DHL Global Forwarding has launched a streamlined customs service for US imports as trade requirements ramp up
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DHL Global Forwarding has launched a consolidation clearance service for imports into the US in response to the country’s increasingly complex trade environment.
The forwarder said that e-commerce and retail businesses were facing rising costs, longer clearance times and increased compliance risks as a result of evolving tariff policy and intensifying regulatory demands.
In response, it had launched its Consolidated Clearance Service that offers a “streamlined, cost-efficient customs clearance process that consolidates multiple shipments under a single entry".
“It is designed to support businesses, particularly with high-volume operations, that are transitioning from de minimis clearance for their U.S. imports to clearance via formal and informal entry,” DHL said.
Under previous rules, packages valued under $800 could be imported into the US duty free and with minimal customs scrutiny under the de minimis exemption.
This rule was removed by the US for shipments from China in May and the rest of the world in August. As a result, the importance of shipment consolidation has risen as the cost and complexity of importing individual shipments have increased.
Greg Nichols, senior vice president, global customs, DHL Global Forwarding, said: "Retailers are under pressure to deliver faster, more cost-effectively, and in full compliance with shifting trade regulations.
"This service helps them do just that—by simplifying customs processes, reducing costs, and ensuring they stay ahead of regulatory changes, without the need for an advanced technology set-up.
"Cost, certainty and compliance are sources of advantage in the increasingly competitive retail sector and are likely to be especially critical during peak seasons like Black Friday and the holidays, and we believe that DHL Consolidated Clearance Service will help deliver that advantage.”
DHL said that US tariff levels had reached levels not seen since the 1930s and North America’s trade growth forecast has dropped from 2.7% to 1.5% annually "against the backdrop of trade policy shifts".
"Retailers are responding by diversifying sourcing, increasing use of Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) terms to streamline cross-border operations and utilising new import models to the US," DHL said.
Despite the new rules, the global cross-border e-commerce market is expected to reach $4.8trn by 2032.
"However, with consumers citing unexpected customs charges and complex returns processes among the top reasons shoppers abandon cross-border purchases, the need for customs clearance platforms that simplify processes at the border and provide transparency and certainty on costs has never been higher."
