[Founder / CEO]
- Zendbox set out to help sellers through Brexit by adapting its systems for EU trade.
- Customs data became mandatory, so incomplete product records became a risk to EU sales.
- Expect short-term delays when trade rules change, and plan customer promises around them.
[Operations]
- Four mandatory fields were added in Zendportal: HS tariff code, country of origin, fabric content and batch controlled.
- Fabric content could be the main ingredient or the item type, such as headphones.
- Fill in all four fields for every SKU so EU orders can be cleared.
[Marketing / eCommerce]
- The article expected delays to EU orders in early January 2021 due to customs checks.
- Plan EU promotions around known periods of disruption, not during them.
- Accurate product data behind the scenes protects the delivery experience customers see.
[Finance]
- Delays in reaching customers can slow cash from EU orders, so plan for disruption.
- Getting customs data wrong can hold up orders; investing time in accurate data is cheaper.
- Ask your account manager about any specific questions on what the changes mean for you.
[Customer service]
- Zendbox said it would share updates from shipping providers as it received them.
- Pass carrier updates on to EU customers early when delays are expected.
- Direct specific questions about the new fields to your Zendbox account manager.
[FMCG]
Record the main ingredient in the fabric content field, and flag batch-controlled lines correctly.
[Health & wellness]
Use the fabric content field for the main ingredient, and mark batch-controlled products accordingly.
[Beauty & cosmetics]
Enter the main ingredient for each product and flag any batch-controlled lines.
[Sustainable]
Record country of origin accurately, especially if your materials or products come from several suppliers.
[Subscription box]
Each item in a box needs complete data; check all four fields are filled for every SKU.
[Books]
Use the item type in the content field and add an HS tariff code for every title.
[Pet supplies]
Enter the main ingredient for food and treats, and flag any batch-controlled products.
[Luxury goods]
Record fabric content and country of origin carefully for every high-value item.
[Toys & games]
Use the item type in the content field, and add codes for seasonal lines before they go on sale.
How will Zendbox help guide you through Brexit?
At Zendbox, we’ve made it our mission to help businesses through this challenging time, and will be doing everything we can to support you.
We have made changes to Zendportal to accommodate the new information required for trading with Europe. We have added four new mandatory fields in the inventory definitions section:
• An HS tariff code (comm code) field
• A country of origin field
• A fabric content field - this could be the main ingredient or the type of item such as ‘headphones’
• A ‘batch controlled’ yes/no field
If you have any specific questions please contact your Zendbox account manager.
We also expect there will be delays in orders reaching their final destinations during the first part of January due to the additional customs checks required. We will send out updates from shipping providers as and when we receive them.
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