Does your business send parcels to the United States? Great news. Australia Post and Zonos® make it easy for you to calculate and pay tariffs and meet mandatory requirements, so you can successfully send products to the US.
The US is one of Australia’s top export markets. In 2024, it was the fifth largest market for goods exports. Quality Australian fashion, beauty and specialty goods are popular.
Ever since the US announced new tariffs for imports into the US and its overseas territories (including Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands and the US Minor Outlying Islands), Australian eCommerce businesses have been looking for clarity on what the changes mean for shipping to US customers.
The good news? The path is now clear for sending to the US and its territories, as long as you comply with the new import rules. Whether you use MyPost Business or eParcel Contract, Australia Post is here to help.
There are some key terms you’ll hear when discussing tariffs and selling internationally. Here’s a brief explainer:
A tariff is a government tax on imported goods. It's usually calculated as a percentage of value of the goods. It’s essential to take tariffs into account when creating your growth strategy as tariffs impact your margins and pricing. Learn more about HS tariff codes.
The Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA) outlines how where a product is made is determined. Chapter Five of AUSFTA covers Rules of Origin. If you’re unsure of the origin of your products, it’s a good idea to consult an expert early.
Selling overseas incurs additional costs, from freight to tariffs, insurance and taxes. When calculating landed cost to the US, you take these extra costs into consideration in addition to the cost of the product to accurately calculate your landed cost. This can be incorporated into your forecasting and strategy, helping avoid surprise costs.
The AUSFTA is the trade agreement between Australia and the US, which was established in January 2005.
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the US Government agency responsible for enforcing US tariff laws at the border, including collecting tariffs, verifying origin and classification of products and ensuring compliance with agreements including AUSFTA.
To make meeting your tariff and declaration requirements seamless, Australia Post has partnered with Zonos®, a cross-border sales solution for managing tariffs, calculating duties and taxes. Zonos® is a CBP Approved Qualified Party.
With a free Zonos® Verified Account, linked directly to your Australia Post account you can:
Once you’ve joined Zonos® and are verified, you can send as usual. What’s more, when you send to the US with Australia Post, you get access to fewer tariffs, our competitive international sending rates and a free Zonos® dashboard for instant US tariff calculations.
Learn more about the solution.
The first thing you need to do is set up a free Zonos® Verified Account. Through this account, which is automatically linked to your Australia Post account, Zonos® will collect and remit the required tariffs each time you book a parcel for sending.
To help you plan for the new costs, there’s a calculator in your Zonos® dashboard for making instant tariff calculations.
As well as paying the tariff, you also need to meet the mandatory declaration requirements for all items you send. Ensure you include:
If the above requirements aren’t met, items will be returned.
Once steps 1 and 2 are taken care of, you can ship with Australia Post following your usual processes.
By partnering with Zonos® for sending parcels to the US, we’re making it easier for you to comply with the new US tariff import rules.
What’s more, you benefit from:
With a relatively small market ourselves, Australian businesses often see significant growth when expanding overseas. Researching which regions have demand for Australian products, and favourable tariff conditions can make a significant impact on your bottom line.
Explore the Australia Post International Selling Playbook (PDF 3.28MB) to learn more about selling in:
Every market has unique requirements and tariffs can vary from time to time, so it’s worthwhile regularly reviewing your strategy to ensure you’re giving your business the best chance of profitable growth and diversifying across markets to minimise the impact of tariff changes.
With MyPost Business, you start saving the moment you spend $50 over a rolling 4-week period, with no lock-in contracts.
