Zonos app doesn't go off value of item sold, IT assesses the value and duty is assessed on that

Summary: In this discussion, shallow_karl expresses frustrations with the Zonos app, which assesses duties based on an inflated value of items rather than the actual selling price. sapphyres-designer-jewellery seeks clarification on how Zonos determines these values, while easoss expresses their decision to use only Canadian mailing due to the complications with Zonos. Many participants discuss the app's "take a picture" function, which often misjudges values, suggesting the manual entry option as more reliable. Other participants, like pansy19, find the shipping costs via Zonos prohibitive, expressing difficulties in sending goods to the US market due to high tariffs and shipping costs. Overall, users express concern over the complexity and added costs of using Zonos, with some considering alternative methods or limiting their international shipping.

For example a $25 used item sold, but was assessed by zonos as $50 so the duty was based on that, $7.50 instead of $3.25, plus the zonos fee. My advise would be to check with UPS/Fedex for costs of shipping, even if they aren't represented to that destination on Ebay and see if the extra costs above shipping with Canada Post merit using it. My guess is, they are going to lose a LOT of business because of the extra zonos costs AND the time it takes to use the app.

shallow_karl

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Posted 1 year ago·Last reply 1 year ago

14 comments

pansy19

·1 year ago

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I also Instaled Zonos to check charges.

For Item value $ 300 USD

$102.00 CDN Total

For Item value $ 20.00CDN $6.00 Total

I don't see any option to send small/light items to USA.

I went today to send 30gr Envelope shipping cost is $ 45.00 from FEDEX/UPS ,

prescilaschina

·1 year ago

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I also checked the Zonos app for shipping Royal Albert china made in England from Canada to the US and it listed 2 tariffs, one for 10% UK base tariff and 1 for ceramic product at 9%, which puts me out of the US market.

cottagewoman

·1 year ago

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If you use the web browser version of Zonos, it will show you 2 columns of tariffs - the one on the left is for Canada Post, on the right is for commercial couriers (UPS, FedEx). The right side shows a higher total tariff as all tariffs are included. With Canada Post only the IEEPA reciprocal tariffs are charged.

ilikehockeyjerseys

·1 year ago

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As others have stated, you can edit the COI and value after it takes the photo. It is only the HTS that you cannot edit.

wilsonharborsales

·1 year ago

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This is a dog-and-pony show. No one can run a business with the rules changing every day and taxes/tariffs changing daily.

cottagewoman

·1 year ago

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Agree 100%. Leaving US shipping off for the foreseeable future until there are clear methods in place, methods to follow that are well defined, etc. The Zonos solution from where I stand at this point is less than half baked, it's raw batter spilling out all over the counter with the waffle iron open and not plugged in.

leadedge2

·1 year ago

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I was the first one to go into Shoppers on Aug 29th and use Zonos. What a cluster f$%k. Nobody knew what the hell they were doing. I feel sorry for the staff. The people with little IT knowledge will clog the lines for days...

phc64

·1 year ago

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The 'take a picture' option is often hilariously inaccurate. Use the 'enter manually' option, and you can enter the value yourself.

dkbooksandtreasures

·1 year ago

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When you use the 'take a picture' option, you can afterwards edit the value and the country of origin.

dinomitesales

·1 year ago

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I assume you're talking about the "take a picture" functionality? The Zonos Prepay app is just using AI and searching various databases to try and determine a baseline value for the item in the image you provide.

You can simply hit the "Edit" button and change the value (or country of origin) if the AI gets it wrong. Or enter your item manually (i.e. don't use the AI functionality) and provide the valuation yourself.

jtg204

·1 year ago

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Haven't used it beyond checking out the app, but does the scanning a receipt option handle the value different any different than the photo method?

easoss

·1 year ago

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Welcome to the Nickel and dime show. This is the main reason I refuse to participate in this gong show. Death by a thousand cuts. I finally talked to the manager at my local PO today. When he tells people that they have to sign up to the Zonos app the chaos begins. The new hashtag should be PO'datthePO. I told him I'm only doing Canadian mailing and he said smart move.

leadedge2

·1 year ago

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I'm with you. After 31 years I'd really had enough anyway. However, I was going to keep going with EBay. But my main product is Chinese manufactured goods shipping primarily into the US. It's been a disaster!! We had a ton of packages refused in the US then UPS charged us for the ship back plus fees!! I've changed my EBay store to Canada only and plan to shut everything down shortly. Simply no money to be made anymore in my industry. World has gone to 💩

sapphyres-designer-jewellery

·1 year ago

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@shallow_karl wrote:
For example a $25 used item sold, but was assessed by zonos as $50 so the duty was based on that, $7.50 instead of $3.25, plus the zonos fee. My advise would be to check with UPS/Fedex for costs of shipping, even if they aren't represented to that destination on Ebay and see if the extra costs above shipping with Canada Post merit using it. My guess is, they are going to lose a LOT of business because of the extra zonos costs AND the time it takes to use the app.

Can you explain this a bit more?

If the item is sold for $25, how is the assessed value $50 instead of the $25 it sold for?

I haven't signed up for Zonos (yet), I'm currently trying to figure out how to make Stallion work with my shipping model. But am reading all the threads to learn about possible alternatives.