US Customs now checking metal contents. Game over I guess.

[itolduandso]

I haven't seen it before.

The item I sold for 100 dollar has one single screw there, it's less than 1% of the content, maybe 0.5%. Anyways, I don't have detailed content listing from manufacturer showing how much of value the screw represents.

Because I don't have this information I must select 100%.

There is also a small aluminium logo plate. Same thing. So I select again 100% content alumium.

Pathetic this stuff.
Apparently US Customs have started now cracking down on the aluminium and steel content in small seller packages on ebay.
So I guess this is it.

Effectively 50++ percent tariffs on virtually any second hand item I sell to US that has some metal content. I Wouldn't be even able to tel

  

l if the metal is something else than steel and aluminium, so I guess every metal counts.

Game over.  Yah. Game over. It's been Game Over for quite a while but it's over now for sure.

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

---

@itolduandso wrote:

I haven't seen it before.

The item I sold for 100 dollar has one single screw there, it's less than 1% of the content, maybe 0.5%. Anyways, I don't have detailed content listing from manufacturer showing how much of value the screw represents.

Because I don't have this information I must select 100%.

There is also a small aluminium logo plate. Same thing. So I select again 100% content alumium.

Pathetic this stuff.
Apparently US Customs have started now cracking down on the aluminium and steel content in small seller packages on ebay.
So I guess this is it.

Effectively 50++ percent tariffs on virtually any second hand item I sell to US that has some metal content. I Wouldn't be even able to tel

  

l if the metal is something else than steel and aluminium, so I guess every metal counts.

Game over.  Yah. Game over. It's been Game Over for quite a while but it's over now for sure.

---

@itolduandso 

That is beyond petty!!!

[dinomitesales]

What website/app/platform are these screenshots from?

[cottagewoman]

Section 232 has been being assessed and collected by Stallion for months now.

[mrdutch1001]

It was already stated in the Tariff information that "the ingredients" of goods within the applicable steel and aluminum tariffs would need to be declared for assessment...so very important to know what you are shipping, when shipping "anything" to the USA these days...Trump Tariff policy, Trump Tariff rules...and if Canadian sellers wanna play the game of shipping to the USA, Canadian sellers best know those rules and policies...

[sapphyres-designer-jewellery]

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@dinomitesales wrote:

What website/app/platform are these screenshots from?

---

Looks like Stallion Express.

C.

[itolduandso]

No they only started to do recently. Now every item that possibly is made of metal contains that slider for alumunum or steel, it's just not working for Stallion, they got bugs on their website and sometimes it only shws but it's missing because it's broken.
By the way, I sent several emails to Stallion regarding their errors in calculation, they have issues with the calculator and their calculation of tariffs was wrong this week. They confirmed I was right and thanked me for finding the errors, which I found out by accident. So those who shipped this week by Stallion, excpect charge-backs for additional tariffs payments because those calculations were too low. Remember, stallion only provides you estimates, the final judgment is by the US Customs and if they rule Stallion didn't charge enought, they are gonna charge Stalliona and Stallion will pass those charges on you. That's the DJT game plan.

[itolduandso]

You don't need to know the policies. As long as there is a metal, just delcare made 100% of aluminum or steel and you are covered. Just pass those tariffs on US buyers. Most of them are sucking it up so far.  Let them pay so they remember who to vote for in 3 years.

[itolduandso]

Here for example, they have it for many items, but the calculator for the aluminum and steel is broken, it's not showing on many categories yet but they are fixiing it.  So soon there will be Aluminum and steel 50% tariffs on virtually any item that is not a plastic knick-knack.

[itolduandso]

OKay so NOT all categories but the list is expanding but .... DJT added in February additional HS Codes to the existing list of HS Codes that were considered having aluminum or steel content. Here are recent additions.

The Sports Equipment is right there on the bottom. THat was the issue with this sale.

If you notice there are a couple of lines there like...
Plastics and Articles thereoff...
Tubes Pipes
Angles, Shapes
Aliminum containers
Tools
FIttings
Molds
Alectrical Appliances
Bearings
Furniture

These are quite broad categories. The issue is, it seems US Customs charging you the 50% Steel tariff on the steel bearing, regardless whether you are shipping the bearing alone in the box or the bearing is part of another product.

So even that product may not be on the list (Sports equipment is quite bold item there because it contains almost always steel or aluminum) some products would get tariffed (I assume) because the derivatives are insode them.

Since I am not able to tell how much percentage are the bearings, I don't have official document from the manufacturer, I will have to ship the item as being made 100% of aluminum or metal.

Makes sense?

https://www.afslaw.com/perspectives/customs-import-compliance-blog/us-commerce-adds-428-hts-codes-se...
Here is screeshot from their page:

[itolduandso]

Okay so confirmed with Stallion, the current list is:

Sports Equipment
Computers (laptops, parts, printers etc)

Cars and parts

Motors engines and parts (this could be anything, aluminum wire, metal bearing etc)
Cosmetics (e.g. containers)

These are the categories where Stallion ships most, however, it doesn't mean sellers will not be slapped with additional tariffs on other categories is the US Customs chooses to slap your item they will.

It's not Stallion gets charged, it's they have to declare it. If you ship by another shipping company, maybe they don't ask you to declare it and you can get away with it, but it doesn't mean you don't get the bill if the US Customs open the package and slap the tariffs on it.

I don't know what is going to happen with the Canada Post packages but I can imagine Zonos will do the same. US Customs will not leave a hole here since this is revenue lost for them.

Brace for surprises.
Another 3 years to go.

[cottagewoman]

Postal network shipments (read Canada Post) only attract IEEPA tariffs (country specific) to date. They DO NOT attract any other sectoral tariffs, such as steel and aluminum and derivatives. They also cannot be used for CUSMA tariff free shipments.

[itolduandso]

However, that list Stallion gave me is not complete because I just check their calculator, also any furniture or fixture to used along with the furniture such a laptop holder would qualify as furniture and would get the 50% tariffs on it. It's it aluminum - then it's 50% plus the item category regular duty.

So there will be more probably. I think this is here the end for small sellers in Canada selling to the US. What the 35% tariff didn't do it, the 50++% tarif will finish off the job.

[cottagewoman]

The main cause of not being able to have a proper calculation of the amount of metal in any product, thus attracting the full 50% tariff, is the fact that almost all brokers are using informal entry for e-commerce items. A full formal entry allows for declaring a percentage of metal in an item - but a formal entry incurs hella costs, not viable for a single item. For a pallet, yes.

[itolduandso]

I was just sort of curious how this whole thing happens, so here is a website where it shows the entries from individual US companies with petions to the commerce department to include certain products in the 50% tariffs.

https://www.regulations.gov/docket/BIS-2025-0023/document

So basically any US company submits any petition to protect their product.

What gets approved gets on the list.

Should be easy as that.

[shallow_karl]

But if the customs tariffs are being assessed as to the raw cost of aluminum and steel (likely $2.95 and $0.50 a pound, respectively) then a 10lbs aluminum box would still cost less than $20.00.  So how are they calculating prices?

[itolduandso]

Based on the value of the item not value of the raw material. You know what Aluminum from Russia costs in the US now? Nothing, because of the sanctions. So that's doesn't mean there is zero tariff on importing a product made in China of Russian aluminum.

[rdemaree]

 I ship handmade paint that I make here in Canada that is usually stored inside of aluminium tubes and I ship CUSMA approved through chitchats and have never had any issues to date. In fact things are moving relatively normal and somewhat similar to how they were prior to diminimis went away with maybe a day or 2 extra shipping time now since they have to be formerly processed now.

Chitchats just asks country of origin, description, tariff code, manufacturer info (ME!) and I have to put a Made In Canada sticker on the box and the product. 

Most of my shipments are under $100 CAD, with a handfull in the 150-500$ range but almost never more than that.  My suspicion is even if CBP is supposed to patrol ever scrap of aluminum or other metal that goes over the border they aren't going to hound down every single package and physically open and test nuts and bolts for small packages (especially CUSMA packages) and on top of this trumps tariffs are already in hot water. 

I could be wrong but I feel like this (if it is official policy) wont be strictly enforced. I hope not! seems incredibly wasteful to look for tiny bits of metal on any package that comes through. Lets see how it goes tho!