FAQ: Suspension of De Minimis

A new Executive Order was published declaring the suspension of Duty-Free De Minimis treatment for all countries, as of midnight, Friday August 29, 2025. Below are some frequently asked questions

Update Tuesday, November 4

Reduction of Fentanyl Tariffs

The White House has published their fact sheet regarding the Fentanyl Tariff, and they will be reducing the current 20% Fentanyl Tariff to 10%, effective November 10. The Universal Reciprocal Tariff remains in place, so the overall reciprocal tariff for China will be 20%.

Section 232 Tariffs on Aluminum, Steel, and Copper

Depending on the product’s HTS code, articles and derivatives of aluminum, iron, steel, and copper, of any country, are subject to Section 232 tariffs an additional tariff will apply. These tariffs are applied at a flat 50% of the value of the item (25% for UK products), but are exempt from their country’s IEEPA Reciprocal Tariffs.

There are additional HTS codes where only the value of the metal content will have a 50% tariff applied (25% for UK products.) We are working on implementing the ability to declare such percentages, at which time those tariffs will be implemented. Until then, some HTS codes that qualify for this value-based tariff are currently being assessed a flat 50% tariff, per CBP’s guidance on reporting Aluminum and Steel.

More information can be found on the CBP’s website.

Update Fri, Oct 24

We are aware of the potential for disruptions to the crossings of CUSMA certified Canadian origin goods as early as Monday of next week. We are working to make sure there are minimal disruptions should there be an announcement in the coming days. We are monitoring the situation with our partners and will provide more updates as details emerge.

Update Thu, Oct 23

Back in early October, President Trump announced that he intends to impose 100% tariffs on all Chinese imports by November 1.

The implementation still remains uncertain and we are closely monitoring the situation.

In preparation for the potential increase on November 1, 2025 we want to share some ways you can prepare to minimize any shipping disruptions. 

Atlantic & Alberta clients

• Shipments received in a Chit Chats branch after Monday, October 27 may be held should tariffs increase to 100% for Chinese goods as duties will need to be re-calculated. 
  • Note: Shipments dropped off at our Edmonton Drop Spots after Sunday, October 26 may be held as they will be received at our Alberta Branch after Monday, October 27.

BC, Ontario and Quebec clients

• Shipments received in a Chit Chats branch after Wednesday, October 29 may be held should tariffs increase to 100% for Chinese goods as duties will need to be re-calculated.

If the increase does happen – you can pay the difference in tariffs or have the shipment returned to you as we understand this is a significant increase in duties. 

We recommend that you hold shipments with Chinese origin if you are unable to get to a Chit Chats branch by Monday, October 27 (Alberta and Atlantic clients) or by Wednesday, October 29 if you are a BC, Ontario or Quebec client. 

Our team is working to get as many shipments across the border before November 1st to avoid additional increase in duties, however there are no guarantees. 

Important: If shipments are missing information, inaccurate or mismatched information (most common country of origin and manufacturer country does not match) – this can lead to shipments being delayed. 

Note: U.S.-Bound Chit Chats International Tracked shipments purchased before any tariff increases may see tariff fee adjustments after shipping as we cannot determine specifically which day your shipment may cross the U.S. border.

We will update our blog should the increase go in effect Nov 1 as we are closely monitoring this situation. 

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Restricted Countries of Origin

Due to ongoing political tensions, the United States enforces sanctions that restrict imports from certain Countries of Origin. As a result, Chit Chats is unable to accommodate any products containing shipments originating from affected countries.

At this time, this includes products with a Country of Origin of:

• Cuba
• Palestine

*Please note that this list is subject to change based on evolving political circumstances and future U.S. policies.

Any shipments containing products from the above origins are not eligible for any U.S. postage through Chit Chats.

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Reminders

No manufacturer info? Chit Chats International Tracked is an alternate solution for you. Read more

We are still not accepting Amazon FBA shipments – this was temporarily suspended at the end of August. If we enable acceptance of Amazon FBA shipments we will update here.

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CUSMA Enhancements

SKUs are no longer mandatory for CUSMA certification.

• Simply provide the country of origin, product description and 10 digit HTS code for approval
• Once approved to see duty-free enter the same COO and HTS
• If you had previously created SKUs that were approved be sure to enter the HTS and COO that was approved to continue seeing duty-free

Update on Informational Material – Oct 22, 2025

Shipments classified as informational materials are once again exempt from reciprocal tariffs, regardless of origin or CUSMA certification. For existing shipments, refresh rates to view updated tariff treatment. For details, see the CBP FAQ definition of informational materials here.

Section 301 Tariffs on goods from China

Depending on the product’s HTS code, an additional tariff for products from China may apply. These can be identified by hovering over the ‘1/’ in the HTS Schedule, and looking up the HTS Code provided in the tool tip, as pictured below:

These additional tariffs are considered ‘Section 301 Tariffs’ and can range from 7.5% to 25%, depending on the HTS Code. More information can be found on the Office of the United States Trade Representative website.

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Common reasons for delays result from incorrect, vague or missing information – we’ve made adjustments to catch any missing information at time of postage creation.

U.S. Customs Border and Protection has implemented automated enforcement of package descriptions. This means you must ensure that all shipment descriptions are detailed. For example t-shirt is not acceptable but rather men’s cotton t-shirt. If your shipment does not have detailed descriptions this will cause your package to be rejected.

What You Can Do

• 👉 Provide accurate and detailed shipment descriptions. Find examples in our previous blog
• 👉 Ensure manufacturer information is valid and matches the country of origin
  • I.e. Country of origin is China – the manufacturer address MUST be a Chinese address
  • Entering placeholder text (Unknown, N/A, etc.) will result in shipments being rejected and further delays
• 👉 Ensure you provide a valid 10 digit HTS code

Resource Hub

With so much information find key topics below that will provide additional resources and FAQs to help you navigate these changes.

• HTS Codes, Tariffs & Duties
• CUSMA
• Glossary
• Country of Origin & Manufacturer Information
• Resources & Support Contacts

US Shipping Is Changing — And We’re All Feeling It

To our Chit Chats family,

Lately, everything is changing — and fast. There are new rules and regulations, which are demanding the creation of new systems. It’s been a lot to keep up with and you’re not alone in feeling overwhelmed.

Behind the scenes, our team is collaborating with our broker to develop the system and working closely with US Customs to ensure our Canadian ecommerce sellers have the information they need to remain compliant.

Not everything is in our control, Chit Chats is adapting as quickly as possible to support you through these transitions. The removal of the de minimis threshold has disrupted shipping in unprecedented ways. Not only are shipments being delayed and rejected but the new requirements are impacting your bottom line. 

What We’re Doing to Support You

We’re committed to leveraging our network to mitigate risks where we can, minimize the impact to you where possible. The learning curve is steep for all of us but we’re working around the clock to troubleshoot, communicate and provide solutions to help you continue to ship. 

We understand shipping is an integral part of your business but we also know your client experience matters. Whether you’re a solo Etsy artisan, a seasoned eBay seller, or a growing online brand, we know these changes are creating real challenges. 

🇨🇦 Chit Chats Puts Canada First

This isn’t the first time Canadian businesses have faced cross-border shipping challenges. In fact helping Canadian eCommerce sellers succeed is at the heart of what we do. Back in 2001, when our founder Derek Nolan saw firsthand how hard it was for small businesses to ship affordably and reliably from Canada and compete globally. That mission has never changed.

Moving Forward Together

We know this is a tough moment, but we want you to know we’re in it with you. Our commitment remains the same: to find solutions that empower Canadian businesses to thrive, no matter how the rules shift. Thank you for trusting us through this journey; we’ll continue to keep you informed and supported every step of the way.

FAQs

Postage Is DDU (duties unpaid) no longer available with Chit Chats? – click for answer

There are no DDU options at this time. We understand that many sellers prefer to have duties collected at the time of delivery from the recipient and our team is exploring if we can provide a solution. There is no timeline if and when a DDU solution will be available but we will update all clients if this changes.

For Chit Chats Edge and Chit Chats Select – is this a postal or non-postal service?

Due to our method of entry into the US, both Chit Chats U.S. Edge and U.S. Select are non-postal services. Other postages partnered with Canada Post and PostNL follow under postal services. You will not be required to pay the $200 ad valorem fee, however you will be expected to pay a tariff fee based on the item(s) declared.

If I ship with USPS Media Mail will this still be available? 

USPS Media Mail is available through our DDP (duties paid) option. The country of origin, valid HTS code, and manufacturer information must be declared in order to obtain rates. 

Will I need to provide a manufacturer address for books when I don’t have it?

• To access DDP (duties paid) postage options you are required to provide manufacturer information. If it cannot be provided our DDU options can be an alternative as you only require the country of origin and a valid HTS code.

Update Aug 28

✅ DDP Postage

The only way to ship to the US is with DDP (duties paid). 

• To see postage rates for DDP, it is mandatory to provide:
  • The Country of Origin (COO) of the product (also physically labelled)
  • Manufacturer information (address & postal code that match the COO)
  • 10 digit HTS code, (valid as per US Harmonized Tariff Schedule) which determines the applicable tariff rate
• Common errors if you cannot see postage is invalid HTS code or missing manufacturer information.

DDP Costs Breakdown

• Postage cost (as usual)
• Chit Chats Insurance (if added)
• Tariffs (if applicable)
  • Combination of the general rate of duty and any applicable ad valorem tariffs based on 10 digit HTS code (refer to official US site)
• ➡️ Customs Processing is a flat fee (1.35 USD flat fee) per shipment, covering administrative costs for informal entry into the U.S.
• ➡️ Broker Line Item is the fee for our broker to process the individual line items in the shipment (0.15 USD / line item). Example: You are shipping 1 tshirt, 2 mugs and 3 pen = 3 shipment items
• *These fees are subject to change – we have worked hard to keep these as low as possible as we understand sellers are grappling with having to now also pay for duties on top of postage costs.