Starting in August 2025, ZenMarket is rolling out a DDP (Delivery Duty Paid) system, a pre-charge system for import duties on parcels shipped to the United States via courier services (DHL, UPS, or FedEx) and ECMS. This update comes in response to changes in US import policies.
This system is designed to simplify your experience when shopping from Japan and help you avoid unexpected costs or delays at the point of delivery.
Update: Starting December 17, DDP (Delivery Duty Paid) is mandatory for all UPS shipments to the United States. This applies to parcels that are packed on or after December 17, as well as parcels where the shipping method is changed to UPS on or after this date.
What Is the Pre-Charge System and How Can It Help?
When you choose this feature during parcel payment, ZenMarket will estimate and collect the import duties on your behalf for shipments to the US via DHL, UPS, FedEx, or ECMS. This allows for a smoother customs process and helps reduce potential delays at delivery.
By prepaying import duties, you can:
-
Avoid courier delays and payment requests upon delivery.
-
Save money on third-party brokerage fees.
-
Gain peace of mind by locking in costs upfront - especially in light of various changes in the US import policies.
Key Details You Should Know
-
This system is mandatory for ECMS, UPS, and FedEx LowCost; optional for DHL, and FedEx.
-
DDP system covers all import-related fees (duties, VAT if applicable, and brokerage).
- This system does not guarantee customs clearance. Items prohibited by US regulations will still be refused entry. If your parcel is rejected by customs, we will refund the prepaid import duties.
-
Our estimate is based on tariff percentages and HS codes, but final duties are determined by US Customs.
How much will DDP be?
ZenMarket has actively been working to set up our DDP system to accurately reflect the duty payment that is required by CBP for US-bound shipments.
Our system now reflects the duty that needs to be paid according to the product's corresponding HTS code, along with additional processing fees that are charged by the chosen shipping method that are not part of the usual shipping fee.
For most products this means that the tariff charged will be roughly 15% plus the additional processing fees (exemptions apply based on HTS code).
While the additional fees charged by the shipping methods can vary and are changing as the situation in the US evolves, we have seen that ECMS processing fees are the cheapest so budget conscious shoppers are urged to choose ECMS when creating their parcel.
In addition, ZenMarket are working on a feature that will display the breakdown of the DDP cost at the time of payment so that users can better understand for what they are being charged. In the event that a duty seems to be in error, please contact customer support and inform them about the situation. Please note that they cannot change the categorization of the items you have ordered.
As this is a new system that we are working to improve, we thank you for your understanding and patience.
If you want to avoid the hassle of last-minute courier fees charged on arrival, and potentially save on hidden costs, this new system can offer greater transparency and convenience.
However, if you prefer to manage your import payments directly or if you disagree with the estimated import duties, we recommend opting out. You’ll still be able to handle duties via your own broker or the courier’s usual system.
Conclusion
ZenMarket is here to make shopping from Japan simple and worry-free, even as international customs rules evolve.
Thank you for your continued support!