In a new Loadstar article, Carlos Barbosa, Vice President of eCommerce Solutions at ePost Global, discussed how inconsistent enforcement of Mexico’s new 33.5% tariffs on China-origin goods is creating uncertainty for U.S. sellers and disrupting cross-border trade.
Barbosa explained that the tariff push is “partly about protecting local manufacturing and partly about increasing tax revenue,” noting that Mexico’s collections rose roughly 25% from January to August.
“We expect other South American countries to follow suit, investing more in digital customs systems and stricter documentation standards,” he said. “For sellers, compliance can no longer be an afterthought — it’s becoming a competitive differentiator.”
He added that confusion over whether tariffs apply to U.S.-fulfilled shipments is compounding delivery and pricing challenges.
“Without a unified standard, sellers face uncertainty about whether to fulfill from the U.S., Mexico, or elsewhere,” Barbosa said. “This directly impacts delivery speed and cost structure ahead of peak season.”
