Cross Border Chronicle | September 2025 - FlavorCloud

Cross Border Chronicle | September 2025

PEAK PREPARATION

Shipping cut offs, surcharges, and more

Peak season is here, time to harness opportunities and demand from across the globe. But don’t forget to plan for surcharges, capacity crunches, and heightened consumer expectations.

Peak Season Hub – A central hub with updated surcharge information, preparation guides, and holiday cut off dates (coming soon!).

BLOG: Understanding and combatting industry-wide carrier surcharges – Why surcharges happen, how they impact costs, and what you can do to minimize them.
BLOG: Final peak preparations for cross border success with FlavorCloud – Practical tips for optimizing checkout, routing, and compliance before the rush.
BLOG: Preparing for Black Friday & holiday this season – A guide to ensuring your international customers get a frictionless shopping experience.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Global trade and logistics landscape remains volatile and is continuously evolving. Here are some of the latest updates that could affect your operations.

PARTNER HIGHLIGHT

Loop Returns

Consumers want to know your return policies before they purchase. Build customer loyalty and protect margins with seamless global returns, especially in the wake of U.S. de minimis changes. FlavorCloud and Loop have teamed up to make international returns smarter and easier.

TARIFF DEEP DIVE

Review the latest in tariffs sourced only from official government sources on our Trade and Tariff Hub. The following is a consolidated list, for more information checkout the hub.

The tariff landscape continues to change impacting everything from entertainment to industrial goods. On September 29th, the White House announced new tariffs on timber, lumber, and their derivatives. Tariffs imposed effective October 14, 2025:

10% ad valorem on softwood timber and lumber.
25% ad valorem on upholstered wooden products (rising to 30% on Jan 1, 2026).
25% ad valorem on kitchen cabinets and vanities, including parts (rising to 50% on Jan 1, 2026).

Here’s what you need to know now.

Trump says US to impose 100% tariff on movies made outside the country | Reuters
Trump sets tariffs on pharmaceuticals, trucks, furniture | Supply Chain Dive
A reminder on Canada’s adjustments: On Sept 1, Canada reduced tariffs to apply primarily to U.S. steel, aluminum, and autos . Full list here: Complete list of U.S. products subject to counter tariffs – Canada.ca

LEARN MORE

Understanding legal vs. illegal transshipment International ecommerce doesn’t have to mean long delivery times and customs headaches. Regionalizing fulfillment—storing and shipping inventory closer to your customers—can help you cut costs, speed up delivery, and meet rising customer expectations. In this blog, we break down the rising trend of regionalized fulfillment, explore when it makes sense, and highlight how strategies like Canada outbound shipping are reshaping what global success looks like. Learn more →

WHAT CUSTOMERS ARE SAYING ABOUT US

À LA “Jenn at FlavorCloud has provided the most exceptional service I’ve experienced in years. The onboarding process is phenomenal and she is very proactive in following up on back end set up.”

REFER A MERCHANT

Know a brand ready to ship globally? Refer them to FlavorCloud and earn $1,000 when they start shipping. They’ll get $100 off too. It’s a win-win. Refer a merchant today

Thanks for tuning in this month. Need more help? If you’re a current merchant, connect with your CSM or email support@flavorcloud.com. If you’re new to FlavorCloud and are interested in having us help you approach cross-border shipping, you can connect with our team here.

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