Speed Versus Cost: USA E-Commerce Section 321

Cross border E-commerce merchants have to balance the need for lowest cost with secure timely delivery. Jet helps companies uncover the best practices.

E-commerce companies sending to the USA are constantly trying to find the proverbial sweet spot between speed and cost.

Jet Worldwide helps companies develop systems to ship online orders directly to the USA or via Canada cross border.

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Section 321 Port of Entries include:

Major air freight hubs including JFK, DFW, LAX and ORD
Border Crossings from Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal

Section 321 Entry Types

Section 321 is a designated entry type for individual consignments valued under $800. The different types of section 321 include:

Express consignment / ECCF:

Goods imported using an ECCF are granted express clearance privileges and are subject to regulations outlined in Part 128 of the Code of Federal Regulations / CFR. Goods imported via express processes are subject to a per consignment fee mandated by customs to reimburse the cost for express processes.

Cargo Clearance / CFS:

Goods can be imported using express processes but without the per consignment fee (mentioned above). Goods are transferred to an approved Container Freight Station (CFS) and are usually cleared within 1 to 3 days of arrival.

Type 86 Entry:

For traditional brokerage processes that use automated connections to customs (ACE), section 321 type 86 can be used. The key difference is that HS codes are required for each item. An HS Code is not required for ECCF or CFS section 321 mentioned above.

Canada/ USA Cross Border Clearance:

This method is increasingly being used to take advantage of airlift to Canada and trucking cross border directly (usually) to a USPS facility.

Jet-Canada-USA-Cross-Border-graphic

Sending direct to major USA ports or via Canada with next day ground delivery

Sending material to east and west coast ports of entry allows for nextday delivery to over 50% of the USA population - and second day delivery to over 80%. This targeted routing makes the "direct injection parcel logistics flows" incredibly efficient.

The main obstacle is simply having the necessary volume. Jet - along with our partners - can assist in the technical set up and arranging of airfreight.

What is Section 321?

US Customs allows most individual orders valued under $800 USD to be entered and cleared duty free into the USA. This entry type is known as a Section 321 Informal Entry. Using this entry type, importers can consolidate all their qualifying orders under one entry without H.S. Codes and benefit from duty free entry.

Most on line orders cleared via a section 321 informal entry are imported under Part 128 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). As such, they are imported to facilities with port codes that define them as Express facilities or ECCF's. Many express operators are also able to clear via freight facilities (with section 321 processes) known as a Container Freight Station or CFS.

For importers who have H.S. codes, it may be best to use a Section 321 "type 86" entry. Using this entry type, goods can be imported via traditional methods using the Automated Broker Interface or ABI system.

Direct importing of parcel by E-tailers in China and Europe

Jet works with E-tailers with as few as a thousand shipments per week toset up express parcel logistics processes that enable a direct connection to low cost delivery int the USA.

eccf_vs_cfs_Jet

Jet helps international companies set up their own dedicated processes for shipping direct to the USPS via Global Direct Entry.

Shipping to the USA via Canada

International sellers are increasingly looking to ship to the USA via Canadian warehouses and direct airfreight (using in-bond transit to the border). Contact Jet's team for details.