Did you pay tariffs last year? You might be due a refund from FedEx or UPS

Key Points:

• Following the Supreme Court's invalidation of tariffs imposed under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act, shippers like FedEx, UPS, and DHL have begun refunding customers for tariffs they directly paid on imported packages, with about $100 billion refunded to companies so far.
• FedEx has started issuing $800 million in tariff refunds directly to customers, allowing them to check eligibility via tracking numbers, while UPS and DHL are also processing refunds as they receive reimbursements from the government.
• Major retailers such as Amazon, Best Buy, and Costco typically absorbed or indirectly passed on tariff costs, so they plan to use tariff refunds primarily to lower prices rather than issue direct consumer refunds, though some limited refunds may be given where import charges can be specifically traced.
• Over 80 class-action lawsuits have been filed by consumers against retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Nike seeking refunds for tariff-related price increases, but legal experts note these cases face challenges in proving that price hikes were directly caused by tariffs rather than other market factors.