eBay

dinomitesales · ‎08-27-2025

Okay here is everything that was sent to post offices today regarding August 29th.

I would recommend everyone download the Zonos app and play around with it (or check out the web version at app.zonosprepay.com). It will be required for all US shipments at the post office (customers will need to pay the duty directly on the app, then it will give them a code that we can enter into the transaction on the computer). Unclear if it will be needed for online shipping labels or whether the app functionality will just be built into Canada Post’s API. I suspect it will still be needed even for online label purchases because I doubt Canada Post was able to embed that functionality in the time frame they had available. We’ll find out tomorrow (Aug 28) as that’s when they’ll start requiring it.

The app is kind of neat. It has an AI functionality where you can take a picture of the item and it will give you the country of origin and HS Code if it can determine it (may be helpful for non-USA applications). If you create a shipment in the app you can add things and it will tell you what you have to pay. There is a processing fee that is applied based on some calculation I’m unaware of - from my playing around it seems as though it starts at $2.99 (even for gifts or items with no duty owing) and increases as the value of the shipment increases (or maybe it’s as the value of the duty owed increases?).

There do seem to be some glitches at the moment. It’s defaulting a lot of things to China COO on my app if you try and edit a shipment or add something manually. Hopefully it’s all fixed by tomorrow.

Welcome to the new normal lol.

easoss · ‎08-27-2025

This'll be loads of fun when grandma tries sending a gift to her grandson and is told to sign up on Zonos and fill in the proper codes. This is a cash grab clown show and I refuse to participate in it. This is so poorly planned out but then again some private US company will get personal information on Canadians. This isn't good news on any front.

burning_moon_video · ‎08-27-2025

Exactly. So now we're supposed to pay a US company an extra processing fee for each shipment on top of already paying for THEIR duties and tariffs?! No thanks. I don't recommend anyone sign up for this garbage.

phc64 · ‎08-27-2025

Thank you for posting this.

This part is simply mindblowing: (the bold type is mine)

"In addition to the existing Customs declaration form, all shipments to the United States, including personal gifts and documents, require a Declaration ID."

So it appears that even Letterpost and tariff exempt shipments will require a Declaration ID.

phc64 · ‎08-27-2025

@easoss wrote:
This'll be loads of fun when grandma tries sending a gift to her grandson and is told to sign up on Zonos and fill in the proper codes.

It appears grandma will have to do all this even if she just sends a card.

transtraders · ‎08-27-2025

It this all over again......

ilikehockeyjerseys · ‎08-28-2025

There is also a desktop website that seems to work for testing.

There is a test mode where you can put in the tariff information to see what it will cost. It seems as though DVDs & CDs are in fact duty free going by Zonos. It uses this HTS code 8523.49.4000 (movies) or 8523.49.3000 (music). This will be good news for some of the CD sellers here. Although, I'm skeptical about how easy it will be to market the duty free nature to US buyers, who might assume everything from Canada will incur a tariff.

You have to be extra careful how you describe the item. For example, for a movie that is on a 4K UHD Blu-ray disc, if you write 4k movie box set it determines that a tariff must be paid.

For example

4k movie disc box set - Defaults to 8523.80.2000 (Canada COI) - $100 value ($120 shipped) - $38.61 Tariff
4k movie ON disc box set - Defaults to 8523.49.4000 (Canada COI) - $100 value ($120 shipped) - No Tariff (Informational materials loophole?)

Because I didn't include the descriptor "on" in the first example, the AI gave a completely different HTS code. Apparently, one for data storage not meant to produce sound and image.

So the take away is that if you choose to use the AI lookup, you have to be very careful and deliberate with how you word things and also double-check the HTS codes to ensure they are accurate.

dinomitesales · ‎08-28-2025

To clarify: You do not need to use the app when sending just regular Letter-post (like your standard documents or greeting cards with a stamp on them). You can still buy stamps and send letters to the USA just like you always have. No app required.

It is required for all parcel shipments, and unfortunately if someone requires tracked shipping or signature confirmation of delivery for their documents to the States then it must be treated as a parcel and processed through the app. In playing around with the app though, it appears there is no fees including no processing fees for sending documents. You just open the app, select "document", and it takes you to a page with the Declaration ID ready to scan with no payment needed. It's just because every parcel entering the United States needs to have this Declaration ID, and parcels with just documents are still parcels (there is no "Registered Letter" service to the USA).

And yes, the elderly are going to have a very hard time with this. Not only is the app (or website) required to send a parcel to the states, you also need to pay electronically through the app. There is no way for the charges indicated in the app to be added onto the computer transaction at the post office and paid along with the postage costs.

I imagine this whole process will see changes as time progresses, but this is what they were able to develop on several weeks notice (and to their credit, they came out with something when many postal services are still at the "trying to figure it out/suspending shipments" phase).

ypdc_dennis · ‎08-28-2025

Zonos website has per shipment fee of $2US + 10% of tarrif/duties owed. So 2.99cdn start price would be about right.

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎08-28-2025

@dinomitesales wrote:
Okay here is everything that was sent to post offices today regarding August 29th.

I would recommend everyone download the Zonos app and play around with it (or check out the web version at app.zonosprepay.com). It will be required for all US shipments at the post office (customers will need to pay the duty directly on the app, then it will give them a code that we can enter into the transaction on the computer). Unclear if it will be needed for online shipping labels or whether the app functionality will just be built into Canada Post’s API. I suspect it will still be needed even for online label purchases because I doubt Canada Post was able to embed that functionality in the time frame they had available. We’ll find out tomorrow (Aug 28) as that’s when they’ll start requiring it.

The app is kind of neat. It has an AI functionality where you can take a picture of the item and it will give you the country of origin and HS Code if it can determine it (may be helpful for non-USA applications). If you create a shipment in the app you can add things and it will tell you what you have to pay. There is a processing fee that is applied based on some calculation I’m unaware of - from my playing around it seems as though it starts at $2.99 (even for gifts or items with no duty owing) and increases as the value of the shipment increases (or maybe it’s as the value of the duty owed increases?).

There do seem to be some glitches at the moment. It’s defaulting a lot of things to China COO on my app if you try and edit a shipment or add something manually. Hopefully it’s all fixed by tomorrow.

Welcome to the new normal lol.

Here the associated link if you are working off a pc vs the app.

https://zonos.com/landing-page/canada-post

easoss · ‎08-28-2025

You can put all the lipstick you want on this pig, it's still a pig.

ypdc_dennis · ‎08-28-2025

@phc64 wrote:
... "In addition to the existing Customs declaration form, all shipments to the United States, including personal gifts and documents, require a Declaration ID."

So it appears that even Letterpost and tariff exempt shipments will require a Declaration ID.

First page states that Letterpost does NOT require a Declaration ID. I assume documents being sent by a tracked method will require the ID, those by Letterpost should be fine.

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎08-28-2025

@easoss wrote:
You can put all the lipstick you want on this pig, it's still a pig.

Next week Canada will be getting a bill "ummm in the mail" for DJT's Whitehouse reno's. Probably even the USA/Mex wall that he wanted Mexico to pay for. With him he likes to shoot for the moon!!!

Being a little bit philosophical here but if a Canadian seller can afford to pay a buyers tariffs and customs clearance do they really need to be selling on eBay? Not like US sellers have free shipping to Canada.

dinomitesales · ‎08-28-2025

@easoss wrote:
You can put all the lipstick you want on this pig, it's still a pig.

I'm not saying it's a perfect system, but it's what's available at the moment.

There are going to be a ton of issues. This was all thrown together very quickly.

No one is forcing you to use it.

dinomitesales · ‎08-28-2025

@ypdc_dennis wrote:
Zonos website has per shipment fee of $2US + 10% of tarrif/duties owed. So 2.99cdn start price would be about right.

That math checks out then, thanks.

The higher the duties the more you have to pay in processing. *sigh*

The one thing I can't find at the moment is any sort of Support within the app. I have several Support type questions I would like to ask them but I don't see any way of contacting them.

And it looks like the web version is currently down. This is what I get when I try to go to app.zonosprepay.com

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎08-28-2025

@dinomitesales wrote:
@easoss wrote:
You can put all the lipstick you want on this pig, it's still a pig.
I'm not saying it's a perfect system, but it's what's available at the moment.

There are going to be a ton of issues. This was all thrown together very quickly.

No one is forcing you to use it.

@dinomitesales Dropped off a couple of Cdn. parcels at local SD PO today. Clerks knew nothing about these changes/requirements.

dinomitesales · ‎08-28-2025

@lotzofuniquegoodies wrote:
@dinomitesales wrote:
@easoss wrote:
You can put all the lipstick you want on this pig, it's still a pig.
I'm not saying it's a perfect system, but it's what's available at the moment.

There are going to be a ton of issues. This was all thrown together very quickly.

No one is forcing you to use it.
@dinomitesales Dropped off a couple of Cdn. parcels at local SD PO today. Clerks knew nothing about these changes/requirements.

What time were you there? These messages were pushed out at approximately 4 pm CST.

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎08-28-2025

@dinomitesales wrote:
@ypdc_dennis wrote:
Zonos website has per shipment fee of $2US + 10% of tarrif/duties owed. So 2.99cdn start price would be about right.
That math checks out then, thanks.
The higher the duties the more you have to pay in processing. *sigh*

The one thing I can't find at the moment is any sort of Support within the app. I have several Support type questions I would like to ask them but I don't see any way of contacting them.

And it looks like the web version is currently down. This is what I get when I try to go to app.zonosprepay.com

@dinomitesales Was there anything in the CP update you got stated that sender was now responsible for the customs clearance charges? This pretty much makes all shipments a formal entry. Or by chance is the buyer on the hook for that portion of the charges. According to a new UPS page they will be charging 10.00 (Unclear if that is US funds, if you will need a UPS account and how much it would be per additional line entry?)

dinomitesales · ‎08-28-2025

@lotzofuniquegoodies wrote:
@dinomitesales Was there anything in the CP update you got stated that sender was now responsible for the customs clearance charges? This pretty much makes all shipments a formal entry. Or by chance is the buyer on the hook for that portion of the charges. According to a new UPS page they will be charging 10.00 (Unclear if that is US funds, if you will need a UPS account and how much it would be per additional line entry?)

I've provided all the information that was sent to post offices. I don't know what you mean by "customs clearance charges". It is my understanding that as long as you follow the process on the app, and have the Declaration ID tied to the parcel, then it will pass through customs and be delivered to the buyer without the buyer having to pay anything.

Don't compare a private courier (UPS) with postal imports.

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎08-28-2025

@dinomitesales Approx. 4 MST. Was this basically the first warning for staff? Can imagine there being a major learning curve to all of this. Plus dealing with irked walk ins that know zippo about this. You know how your customers react when you tell em shipping will be <insert large number here> and walk out shaking their heads in shock!!!