The allowable pre-tax import limit (if that's the correct term, but you get the idea) for Americans is something like $200 USD. It's just what their government sets their limit to.
I used to work for a company that sold a lot of stuff to the USA over the internet, and I know I've seen the information on an American government website before. I'll try Googling for an actual source.
Edit: US Customs and Border Protection has a page about Internet purchases:
I used to work for a company that sold a lot of stuff to the USA over the internet, and I know I've seen the information on an American government website before. I'll try Googling for an actual source.
Edit: US Customs and Border Protection has a page about Internet purchases:
Lucky bastards. Though, I'm assuming folks in the USA don't buy stuff from outside the USA too often.International Postal Service: Merchandise shipped through the international postal service is forwarded upon its arrival in the United States to one of U.S. Customs and Border Protection International Mail Branches for clearance. If the item is less than $2,000 in value and is not subject to a quota or is not a restricted or prohibited item, a CBP official will usually prepare the paperwork for importing it, assess the proper duty, and release it for delivery. This procedure is generally referred to as a mail entry.
Packages whose declared value is under $200 ($100 if being sent as a gift to someone other than the purchaser) will generally be cleared without any additional paperwork prepared by CBP. However, CBP always reserves the right to require a formal entry for any importation and generally exercises this option if there is something unusual about the importation, or if important documents such as an invoice or bill of sale do not accompany the item.
If any duty is owed, CBP will charge a processing fee for clearing your package. Duty and the processing fee are usually paid at your local post office, where your package is forwarded.