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U.S. Shipping Updates: Tariffs, Duties, Compliance & More

Find all the latest updates regarding U.S. shipping specific to tariffs, duties, regulations

Update Monday, November 10

Due to some scenarios we have relaxed the requirement to allow a different country for the manufacturer. There are no changes to workflow if these scenarios don’t apply to you. 

  • If you ship a non-textile product and you don’t know the manufacturer information you can provide your own Canadian address as the manufacturer. You are still required to declare the country of origin based on what’s printed on the item.
  • If you ship a product that is purchased from a wholesaler that refuses to provide manufacturer info, you can put the wholesaler information into manufacturer fields as long as you have documentation of the refusal.

If you utilize CSV imports to add your orders onto the Chit Chats platform, please note that our CSV template has been updated to include a new column, item_manufacturer_country_code. This field should be used if the Manufacturer Country is different from the product’s country of origin. If this column is left blank, then the Manufacturer Country will default to the Country of Origin of the product on the platform. 

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.

Restricted Countries of Origin – click to expand

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.

Important 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.

CUSMA

Submit for approval and duty-free treatment if the country of origin is Canada, U.S., or Mexico and you meet CUSMA requirements (Rules of Origin are met). If the HTS code indicates the S/S+ indicator or it shows Free in the General Duty column on the offical US site. Be sure to check that your HTS code is valid (appears on the US site).

  • 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

Learn more

Incorrect or missing information – click to learn more

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

  • 👉 Ensure you provide a valid 10 digit HTS code
  • 👉 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
Update on Informational Material – Oct 22, 2025 – click to see details

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.

RESOURCE HUB – Find link by clicking for more details

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

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.