Ask ten importers who the Importer of Record is on a shipment, and you’ll likely get ten different answers. That confusion isn’t harmless. In 2025, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will enforce importer accountability more aggressively than ever. When roles like Importer of Record (IOR), consignee, and owner are [...]
For many importers, customs clearance feels like the finish line. The shipment is released, delivered, and sold, and attention quickly shifts to the next order. But under U.S. customs law, clearance is not the end of the import process. That final, and often misunderstood, stage is called liquidation. And ignoring [...]
For many U.S. importers, especially e-commerce brands and SMBs, the biggest surprise isn’t customs delays or paperwork. It’s cost. A product that looks profitable on paper can quickly lose margin once duties, freight, brokerage, and compliance add-ons are factored in. In 2025, with the end of De Minimis and tighter [...]
U.S. import audits are becoming more common than ever, especially for small and mid-sized businesses importing for the first time. With increased restrictions on the $800 De Minimis threshold, increased data analytics, and the formation of new enforcement bodies, even beginners now face stricter scrutiny from U.S. Customs and Border [...]
Most importers only see two moments in the import journey: when a shipment leaves the supplier and when it arrives at their warehouse. Everything in between feels like a black box. But in 2025, that “black box” is where most risks actually live. With the end of the De Minimis [...]
The end of the De Minimis era has changed everything for U.S. importers. What used to be a simple process, ship a parcel through a courier, let the carrier auto-clear it, and skip formal documentation, no longer exists. In 2025, every shipment must meet full U.S. customs compliance standards, no [...]
For years, U.S. e-commerce brands and marketplace sellers thrived on direct-to-consumer (DTC) parcel shipping. The model worked because Section 321 exemptions, low-value thresholds, and courier-driven clearances allowed products to ship directly from overseas suppliers to American customers with almost no friction. But in 2025, this model will become structurally unsustainable. [...]
The world of U.S. importing is changing fast. With the elimination of the $800 De Minimis threshold, the launch of the DOJ & DHS Trade Fraud Task Force, and increased scrutiny over tariff classifications and country-of-origin claims, compliance has become the new competitive edge. For importers scaling their operations in [...]
For many U.S. importers, the era of simple, low-value parcel imports is coming to an end. With the elimination of the $800 de minimis exemption, the import landscape has shifted dramatically, and your courier service alone is no longer enough to guarantee compliance. Here’s why relying on a standard courier [...]
The U.S. import landscape is entering a new era of enforcement. With the launch of the DOJ & DHS Trade Fraud Task Force, Importers of all sizes — not just multinational corporations — should prepare for heightened federal scrutiny. This task force, led by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and [...]
