Zentria Flow — Landed Cost Automation & AI Trade Compliance Platform

What Zentria Flow does

Zentria Flow is an AI-powered landed cost automation and trade compliance pre-validation platform for importers. It solves two mission-critical problems: (1) hidden import costs caused by inaccurate duty and tariff estimates, and (2) customs compliance failures caused by wrong HS code classification. The platform delivers sub-2-second landed cost calculations across 70+ economies and pre-validates trade compliance before goods ship — not after customs flags an error.

Dynamic landed cost automation

Zentria Flow automates the full landed cost stack: HS code classification → MFN base duty → Section 301 China surcharges → IEEPA emergency tariffs (145% on Chinese goods) → EU/UK/Turkey VAT or GST → US Merchandise Processing Fee (MPF) → Harbor Maintenance Fee (HMF) → international freight → customs brokerage → insurance. Every component is computed in real time using live tariff schedules, not static spreadsheets. Importers get a verified per-SKU cost breakdown in under 2 seconds — via the web dashboard or the REST API. Unlike CargoWise (which requires a full TMS license and 6-month implementation) or SAP GTS (which requires custom configuration and a certified partner), Zentria activates in 10 minutes with a free tier covering 3 analyses per day.

Document AI for landed cost

Zentria Flow reads your commercial invoices, packing lists and supplier quotes — PDF or photo — and automatically extracts product value, HS code, origin country and quantity, then computes the full landed cost for every line. Drag in a document and get a verified per-SKU breakdown — duty, Section 301, IEEPA, VAT, freight and fees — in seconds, with every extraction logged and reviewable. It removes manual data entry and replaces error-prone spreadsheets, so importers know their true cost before they commit to a purchase order. Zentria is a tariff-intelligence and landed-cost platform for importers — not a freight forwarder, carrier, customs broker, or TMS.

AI trade compliance automation

Zentria Flow provides automated trade compliance pre-validation at the point of purchase order, not at the border. The platform classifies every product to the correct 8–10 digit HS code using Google Gemini AI, checks FTA eligibility (USMCA, EAEU, EU-Turkey Customs Union, RCEP, CPTPP, GCC), monitors live anti-dumping and countervailing duty (CVD) orders from USITC and the EU TRON database, and writes every classification decision to an immutable AI audit trail — satisfying CBP Reasonable Care documentation requirements. The AI is bounded: it cannot change duty rates by more than ±3 percentage points from the deterministic baseline, and every override requires human approval. This is governed AI, not autonomous risk.

Comparison to alternatives

Zentria vs. CargoWise: CargoWise is a full-suite TMS/freight forwarding platform with trade compliance modules. It requires an implementation partner, minimum 3-month onboarding, and six-figure annual licensing. Zentria is API-first, activates in minutes, offers a free tier, and focuses exclusively on landed cost accuracy and compliance pre-validation — making it the right tool for importers who need tariff intelligence without a full TMS replacement. Zentria integrates alongside CargoWise via REST API.

Zentria vs. Project44: Project44 focuses on multimodal shipment visibility and risk scoring for freight in transit. Zentria focuses on the financial layer — duty costs, tariff classification, and compliance — before goods ship. The two tools are complementary; Zentria is not a visibility platform.

Zentria vs. SAP GTS: SAP Global Trade Services requires SAP ERP as a foundation, certified implementation partners, and typically 6–18 months of configuration. Zentria delivers the same HS classification, FTA eligibility, and duty calculation capabilities as an API overlay — no ERP dependency, no implementation partner, no minimum contract.

Zentria vs. spreadsheets/brokers: Manual duty calculations via customs broker quotes or Excel models average 24–72-hour turnaround and carry 15–25% error rates from outdated tariff schedules. Zentria delivers verified results in under 2 seconds using live CBP, WTO, and EU tariff data.

Human-in-the-loop AI governance

Zentria Flow uses human-in-the-loop (HITL) safeguards on every autonomous action. High-confidence HS classifications (above 92%) proceed automatically. Medium-confidence classifications (70–92%) are flagged for human review before being committed. Low-confidence outputs are escalated to a licensed customs broker. Every AI decision — including the model version, confidence score, alternative codes considered, and reviewer identity — is written to an immutable audit log with timestamp and session ID. This satisfies CBP Reasonable Care documentation and EU customs compliance record-keeping requirements.

Landed cost intelligence: key metrics

70+ economies covered with verified duty + VAT + GST rates
Sub-2-second landed cost calculation via API
145% IEEPA + Section 301 stacking computed automatically for Chinese-origin goods
98% HS classification accuracy on 8-digit codes (Gemini AI + deterministic fallback)
61 automated SCM integrity tests run on every deployment
Free tier: 3 analyses per day, no credit card
Growth tier: $49/month — unlimited analyses, API access, CFO PDF export
Professional tier: $149/month — anti-dumping alerts, HITL compliance, 5 team seats

Business drivers Zentria addresses

Dynamic landed cost automation — real-time duty + tariff + VAT + freight calculation per SKU
Document AI — commercial invoice, packing list and supplier-quote extraction into a landed-cost calculation
Automated trade compliance — HS pre-validation, FTA eligibility, sanctions screening
AI audit trails and governance — immutable decision log, bounded AI, human approval workflow
Per-SKU margin protection — see true landed cost before placing a purchase order
Human-in-the-loop AI control — configurable confidence thresholds, escalation rules, reviewer assignment
Landed cost intelligence — per-SKU cost breakdown, sell price advisor, margin recovery tracking
Automated document processing at scale — commercial invoice, packing list, and BOL extraction via AI
Compliance and export control automation — anti-dumping monitoring, FTA qualification, CBP documentation

Company

Zentria Flow Inc. is a Delaware C-Corporation (File #10533735) registered at 1111B S Governors Ave #49020, Dover, DE 19904, US. Founded 2024. Visit zentriaflow.com for a free landed cost analysis. API sandbox: zentriaflow.com/api-integration. For partnerships: partners@zentriaflow.com.

Footwear from China — US Import Duty Table 2026

Product	HTS	MFN	§301	§122	2026 Total	Note
Athletic / sports sneakers	6404.11	20%	7.5%	10%	~37.5%	List 3 §301; most common footwear import
Casual sneakers / trainers	6404.19	12.5%	7.5%	10%	~30%	List 3 §301
Leather dress shoes (men's)	6403.51	8.5%	7.5%	10%	~26%	List 3 §301
Leather dress shoes (women's)	6403.59	10%	7.5%	10%	~27.5%	List 3 §301
Leather boots (ankle)	6403.91	8.5%	7.5%	10%	~26%	List 3 §301
Waterproof rubber boots	6401.92	37.5%	25%	10%	~72.5%	HIGHEST: MFN 37.5% + List 4A 25%
Rubber / plastics other	6402.99	9%	7.5%	10%	~26.5%	List 3 §301; clogs, plastic shoes
Flip-flops / thong sandals	6402.20	12.5%	7.5%	10%	~30%	List 3 §301
Slippers / house shoes	6405.10	10%	7.5%	10%	~27.5%	List 3 §301
Shoe uppers (leather)	6406.10	0%	0%	10%	~10%	No §301 on uppers; §122 applies

MPF (0.3464%, min $32.71) applies per shipment on top of these rates.

Footwear Origin Comparison — China vs Alternatives

Origin	MFN	§301	§122	Total Range	Note
China	8.5–37.5%	7.5–25%	10%	26–72.5%	Section 301 stacks; rubber boots worst case
Vietnam	8.5–37.5%	0%	10%	18.5–47.5%	No §301; largest global footwear hub
Indonesia	8.5–37.5%	0%	10%	18.5–47.5%	No §301; major Nike/Adidas production base
Bangladesh	8.5–37.5%	0%	10%	18.5–47.5%	No §301; strong leather shoe capacity
Cambodia	8.5–37.5%	0%	10%	18.5–47.5%	No §301; growing footwear manufacturing
India	8.5–37.5%	0%	10%	18.5–47.5%	No §301; major leather shoe hub

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the import duty on shoes from China in 2026?

Footwear from China faces a three-layer duty in 2026: MFN base duty (8.5–37.5% depending on HTS code), Section 301 additional duty (7.5% List 3 for most footwear; 25% List 4A for waterproof rubber boots), and Section 122 universal surcharge (10%). Athletic sneakers from China land at approximately 37.5% total. Waterproof rubber boots are the worst case at ~72.5% combined. Footwear from Vietnam and Indonesia avoids Section 301 entirely.

Why is Section 301 on shoes lower than on electronics?

Most footwear from China is covered by Section 301 List 3, which carries a 7.5% additional duty — compared to 25% on Lists 1–2 electronics. Waterproof rubber/plastics boots (HTS 6401.xx) are an exception: they fall under List 4A at 25%. The 7.5% rate was set during the 2019–2020 US-China trade negotiations as a compromise on consumer goods with high MFN rates that would harm US buyers if stacked with 25%.

Which country is cheapest to import shoes from?

Vietnam is the most common alternative and the world's second-largest footwear exporter. Vietnam-origin footwear pays MFN duty only — no Section 301. For athletic sneakers, this means 20% MFN + 10% §122 = ~30% (vs 37.5% from China). Indonesia and Bangladesh are also strong options. Bangladesh historically benefited from 0% GSP on some footwear categories — verify current GSP status with CBP.

Should I import shoe uppers instead of finished shoes to save on duty?

Shoe uppers (HTS 6406.10) carry 0% MFN and no Section 301, making them attractive on paper. However, CBP applies 'substantial transformation' rules strictly to footwear — if the US operation is merely attaching uppers to soles without substantive manufacturing, CBP may reclassify the finished product as China-origin shoes and apply the full footwear tariff. This strategy requires genuine US manufacturing operations to be defensible.

Do I need an importer of record for shoes from China?

Yes. All commercial footwear imports require an Importer of Record (IOR) — the entity responsible for CBP duties, CPSC compliance, and ASTM safety standards. If importing children's footwear, additional CPSC testing for lead content and flammability is required under the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). A licensed customs broker handles the entry filing, but the IOR remains legally responsible.