u/Frequent_Bat120

We all know the new EU tax is coming. €3 per category, per transaction. Shein isn't going to eat that cost—they'll pass it to us through higher prices.

But here's the thing: The EU receives 15 million small shipments from China every single day (according to my local news, but who knows?)

So here's my idea—and I'm not a tax expert, so correct me if I'm wrong:

What if buyers in the same zip code could group their orders by category and pick them up together?

Let's say 5 people in my neighborhood all want to buy t-shirts from Shein. Right now, that's 5 separate shipments → 5 separate taxes → 5 delivery vans driving to the same area.

Instead:

· Shein adds a feature: "3 others in your zip code are buying this category. Join them and pick up locally—save 15%."

· Those 5 people commit to buying within a 2-hour window.

· Shein sends one bulk box to a pickup point near that zip code (a local store, a locker, a community hub).

· Inside that box are all 5 t-shirts.

Now the tax part (and this is where I need help):

If Shein processes this as one bulk transaction on their end, do they pay €3 once instead of €15? Or does the EU still charge per item sold regardless?

Even if the tax doesn't change, the logistics do:

· 1 shipment instead of 5 → less customs paperwork.

· 1 delivery van instead of 5 → less traffic, less emissions.

· Lower shipping costs for Shein → they can share those savings with us.

The pickup point doesn't have to be fancy. It could be a local convenience store, a parcel locker, or even a designated time window where a van drops off all neighborhood orders at once.

Why this could actually work:

· For us: Cheaper prices + faster pickup (no waiting 2 weeks for delivery).

· For Shein: Huge savings on shipping and customs processing.

· For the EU: Fewer shipments to process = less strain on their system.

The catch:

I don't know if the tax is charged per shipment, per transaction, or per item. If it's per item, this whole idea falls apart. But if it's per shipment or per transaction, this could genuinely reduce the burden on everyone.

Also, would people actually walk to a pickup point? For 15% off and same-day pickup, I probably would. But maybe not everyone.

What do you think? Would you use this? And does anyone here actually understand how the EU tax is calculated?

PS: Who do I even contact to send this idea? Shein's customer support feels useless. Temu doesn't even have a public email. And the EU... do they take suggestions from random people on the internet?... 😤