Question 1

Do I need to harmonize my catalog to get a landed cost calculation?

Accepted Answer

No, a harmonized catalog is not required for a landed cost. If a harmonized code is not provided, the default HS code will be used and a landed cost calculation will be provided.

Question 2

Does Zonos offer catalog harmonization?

Accepted Answer

Zonos Classify can be used for on-demand HS code classifications. Harmonize your product catalog with advanced image recognition, UPC code lookup and HTS country code support.

Question 3

Is there an interface available to calculate import duty and taxes?

Accepted Answer

Zonos Quoter is available so you can easily calculate duties and taxes with any integration.

Question 4

Is import duty applied to every order?

Accepted Answer

Not necessarily. It is very common for low-value shipments to be below the de minimis duty, and duty is not applied to the import.

Question 5

How many countries support sending a shipment DDP?

Accepted Answer

The ability to send a shipment DDP differs by the shipping carrier's service level. See the Availability document to learn more about DDP.

Question 6

How is import duty calculated?

Accepted Answer

Import duty can vary by the destination country, the country of origin, the item HS code, possible de minimis thresholds, and other laws that can affect the duty rate of an import. It's not always straightforward as a single harmonized code tariff. When the good's value in a single import or shipment is below the de minimis duty amount, the item will clear without any duty collection; however, the tax may still be collected if the tax threshold is lower than the duty threshold. It's possible for the value of an item to exceed the tax threshold and not exceed the duty threshold. The opposite is not true, because countries don't set a lower threshold for duty and a higher threshold for tax.

Question 7

Who pays import duty?

Accepted Answer

Duty is typically paid by the Importer of Record (IOR).  The IOR is the owner or purchaser of products being imported to a country. The IOR is responsible for ensuring the imported goods comply with local laws and regulations, filing a completed duty entry and associated documents required by the CBP (Customs Border Protection), and paying the import duties and taxes. The IOR is typically the person or entity who has ownership of the imported goods at the time of import. In some instances packages are shipped DDP(Delivery Duty Paid). DDP is a loosely used term to describe the process of billing duties and taxes back to you as a shipper. A merchant may want to send a package DDP if they have collect duties and taxes upfront from their customer.