It may be true for other proxies as well… but I had a very disturbing communication from ZenMarket. The US administration imposing draconian tariffs are affecting not just big businesses but also the individual consumer. Especially for international packages. Apparently there’s now a rife of scrutiny never before imposed.
I thought it was bad enough when I shipped a package via UPS and got hit with fees on top of shipping amounting to nearly $100 USD… (so never again). I’ve had phenomenal success of no customs fees going by AVIA small package and ECMS (previously ZenMarket Express). But, that’s now changing.
When I last shipped via ECMS, my package went through customs in less than a day. The package did not get transferred to USPS. It went to a local carrier, UniUni. Shipment was fast and no damage. I figured ECMS would be the best way to go now that tariffs are being imposed upon American citizens as an outrageous taxation. But I was now cautioned by ZenMarket that there could be complications:
Any pen included may require additional documentation. It’s kind of ridiculous, as a ballpoint pen never leaks–in most cases, the refills included are dried out anyway. I’ve NEVER in all of my time shipping pens ever had a “contamination” event. I figured the caution must be about fountain pens with possible liquid ink. Apparently the laws were not made to be specific, which is seriously unfortunate.
US Customs may treat ECMS packages differently. In fact, ZenMarket said that if there’s an issue and US Customs deems it unresolvable, “parcels shipped via ECMS are disposed of rather than returned due to network-specific regulations.” Given the understaffed and slipshod mess that this administration has made for international shipments, it could very well happen that if additional documentation that they demand hasn’t been provided by the sender, the package might just end up in the disposal bin (of course, to be ravaged by workers on the front line of customs work).
Given all of this… the additional expenses now imposed and the risk of package confiscation / disposal… I’m really fearing that the days of getting good deals on vintage writing instruments (and other smallish collectibles) through proxy services is coming to an end… at least until a succeeding US administration reverses the damage now being done.
I am receiving a package today, with a ball pen in it, through DHL totaling roughly ¥47000 including the shipping costs. I paid just over $63 in fees for customs.
It works out to roughly 20% of the value.
Not optimal, but livable.
Just buy items that are super discounted and know that you’ll pay an additional 20% on the item before you decide to bid too heavy.
I’m not stressed about it
(and pay the additional ¥2000 for DHL and no one will throw anything away)
That’s good to know! I know for sure that with FedEx (and maybe UPS) that they now require a MSDS when a pen is in the package. And most likely, as @cytherian mentioned, the ink is usually dried up or not going to leak. (Although I have had a little tiny bit of ink leak within the cap of a Tradio pen.)
Can you tell me how delivery will work now? Will you, as the recipient, be asked to provide proof of the shipment price and then be charged customs duty?
Or - I read somewhere that customs duties must be assessed and paid before the shipment enters the US, which would mean that the delivery service must collect it upon receipt.
I am confused….
It’s mostly VAT (sales tax), since import taxes are very low, but the net result is that yes, this seems to bring the US collectors in line with what we Europeans have always had. While I understand it’s not pleasant (and there may be hiccups for some time while carriers adjust to the new rules), we are here to tell you that it’s not the end of the world.
I just received the package from France that I bought on eBay. They sent it through their postal service to our postal service (USPS)
ZERO additional payments requested
I am also confused and haven’t gotten sufficient clarity as yet.
ZenMarket sent me to this page: prepay-import-duties-on-parcels-to-the-us
For ECMS, this DDP is precalculated and paid to ZenMarket. There is NO visibility in how this prepayment is satisfied for US Customs. Also, ZenMarket simply tacks on this extra amount when you go to pay for shipping, with no details on how the amount was calculated (duties, VAT, brokerage, etc.).
I’ve exhausted my attempts to gain further understanding from ZenMarket. I’m going to just pay the amount and hope for the best. I will report back on how it goes, via ECMS. I’m hoping that ZenMarket properly calculates the fees and provides the amount in sufficient measure to satisfy US Customs. If their calculation is off… the package could get flagged for insufficient payment. Or it may be an overpayment, where US Customs enjoys the bonus (it won’t be refunded). What really concerns me is if there is underpayment. Especially with ECMS, where the final delivery service in the USA is UniUni [in business in the USA since 2022], not USPS. I’ve no idea how they handle tariffs. On their website, there is no section that addresses tariff costs. However, they have a “chatbot” and I submitted questions… they say that UniUni does work with US Customs and if there’s a fee or additional paperwork, they will contact the receiver.
US courts have ruled that the tariffs are illegal. The justification for them does not pass muster. However, it’s not until sometime in late October before any implementation changes may occur. Until then, we have to keep paying them.
I read that the fixed fees are a temporary procedure until feb 26 with some shippers (for Japan 80$ since Japan has 15% tariff). After the temporary fixed fees the tariff costs will be calculated (if the tariffs and/or removal of de-minimis threshold are not stopped by courts).
You are lucky that there is no import vat in the us as in all eu countries (eg for germany 19%, and no de-minimis for vat).
Why do you refuse to pay the additional couple thousand yen to just use dhl?
ECMS? That’s the least insured one.
I don’t understand why, if your stress level is so high about it, if you have weighed all of your concerns and fears you still choose the cheapest option.
I appreciate your desire to save money but this is a perfect scenario where I believe that if anything goes wrong, you couldn’t have had any more warnings of the risk.
I’m not following, even a little bit, the large amount of concern you’re having about this.
To me, it’s pretty cut and dry. My experience so far was simple. 20% was my amount owed. $63 and change if I recall correctly and I received the package two days after I shipped it. My shipping charge was ¥4589 and I had I think ¥700 or more in zen credits which brought the shipping down even more.
I had zero stress and concern. My only stress was that it was the first instance that I’m finding out the new charges.
It isn’t ideal, but, in my mind it doesn’t require so much additional worry.
