Updates from the Cross Border Shippers

[sin-n-dex]

Chit Chats posted on their blog:

https://chitchats.com/blog/president-trumps-tariffs-on-canada-and-e-commerce

Trucks going over on May 2 and May 3 were denied. They are going to fine their customers $1000 for trying to sneak China made goods in with the shipments (and cancel their account, and report them to CBP to make it difficult for that shipper to violate again), plus make the shipper liable for any fines from US Customs.

I was at Stallion today, they had 10 bags of rejected items. Two or three contained letters, mine were nicely wrapped in coloured paper with rubber bands so I found my stuff very easily. I've spent my afternoon printing tracked labels for all these packages to try to send again.

Several bags were third party labels (in November we were told that wasn't allowed, but people kept doing it and Stallion didn't intervene until Customs refused a bunch of packages). From what I was told the packages that came back were refused while others were accepted (this was from last Tuesday).

While I was at Stallion, a guy came in to complain his shipment hadn't been moving. He went to get his phone and came back and it was discovered the shipments he sent (he said there was 10 with the same stuck status) were rejected at the border. After he left, I was told by the agent that people are trying to sneak their China goods on the truck and misdeclaring the country of origin.

From what I was told, the search on packages isn't quite as random as getting on the truck and opening random stuff to see what it is. They are looking at what's declared and selectively opening anything that could suspiciously be from China. (This is not an official communication, I had some concerns about my shipments even though they're not from China and was told customs knows what it's supposed to be when they open it). So basically various toys and games and things that are likely to be made in China are being selected. I will find out later if my packages are opened when my customers respond to me (someone will tell me). 

I didn't check DYK's FB page yet to see what they have to say, but they were having problems at the Montana Border on Friday.

C.

[sapphyres-designer-jewellery]

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@ae_purveyors wrote:
Sorry, but that’s not a satisfactory response from Stallion’s CEO.

I dropped off one domestic parcel and one US parcel at Stallion on Monday. The domestic parcel finally was scanned and processed in Mississauga today, Thursday. The US parcel is still showing as with the shipping partner awaiting handover to USPS.

I realize they move a lot of volume. But the domestic and non-US international parcels should have been processed and sent off first to get them out of the way. Then focus all of the teams efforts on the checking and processing of the US bound packages.

Sadly, I have used Stallion exclusively, as I live a 10 min drive from their location. Chit Chats also opened a location about the same distance from me, but remained at Stallion out of loyalty.

This has always been my major complaint of Stallion…that they’re very, very disorganized and not at all on the ball. From the start of the tariffs talks, Stallion has consistently been lagging and slow in responding to and addressing customers. Chit Chat’s has been very prompt in their replies and putting out statements. In the past, I used to just chalk it up to “eh, once in a while” is okay when compared to the shipping savings.

But this situation truly showed the difference between Chit Chats and Stallion, with the latter looking like they’re just a bunch of amateurs. I almost feel like you gotta hope they’re in a good mood and want to work at Stallion and hope for the best when you reach out to them. I will probably take my domestic packages to Chit Chats for the time being.

It’s not like Stallion doesn’t have the money or resources to hire a good team to deal with the logistical problems and the organizing. They’re usually $2-3 cheaper than Chit Chats, and do way more volume because of that.

I certainly do understand that the cross-border shippers are facing existential issues. Let’s hope this is a wake up call for Stallion to finally get its act together and continue to operate.

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At my branch someone quit a few months ago because he found them "too disorganized" (and this was after the tariff stuff started, he said he needed a paycheck, and didn't feel he'd still have a job if the tariffs stuck). My contact that provided me with lots of information of what's going on was let go last week (my understanding was downsizing, and the volume has dropped without China packages).

My Monday packages are still showing with Stallion in transit to the border. I'm waiting tonight to see if this updates and then I will reach out to buyers. My Tuesday and Wednesday parcels are showing in transit now, so they seem to be speeding up, but so far nothing I shipped this week is in the hands of USPS.

C.

[sapphyres-designer-jewellery]

OK, I have news!

I checked three packages that were sent Monday (two with USPS, one was US Economy, all with Stallion Express). They are all in the US right now!

Two of the packages have just showed scanning in Rochester, NY, the US Economy one is in York, PA. The scans are from the last couple of hours earlier today (my previous post where I said the items hadn't reached the US were before I checked that... I have notifiers on my phone and did not receive any texts on the items I'm watching).

C.

[wilsonharborsales]

Chit Chats has a few pallets left and they are caught up. 24 pallets of backlog went out today.

I was reading a bullet point update from the CBP meeting this week. They said de minimis entries into the United States were down 85% this week 🤯. Another thing discussed was the removal of the Section 321 de minimis for all Countries and it will be replaced with a Type 11 informal entry.

So be prepared, CBP is ending Ssction 321 De Minimis for all Countries, although it is not clear when.

[cottagewoman]

Thanks for the information - link possible to CBP info? In regards to ending de minimis - CBP is making recommendations based on the executive order that outlines the end of de minimis. This is only happening because of the declaration of a national economic emergency and the wresting of power by the current administration from Congress of customs regulations. Normally this kind of drastic change would go through legislation, hearings, input from all stakeholders, etc - much as the increase of the limit to 800$ change happened.