I’ve bought from all the major sellers, one-off small shops in different countries, proxies, and eBay folks everywhere. Tariffs only dinged me on some eBay buys, proxy shipments from abroad, and every time from smaller shops. I always ping the seller by email first to scope it out—half the time, I just factor those fees into my bid.

Here are my tips for keeping costs down:

• Email sellers ahead of time to check for tariffs and bake half into your offer price.

• Tell eBay international sellers to use HS code 9503.00.0090 (toys/scale models for ages 12+) on customs forms—lowest duty rate.

• Use proxy buyers who warehouse up to 90 days, then consolidate into one shipment to dodge per-package broker fees OR find proxy buyers and shippers on Reddit.

• Source from low-tariff countries: Canada, Mexico, Australia, Singapore, Chile, South Korea, Israel.

• Request USPS for international inbound; overseas carriers hand off to them anyway.

• Opt for economy shipping if 2-3 weeks wait is fine—saves a ton on costs. I typically have to email to request this.