second quarter but is the importer of record on only a limited share of what it sells; it plans to use most refunds to lower prices rather than issue direct credits. Best Buy and Costco executives have made similar statements.

Meanwhile, more than 80 class-action lawsuits have been filed nationwide against retailers including Costco, Nike, Amazon and Walmart by shoppers seeking to recover tariff costs passed on through higher prices. Attorney Lori Leskin said such claims face a high bar because plaintiffs must prove a specific price increase was tied to tariffs rather than other market factors. None of the lawsuits have been certified as class actions.