Sarah Barnes-Humphrey

A special thanks to Deborah Elms for sharing this link to products now exempt from the reciprocal tariffs (https://lnkd.in/gZkYA_iM). I threw the HTS codes into USITC data web and pulled imports for 2024 from all nations excluding Canada and Mexico (which aren't affected by the reciprocal tariffs). Note, I have included China in these figures, though I'm not sure whether they would be exempt of not. Thoughts: •If China is included, smartphones and laptops are the top two items now excluded from reciprocal tariffs. China accounts for 81% and 66% of total US imports for these goods, respectively. •Code 8473.30.11 is an interesting one because this is almost assuredly Nvidia's GPUs from Taiwan, which are considered a computer parts in official statistics. •Excluding Canada and Mexico, the removal of these products drops tariffs on $322 billion of goods. If we then exclude China, that number falls to ~$222 billion. Implication: this latest move by the administration is a tacit acknowledgement of concerns that folks like me have been raising for months that uncritical, blanket tariffs will be inflationary (and potentially cause shortages). The most important question: what is the situation with China? Are Chinese smartphones now subject to a 20% tariff, or is it still 125/145%? #supplychain #shipsandshipping #markets #economics #freight

182

57 Comments

🚨 Tariff Update: What You Need to Know Last week, headlines circulated about proposed tariff increases—an additional 10% on Canadian goods and 100% on Chinese goods. Here’s the reality as of 7:30 PM ET, October 29th: ✅ These duties have NOT gone into effect ✅ They have NOT been officially announced by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Why does this matter? • Businesses making decisions based on rumors risk unnecessary disruptions. • Compliance teams should continue monitoring official CBP channels for verified updates. My advice: Stay informed, but don’t act until the official word is published. If you need help navigating trade compliance or preparing contingency plans, let’s connect. #TradeCompliance #Tariffs #SupplyChain #CBP #GlobalTrade

5

Amidst U.S. tariff uncertainty, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is pushing a bold “Made in Canada” strategy. He has proposed a “backwards integration” approach, with the aim of boosting domestic supply chains and reducing cross-border dependency. His plan also calls for stronger interprovincial trade, infrastructure investment, and a renewed focus on national economic resilience. Read how his plan aims to rewire how Canada trades: https://ow.ly/C1TS50VOb5S #Canada #Economy #Manufacturing #Resilience #SupplyChain #Trade #USCanada

11

1 Comment

CITT Publishes Decision on Flat Screen Mounts – Victory for Best Buy This is a decision you want to read!!! The Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) has issued its ruling in Appeal No. AP-2022-028, addressing the tariff classification of flat screen TV wall mounts sold by Best Buy's Insignia brand. ⚖️ What Was at Stake: The dispute centered on whether the mounts fall under: • 8302.50.00 – Mountings and fittings suitable for furniture (Canada Border Services Agency | Agence des services frontaliers du Canada position – 6.5% duty), or • 8529.90 – Parts suitable for use solely or principally with TVs and audio/video equipment (Best Buy’s claim – duty-free). This case is a fascinating study in tariff interpretation, covering nomenclature, punctuation, parts provisions, and referencing key jurisprudence. For trade compliance professionals, it’s a textbook example of how wording & functional use can change outcomes. The Outcome: Best Buy won. The Tribunal ruled in favour of the 8529.90 classification, resulting in duty-free treatment and most likely saving them millions on this hot items. But the impact could extend far greater than just these flat screen mountings. This decision sets a meaningful precedent for how mounting hardware may be interpreted in future classifications based on functionality, not just form. Game changer and a good win for Best Buy For more information on this ruling and steps that can be taken on your imports of these items or related items, contact your the OC team for more. #imports #Otimo #OCTradecompliance #CBSA #imports #Bestbuy #tariffhippo

45

3 Comments

Another update from Livingston International on the Canada Customs delay: The Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) has announced that the systems outage impacting commercial land and airports of entry on September 30 has been resolved.  However, CBSA continues to experience delays processing all inbound and outbound messages. Although CBSA is receiving all incoming data, there are still delays sending outbound messages, including acknowledgements, reject messages, and notices such as Release Notification System (RNS) and completeness notices.  As a result, commercial vehicles continue to experience significant wait times at the border as the backlog is cleared.  #crossbordercommerce #logisticsmanagement #trucking #freightforwarding #Supplychain #parcelshipping #longislandassociation

8

Just Because It Shows As "Delivered", It Doesn't Mean It's A Great Delivery Imagine paying $119.95 and this is how you see your product being delivered. Now imagine being the brand that contracted this carrier. They "followed" the industry advice. They have diversified their carrier mix. They didn't pick the "cheapest" option. They believed they were buying into a carrier group that stood behind those claims of quality..... Last mile isn't hard because it's complicated. It's hard because it's relentless. And it's a huge challenge to do everything right, all of the time. Great operators are great because of their: - Reliability - Consistency - Quality Great carriers know just how hard it is to do last mile, day in and day out, while also making sure to meet or exceed expectations. This is one of the reasons I'm not a fan of broad based rate shopping. Or simply pushing your volume through aggregator platforms. As I shared recently at Innovation Delivered, true carrier diversification is about intention. The technology today shouldn't be used as an easy button. It needs to be used to create exactly the network that will re-enforce your brand identity and delivery the EXPERIENCE (not just the package), that you promise your customers. The world is unforgiving. No one has to give you a second chance. Don't give them a reason to go looking elsewhere once you have them as a customer.

32

17 Comments

Everyone says they do end-to-end. We’re actually doing it. In Canada, we didn't just string services together—we built a functioning chain. Terminals that set the strategy. Freight forwarding tailored to your needs, not ours. Contract logistics integrated from day one—not tacked on later. This isn’t corporate fluff, it’s real execution. And yes, other DP World regions are building integrated platforms too. In fact, our European colleagues just launched a full end-to-end logistics hub in Bucharest, combining road, rail, air, and warehousing under one roof. But here’s the point: what’s different in Canada is the level of coherence and investment. You can see it, use it, scale with it. That makes us a proving ground for how these solutions can actually work ... not in theory, but in operations.

122

Will there be another postal labour disruption this Q4? Here’s what Canadian businesses need to know (and how to prepare): For over 2 years, postal labour negotiations have been unresolved. Last year’s 32-day disruption led to an estimated $1B in lost sales and added costs for small businesses (CFIB). Yet many business leaders I’ve spoken with are still unaware of the current situation. As of September 25, 2025, here are the latest developments: - 𝗡𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗠𝗮𝗶𝗹: Delivery ban suspended since September 12 - 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗻: Lifted after being in place since May 23, 2025 - 𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: New offers are being prepared, with talks expected to resume next week 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲? - On one side, the postal corporation may pursue legal action or issue a lockout. - On the other, the union could escalate from selective bans to rotating strikes or, in the worst case, a full work stoppage. While no one can predict the outcome, the risk is significant enough that contingency planning should be on every business leader’s agenda this Q4. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿: Businesses that waited were caught off guard - paying 3x more for alternate solutions or pausing shipments altogether. Those who prepared early? They protected revenue, kept customers happy, and in some cases, grew market share. What does smart Q4 preparation look like?  1. 𝗠𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶-𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 – Keep shipments moving even if one carrier faces volume congestions. 2. 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 & 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 – Instantly switch carriers when disruptions happen, saving time and avoiding costly fees. 3. 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 – uninterrupted workflows with your eCommerce stack. 4. 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹-𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 – visibility no matter which carrier you use. At eShipper, we supported over 10's of thousands of businesses during last year’s disruption by offering flexibility and a carrier-agnostic model. I’ll continue monitoring the situation and sharing updates as they develop. If you’d like to discuss how to prepare your Q4 shipping strategy, feel free to reach out directly.

38