Zonos App/ duties and tariffs

[schoondeals]

Hello everyone
So I'm finally learning this Zonos app to ship to the US again. My store is mostly physical media. CDs, DVDs and blu ray all use the same HS Code of 8523.49.
So Far I haven't been charged duties or tariffs on my tests. I have tried cds, dvds and blu rays made in China and other countries. They all come to the same conclusion : no tariffs or duties owed.
Am I missing something here?
This seems to good to be true for me and my business as it seems I can send these items to the USA duty/tariff free.
Thanks

[ricarmic]

Correct, except normally I attach the label, as I've got a bunch of writing to do especially if there's multiple countries stuff in the parcel so I stick it on myself after I fill it out (remember I'm in a rural post office).

I have all the CP tables printed off along with the fuel surcharges so I know exactly how much the postage is before I get there, all the stamps are already affixed before I arrive. (this has the added benefit that I know the cost of the parcel ahead of shipping time, ie at listing time, so I can use it to help set the shipping charge - which is averaged out and included in my "free shipping" price domestically).

I've got a "cardbaord guide" so I know how much room I need to leave on the parcel for the label. Normally the packs are covered front and back with stamps, with a "flip over" label on the front. My PO folks are all well aware of the appropriate way to properly cancel the stamps from a collectors perspective without missing any and causing a "sharpie attack".

[ecgt]

Every item we have sent a to the USA using Zonos automatic billing via Canada Post Snap Ship has incurred a $1.99 fee. The fee has been charged more than a month after shipping each time. The fees show up in the Zonos Dashboard in the Invoice section and are subsequently charged to the credit card we have on file.

[ecgt]

The $1.99 fee we are being charged is the customs declaration fee, which is how this has always been advertised since launch.

[ecgt]

This is what the Zonos Dashboard looks like. We were last charged $3.98 on September 27 for two customs declarations after the parcels were delivered.

We closed our eBay store during the nationwide strike, so we likely won't get another charge until the end of this month.

[tuckhouse2021]

Yes this has been my experience also. I use the Zonos automatic billing via Canada Post Snap Ship because I don't wish to spend an hour a day driving to and from the post office.

I print the labels at home and my CP mailman takes my parcels on his rounds out of the mailbox at the end of the driveway.

I could save the 1.99 charge if I went to the post office but would rather pay the fee than go daily and stand in line with my parcels. It is not a fun use of my time.

The automatic billing works for me because of this. 

[dinomitesales]

That's wild. I wonder if that's a glitch. I would definitely reach out to Zonos and inquire about if that's supposed to happen.

Ask them straight up" Why would they charge nothing if using the app but $1.99 if using Automatic Billing?

Unless you're shipping out dozens of packages a day I would just use the app for anything duty free as you're saving $2 per shipment. 

[dinomitesales]

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@tuckhouse2021 wrote:

I could save the 1.99 charge if I went to the post office but would rather pay the fee than go daily and stand in line with my parcels. It is not a fun use of my time.

The automatic billing works for me because of this. 

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You can just print your labels on SnapShip or NetParcel and use the app. No need to go to the post office (I assume you're getting pick-ups from your home). Would save $2 per shipment based on the anecdotes here.

[ecgt]

This isn't a glitch. They've made it clear since the beginning that they are charging $1.99 for customs declarations (via the method we are using), regardless of whether or not duty applies. They fact that people using the app haven't paid for customs declarations is more likely the glitch in this case, as they were upfront that the app was supposed to incur a $3.99 charge per parcel.

[tuckhouse2021]

I will look into that. I work off a desktop computer and not a phone. Would that make a difference?

[mrdutch1001]

Some Canadian Sellers on my other selling site also use Zonos integrated with Canada Post and those sellers indicating not receiving invoices until over a month after shipping....

[dinomitesales]

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@ecgt wrote:

This isn't a glitch. They've made it clear since the beginning that they are charging $1.99 for customs declarations (via the method we are using), regardless of whether or not duty applies. They fact that people using the app haven't paid for customs declarations is more likely the glitch in this case, as they were upfront that the app was supposed to incur a $3.99 charge per parcel.

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It's extremely unlikely that this is a glitch in the app. It has worked the same way since it was launched nearly two months ago. They update the app seemingly daily, so if it was a glitch it should have been fixed by now. It's clear that it's how the app is supposed to work: no fees if no duty.

No one should be using automatic billing for duty-free goods if this is the case, unless you're shipping so much that the time savings are worth the extra $2 per parcel.

[dinomitesales]

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@mrdutch1001 wrote:

Some Canadian Sellers on my other selling site also use Zonos integrated with Canada Post and those sellers indicating not receiving invoices until over a month after shipping....

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Yes, it seems like there is a billing delay for automatic billing. That has been widely reported.

Doesn't change the fact that it's still completely free to process duty-free goods through app.

[dinomitesales]

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@tuckhouse2021 wrote:

I will look into that. I work off a desktop computer and not a phone. Would that make a difference?

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If you don't use a mobile phone you can access a web version of the app at app.zonosprepay.com.

[burning_moon_video]

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@ecgt wrote:

This isn't a glitch. They've made it clear since the beginning that they are charging $1.99 for customs declarations (via the method we are using), regardless of whether or not duty applies. They fact that people using the app haven't paid for customs declarations is more likely the glitch in this case, as they were upfront that the app was supposed to incur a $3.99 charge per parcel.

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All your shipments are getting hit with a 1.99 charge, even recent ones? I know that they were charging the processing fee for all transactions in the beginning but have since removed that for duty/tariff free shipments. I just signed up for automatic billing but there's no way I'm paying an extra $2 per shipment if I'm sending duty free items. If that's the case, I'm going back to the prepay app. 

[ecgt]

We'll have to wait to see what happens with our October shipments.

[byto253]

Based on the info posted, would professional medical reference books not published in the US would also be exempt under law 50 USC 1702(b) as a publication? 

"50 USC 1702(b), which exempts from duty the following items:

information or informational materials, including but not limited to, publications"

[tuckhouse2021]

Thanks for the app address. I think I may be using the wrong Zonos. I will see what the October bills are and go from there. 

[apmtrade]

I also work off a desktop computer and signed up for automatic billing, using CP manager.

Zonos is charging me $ 1.99...

[ecgt]

It is our understanding that books are considered "informational materials" under 50 USC 1702(b), regardless of country of origin.

[byto253]

We have been kicking this around and wondered if informational publications were things like pamphlets or instruction manuals or more emephera type materials.

If it is books, that is useful.  Not my usual area but did pick up some very interesting techie books recently.   Also wonder if it would only cover books with "information" eg. technical, fact based versus fiction.   

Trying to find definitions or more information on US government websites is nuts.  It makes the Canadian government websites look like models of clarity.