A Grandma Says She Ordered a $22 Barbie from Canada and Got Hit with a Massive $802 Tariff Fee

A Boston grandmother says a Christmas gift for her 4-year-old granddaughter turned into a financial scare after she received an $802 tariff charge for a $22 Barbie shipped from Canada.

Bonnie O’Connell told local outlet WCVB that she’d been looking for something special when she spotted what felt like the perfect present: a Barbie dressed in a Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) jersey. The doll, she learned, was only sold in Canada.

To get it delivered, O’Connell asked a cousin in Nova Scotia to buy the Barbie and ship it to her using FedEx. The package arrived without any issue — until several weeks later, when O’Connell says a tariff bill showed up demanding $802.

“I just got a pain in the pit of my stomach,” she recalled, describing her reaction to the unexpected charge. “I didn’t even know what to do or what to say.”

O’Connell said she later learned the bill was tied to what she believes was a clerical error at the FedEx location in Canada. According to her account, the shipping paperwork mistakenly listed the doll’s value as nearly $2,200 instead of $22. She added that her cousin didn’t catch the mistake before signing the form.

With the incorrect value on the documents — and what the report described as President Donald Trump’s newly instituted 35% tariff on goods entering the country — O’Connell said she was suddenly facing hundreds of dollars in charges.

“What are you doing giving me a package where I owe that kind of money to you?” she said.

O’Connell told WCVB the charge was eventually reversed, but not before it caused significant stress.

“I love my granddaughter dearly,” she said, “but none of my grandchildren get that kind of money spent. The budget for Christmas isn’t even close.”

FedEx did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the outlet.

Under the Trump administration’s new tariffs, the report noted that items entering the U.S. from other countries must be assessed for tariffs. It also said that while many items valued under $800 previously entered duty-free, they are now subject to fees and paperwork regardless of cost, according to NPR.