noun

1. a crack, a split or a break in something.
2. a serious break in friendly relations.

I couldn’t think of a better way to describe the ongoing wave of changes to US import duties and taxes.

A quick update on tariffs — and honestly, I don’t know much more than I did last week, but a couple of things have shifted.

Here’s the big one: if you’re sending any item to the US, at any value, you’ll now be hit with either USD $80 or 10% of the item’s value — whichever is higher.

So let’s play this out:

• A $40 product? You’re not paying 10%. You’re paying $80 USD (roughly $122 AUD) plus shipping.
• Add in $30–50 for postage, and suddenly that “affordable” product isn’t so affordable for your customer.

What does this mean for merchants?

• Zonos account required: If you’re with AusPost, you’ll need one to make sure duties + taxes are prepaid. DHL users? Tick “duties and taxes paid” before you ship.
• Customer sticker shock: A $40 skincare item with $30 shipping now costs another $80 at customs. That’s refund territory.
• Do the ROI math: High-value items might survive the 10%. Low-value orders? They’ll sink fast.

Strategy check

• Get Shopify set to charge taxes upfront at checkout. Surprises belong at birthdays, not customs. (This will require a Shopify plan upgrade / Zonos upgrade)
• Remember that if duties are refused, return-to-sender costs will hurt more than the original shipment.
• Think long-term: big players are moving stock into US 3PLs to dodge the mess altogether. We have global partners and can facilitate this but you need to consider the ROI before committing offshore.

This situation is ever evolving and what is true now at the time of this post vs what is true tomorrow – could be to seperate things. But for now, low-value exports into the US are looking grim.

E-commerce isn’t for the faint-hearted. Right now, the best we can do is stay agile, keep customers informed, and ride the chaos with a fluffy jacket and a strong coffee.

Stay tuned. Stay flexible. And yes, stay classy, San Diego.

#tariffs #ecommerce #logistics