New U.S. Tariff Changes - Seller FAQ

What are the recent U.S. tariff changes?

• As of August 29th, all items shipping into the U.S. are subject to tariffs. The U.S. ruling removed the de minimis exemption which previously allowed shipments under $800 to enter the U.S. duty free. This change affects all cross-border shipments to the U.S. As a result of these changes, many carriers have temporarily pausing shipping to the U.S.

What changes are happening on Whatnot as a result of these tariffs?

• Canada → U.S.
  • In order to comply with the new requirements, Whatnot sellers will now ship to the U.S. via UPS in Canada. UPS will contact buyers directly to collect tariffs ahead of delivery. These tariffs will cause U.S. buyers to pay more in duties and fees.
• Europe, UK, & Australia → U.S.
  • We’ve explored several options, but new requirements and carrier changes have led us to temporarily pause U.S. buyer purchasing from Europe, the UK, and Australia.
• We are working directly with our shipping partners on different solutions, and will update you as soon as we have new information. We are committed to finding a way to make cross-border selling as seamless as possible.

What changes do sellers in Canada need to make for U.S.-bound orders?

• Country of Origin
  • When generating labels bound for the U.S., please make sure to add the Country of Origin for each item in your Seller Hub Shipments page; this will help ensure that your shipments move across the border without delay. For more information, check out our help center article here. 

What is changing with U.S.-bound orders from Canada?

• All shipments going to the U.S. will now ship with UPS. You’ll be able to download UPS labels directly in your Seller Hub, and drop-offs can be made at any The UPS Store® or UPS Access Point® location.

• All other CA shipments (non-U.S. destinations) will continue to ship via Chitchats or CA Post.

How much will tariffs be for my buyers?

• Tariffs and associated import fees depend on several factors and the buyer will not be able to see the exact amount upfront. For more detail on how they are calculated, see here. 

How will buyers know if orders are subject to tariffs?

• All shipments entering the U.S. are now subject to tariffs.
• U.S. buyers will now see a popup in-app informing them about potential tariffs for items shipping from outside the U.S.

How do buyers pay tariffs?

• Carriers will reach out to the buyers in order to collect tariffs. Buyers should respond within 5 business days to ensure packages are not returned to the sender.

What to do if UPS label generation isn't working for CA to US packages?

• This may be as a result of your return address not registering with UPS. This can happen if your return address is a P.O. box or if the address is longer than 30 characters. Please take the following steps:
  • If return address is a P.O. Box
    • Add a non-PO box address
    • Set it as return address
    • Change return address back to P.O. box
  • If return address is > 30 characters
    • Shorten address so all fields (line 1, line 2, city) are <30 characters
• If the above steps do not work, please reach out to support for assistance.