My maiden experience with Zonos/Canada Post - so far so good!

[phc64]

After conducting a number of experiments on the Zonos app, I became confident enough that Zonos was correctly calculating the tariffs on compact discs (HTS 8523.49.30.00) as $0.00 to turn shipping to the US back on for compact discs only. Because of the C$3.99 Zonos fee (even on tariff-exempt goods), I increased my shipping rate to the US by C$3.00.

I had my first US sale just a few hours later. Everything went smoothly on the Zonos app. I paid the $3.99 fee and got my Declaration ID. (On the 'confirmation page', there is a 'cancel order' link. So if you (or Zonos) make a mistake, you can immediately cancel it.) Apparently the only receipt you get from Zonos is a QR code on the confirmation page. (Since I have never owned a smart phone, that may be a bit of an issue.)

Because US-bound Canada Post shipping labels cannot currently be purchased on eBay, I had to go to the Canada Post site. On the 'customs' page, you are asked to enter the Declaration ID from Zonos. (Until you get to the 'customs' page, there are no indications anywhere on the Canada Post site that there are any new burdensome requirements to ship to the US). Because for me the Canada Post 'small business' discounts are nowhere near the eBay discounts, the shipping label cost me $11.03 vs. about $7.50 on eBay.

One curious thing is that when you print out the shipping label, the Declaration ID does not appear anywhere on it. The Canada Post website did not ask for the country of origin, so that field was blank on the label.

I usually drop small parcels into the mailbox outside my local post office, but I decided to drop it off inside to make sure everything had been done correctly. The postmaster immediately said she would have to scan the QR code from Zonos, which I didn't have (I did have the Declaration ID, but she didn't need that). I asked her to scan the shipping label's barcode, and since no alarm bells went off, it appeared to have been accepted. We then concluded that if you get the shipping label at a postal outlet, the clerk needs to scan the Zonos QR code, but that this is not the case if you get the shipping label online. I asked the postmaster whether the blank 'country of origin' field on the label was a concern and she said it was not.

So in spite of my raising my US shipping rate, my net costs were about $4.50 higher to ship the item than it would have been last week.

Zonos still appears to be erroneously applying tariffs on phonograph records (HTS 8523.80.10.00). Phonograph records are exempt from tariffs for the same reason compact discs are.

[tryubik-useonlyasdirected]

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@phc64 wrote:

Zonos still appears to be erroneously applying tariffs on phonograph records (HTS 8523.80.10.00). Phonograph records are exempt from tariffs for the same reason compact discs are.

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Ugh anyone else running into mis-classification issues?  The calculator seems to be mis-classifying items and not providing specific results. 

Even checking codes for the duty amount isn't working.

The HTS Guide from the US Government:

Zonos saying the code doesn't apply:

Zonos calculating Antique Silver over 100 and less than 250 as not Antique and requiring Duty/Tarrifs:

 

[phc64]

There sure seem to still be some bugs in the system.

Today for phonograph records, Zonos is not calculating a tariff if the country of origin is Canada or the UK, but there is a tariff if it's Germany or The Netherlands. That makes no sense.

[phc64]

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Ugh anyone else running into mis-classification issues?  The calculator seems to be mis-classifying items and not providing specific results. 

Zonos doesn't appear to have a contact...

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The HTS code for phonograph records is 8523.49.4000, but if you type in 'phonograph record', it gives 8519.81.3010, which is the HTS for 'optical disc player'. I need to type in 'vinyl phonograph record' to get the correct HTS.

Zonos contact is [email protected] 

[tryubik-useonlyasdirected]

Intersting I just 

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@phc64 wrote:

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The HTS code for phonograph records is 8523.49.4000, but if you type in 'phonograph record', it gives 8519.81.3010, which is the HTS for 'optical disc player'. I need to type in 'vinyl phonograph record' to get the correct HTS.

Zonos contact is [email protected] 

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Thank you, i couldn't find it. 

I've tried again to find the correct code for an antique and it requires the definition of "over 100 years old."

The best bet here would be figure out the HS code using another service (Canada Post/US Government Guide) and then fiddle with your words to find something that fits.

Unacceptable really from a company that's processing customs/border services for multiple countries hopefully it's just the short notice timeline and they can have the service tweaked for accurate results.

Now to figure out where to add the zonos key to canada post and i'll give it a try....

[sylviebee]

This was really helpful phc64.  Thank you for posting it.  

'm getting there but it's been twisted so far.  I can't download the app on my mac, but did get it on my iPhone.  

Now CPO site won't accept my declaration id.  There's some kind of wonky symbol in there and I have to figure out a way to copy that.

Yes, duty did eventually show as zero for US made item after a lot of glitches.

This could work and so much better than couriers......... just don't trust them with all their added fees.

[regs43]

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@tryubik-useonlyasdirected wrote:

Thanks! 

Canada Post says "Copy the key to add it to your Canada Post account preferences." <--- I can't find those. Where do I enter the Zonos account Key in My Canada Post account?

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after 1.5 hours of looking the other day I found it lol!

when you click "create shipping label" in the dashboard it brings you to create a label. On the right hand side click "cancel and return to cart" Thats wehre the preferences page is lol (NOT WELL LAID OUT AT ALL)

[sylviebee]

I've spent hours trying to get this going........... Just learned that it's not ready yet.  phc64 was in an early access group but the rest of us can't use it yet.

CPO will be sending a link next week to the rest of us.

[regs43]

I was never emailed a link from Canada post, but there was also an article on the Canada Post site to follow instructions.

https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/support/kb/sending/sending-faq/how-to-prepay-us-duties...

About half way down the page it says "sign up with this link"

Good luck

[sylviebee]

Easy to register with Zonos but it doesn't link to CPO yet unless you had early access.

[cottagewoman]

How do you find out about the early access group?

[sylviebee]

I asked to get on the early access list but was told there's no way to do it.   

I did get the app on my iphone to work but was given a deckaration id that doesn't work with CPO.

[apmtrade]

I look into signing up,  Canada Post. "For individuals and small businesses"  

Manually pay duties with the Zonos App

When I contacted Zonos, I was informed that only mobile phone users could register, not PC users. I don't have a mobile phone.

"There is no direct PC sign-up link available at this time."

Please contact Zonos Support for help with your specific situation

Zonos informed that further information from Canada Post will be announced/informed next week.

[cottagewoman]

So ready to go this for small businesses.

As it stands the small business rates are too high via SnapShip. CP needs to get eBay members the rates we had before to stay competitive. Could be done by CP through the eBay API.

[regs43]

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@sylviebee wrote:

I asked to get on the early access list but was told there's no way to do it.   

I did get the app on my iphone to work but was given a deckaration id that doesn't work with CPO.

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I was not emailed by Canada Post, I followed the link above and I signed up. And then I went to my Canada Post account and linked it with the Zonos site using the zonos Key on the account. You need to put your biling info on the Zonos webiste to get a key that can connect to Canada Post. No billing info on Zonos, no Key from my experience.

I have NOT had any sales to test what it charges, however it is auto set up to bill me if and when I do get a sale. OR I can do it on an indivdual basis.

I would recommend doing it as an individual basis anyhow, as it doesnt show the tariffs charges it  is going to charge on the Canada post site when creating the label (i was doing a test label but never paid).

here is some pics of what it looks like when you create a label with the auto billing and not auto billing. I can choose which option I want to use (which I will not be using auto billing anyhow)

[regs43]

I was able to sign up on the computer, but I cant create any zonos orders on the computer (app only)

Its a **bleep**py system all around and not functional for half the people who will want to use it on the computer

[tryubik-useonlyasdirected]

It does, called them up and talked with them about it. You go into snap ship as per usual online and there is a part at the top (very much not easily found) that says Preferences. In there there is a line that says Zonos Account Pin, when you link using the pin your Zonos and CPC are linked.  How it works from there I have no idea. It is important to know the fee's in full for we can put them on the listing before people purchase.

[tryubik-useonlyasdirected]

Be careful with the AI tool as it was giving the wrong HS numbers, and therefore the wrong duty, when I tried it this afternoon.

[sylviebee]

regs43, I think that you might have found some kind of glitch.  I entered my billing info at zonos and it wouldn't take.  Tried numerous times.  I contacted zonos and they told me it was impossilbe to use until CPO sent the link, but maybe that was incorrect info too.  Saw that some posters here have differnt info than what  I was told.  Just know I coudn't get on and I tried a lot.

[hold.your.own.media]

Well this is dodgy. I created a Zonos profile by signing up online (followed the CP link from the CP site). Then downloaded the Zonos app. The Zonos web portal shows the Account Key under Settings. CP claims the code should only be 13 characters, but its actually significantly longer... When I try to login to the Zonos app, it says my account doesn't exist. What the hell am I missing here with this poor-ass setup? 

Also, where the heck do I even enter the Zonos Account Key with CP? 

Note: For the time being, I want to create the barcode on the Zonos app and the customs barcode on the CP app to present to a clerk at my local CP branch.

Thx

[sylviebee]

Where do you find the zonos account pin?