Decoding Cross-Border Ecommerce

Why Zonos Acquired Evolve Trade Services: What's Next | Decoding Cross-Border Ecommerce | Ep #76

Big news on this episode of the Decoding Cross-Border Ecommerce podcast: Zonos has acquired Evolve Trade Services. Clint Reid, Founder and CEO of Zonos, and Aaron Bezzant, Zonos' Head of Global Trade Strategy, sit down with Jason Bye, co-founder of Evolve Trade Services (alongside William Coleman), to talk about why this acquisition matters and what it unlocks for postal operators, consolidators, marketplaces, and brands shipping into the U.S. Jason walks through Evolve's origin story, from enabling high-volume Type 86 ecommerce to pivoting their book of business to Type 11 when de minimis went away, and the industry-wide scramble for data, classification, and compliance that followed. The team digs into what's coming next for postal clearance, why a Type 11-style requirement is on the horizon, and why having a broker in-house lets Zonos finally control the entry from the point of sale. The conversation also covers broker mistakes that erode trust, the "telephone game" of data between checkout and CBP, and how combining Zonos' upstream transaction data with Evolve's brokerage expertise pushes us closer to our mission: creating trust in global trade. 🎧 Tune in for a behind-the-scenes look at the acquisition, what it means for our customers, and where cross-border clearance is headed in 2026. Chapters: [00:00:00] The big announcement: Zonos acquires Evolve Trade Services  [00:00:32] Welcoming Jason to Zonos and St. George  [00:01:24] The origin story: how Bill and Jason got into high-volume ecommerce [00:01:45] Type 86, Section 321, and the rise of origin pick-pack-ship  [00:02:42] Launching Evolve Trade Services to bring brokerage in-house  [00:03:01] Type 86 vs. Type 11: what actually changed  [00:03:36] The industry scramble for data, HTS accuracy, and manufacturer info  [00:04:38] Why Zonos acquired a broker: postal volume and the qualified party process [00:05:10] Bringing Evolve in-house ahead of the next clearance shift  [00:06:28] Aaron's dad joke of the day  [00:07:08] Landed cost in a Type 11 world  [00:08:28] Why combining Zonos data with Evolve brokerage is so powerful  [00:09:39] Broker mistakes and the data "telephone game"  [00:10:48] Cutting out the middleman and controlling the entry  [00:11:14] Helping postal operators through the upcoming transition  [00:11:59] The indirect pain of working through third-party brokers in chaos  [00:13:50] Doing customs clearance at the point of sale [00:14:26] Trust in global trade — and what erodes it  [00:15:51] Have we ever seen change like this before?  [00:17:28] Why Evolve has won and retained big shippers  [00:19:16] The Evolve team's ecommerce DNA  [00:19:49] Welcoming the Evolve team into the Zonos family  [00:20:42] What excites Jason most about joining Zonos

Supreme Court strikes down IEEPA tariffs, New Executive Orders drop | What it means for ecommerce

IEEPA Tariffs Struck Down — Now What? The Supreme Court ruled. The White House responded the same day. Here's what cross-border operators actually need to know. The Supreme Court struck down IEEPA-based tariffs on a Friday afternoon — and the administration had a new executive order ready by the end of the day. So what does that mean for your shipments right now? In this emergency Saturday episode of Decoding Cross-Border Ecommerce, hosts Clint Reid, Founder and CEO of Zonos, and Aaron Bezzant, Zonos' Head of Global Trade Strategy, break down everything that happened in the last 24 hours. From why IEEPA tariffs are still being collected today to what Section 122 means for rates going forward, they cut through the noise so you know exactly what's changed — and what hasn't. ✅ What the Supreme Court ruling actually said (and what it didn't) ✅ Why IEEPA tariffs are still being collected despite the ruling ✅ The transition period: what we're waiting on from CBP ✅ Section 122 explained: the new legal basis for a 10% across-the-board rate ✅ De minimis suspension — still in place, and here's why ✅ What comes next: Sections 232, 301, and 338 as future tools ✅ Practical advice: should you hold shipments right now? A lot changed yesterday. But a lot stayed the same, too — and knowing the difference matters. CHAPTERS 0:00 Introduction & why we're here on a Saturday 1:37 What the Supreme Court actually ruled 2:21 Non-postal e-commerce: what's happening for sellers under $800 3:40 Why IEEPA tariffs are still being collected today 4:26 The transition period & waiting on CBP guidance 5:40 What the new executive orders actually say 6:46 Section 122: the new tariff justification explained 7:47 Postal: what's changing (and what's staying the same) 9:10 Biggest misconceptions from the past 24 hours 10:24 Rates are changing — but maybe lower overall 12:03 What's next: Sections 232, 301, and 338 15:35 Practical advice: should you hold your shipments? 16:34 Wrap-up

IEEPA on Trial: What It Means for Ecommerce Tariffs | Decoding Cross-Border Ecommerce | Ep #74

This episode of the Decoding Cross-Border Ecommerce podcast dives deep into the chaos of 2025 and what lies ahead in 2026, including the potential end of IEEPA tariffs, the removal of de minimis, and a major Supreme Court decision that could reshape international trade policy. Aaron Bezzant, Zonos’ Head of Global Trade Strategy, is joined by longtime Zonos expert Ryan Swapp, Head of Global Trade Data, and Jeff Freeman, our resident “Wikipedia” of global trade. With Clint Reid out sick, the team breaks down what businesses need to know about upcoming changes and the ripple effects of executive trade authority under scrutiny. 🎧 Tune in for actionable insight into tariffs, refunds, Supreme Court bets, and what global ecommerce companies should expect in 2026. Chapters: [00:00:00] Opening clip   [00:00:30] Aaron introduces holiday episode & guests Ryan Swap and Jeff Freeman   [00:02:00] Reflecting on 2025: chaos, tariffs, and the rise of IEEPA tariffs  [00:03:30] What is IEEPA? A historical and legal breakdown   [00:05:00] Executive overreach? The Supreme Court's pending decision on IEEPA tariffs   [00:06:30] The ripple effect: de minimis, tariffs, and tech adaptation   [00:09:00] Ryan on adapting tech and retroactive chaos   [00:13:00] Betting on the Supreme Court timeline   [00:15:00] Will IEEPA tariffs be upheld or struck down? A legal debate   [00:21:00] What happens if IEEPA tariffs are struck down? Refunds and fallback tools   [00:26:00] Postal refunds: nearly impossible?   [00:30:00] De minimis and the severability clause   [00:33:00] Global trend: EU, UK, and others following the U.S.   [00:35:00] What to expect from new clearance processes in 2026   [00:36:30] Final thoughts: 2026 won’t be quiet

Trade Policy Is Moving Faster Than Ever — Are You Ready? | Decoding Cross-Border Ecommerce | Ep #73

This episode of the Decoding Cross-Border Ecommerce podcast is hosted solo by Aaron Bezzant, Zonos’ Head of Global Trade Strategy. He’s joined by Ned Steiner of Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, a leading customs and trade law firm. Aaron and Ned dive into the rapidly shifting world of international trade — from new U.S. tariffs and executive orders to the real-world impacts on importers and e-commerce sellers. If you’ve been trying to keep up with de minimis reform, trade enforcement, or customs compliance in the U.S., this episode is your inside look at what’s really happening in D.C. — and how to protect your business.

Building DDP for Posts with UPU | Decoding Cross-Border Ecommerce | Ep #66

Episode 66 of the Decoding Cross-Border Ecommerce podcast explores how postal operators around the world can implement Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) solutions, with direct insight from David Avsec of the Universal Postal Union (UPU). Hosts Clint Reid, Founder and CEO of Zonos, and Aaron Bezzant, Zonos’ Head of Global Trade Strategy, discuss the technical and policy challenges around DDP in the postal network—especially with changes to global regulations and de minimis thresholds in the U.S. and EU. They uncover the role of the UPU, the growing urgency for posts to offer DDP in order to stay competitive in ecommerce, and how the right technology and cooperation can make global DDP a scalable reality for posts of any size. Whether you're a postal operator, ecommerce platform, or global merchant, this episode sheds light on the infrastructure being built to support DDP worldwide—and why it matters more than ever. [00:00:00] Introductions and welcoming David from the UPU   [00:01:50] Why UPU partnered with Zonos and the HS classification challenge   [00:02:57] David’s 30-year history with UPU and postal technology   [00:10:00] Why David came to St. George — urgency around U.S. regulatory changes   [00:13:23] DDP vs DDU: The case for postal reform and better customer experience   [00:17:02] Why DDP is now critical for posts and ecommerce competitiveness   [00:20:24] Why posts should look at DDP as an exciting opportunity and not a burden [00:28:26] Timeline and adoption challenges across global posts   [00:32:05] Europe’s upcoming de minimis changes and global regulatory trends   [00:34:37] Closing thoughts