Yup, Fountain Pens From China Hit With 15% Tariff

[Ted A]

According to a headline I saw today, Target has told its suppliers to absorb the tariff

[inkstainedruth]

That will be interesting to see. Walmart/Sam's might be able to get away with something like that, but I'm skeptical that Target is as big enough a retailer to be able to pull that off except in the short term -- I can't see them having the same level of clout.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[dbs]

OTOH, it appears that if the value is under $800/day, customs and tariffs are not collected.

 

 

 

 

From Chinapurchasingagent.com

 

The post is dated Aug. 15, 2019

Tariffs do not apply to personal mail, except ink for fountain pen.

For example, if you buy a Chinese pen at ebay, there is no tariff if the pen is shipped from China. But there is tariff if the pen is from US warehouse. If you buy a Chinese camera from Aliexpress and shipped with DHL Express, there is no tariff.

 

Except Texas, the state might charge you sales tax.

[rollerboy]

That will be interesting to see. Walmart/Sam's might be able to get away with something like that, but I'm skeptical that Target is as big enough a retailer to be able to pull that off except in the short term -- I can't see them having the same level of clout.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

I have to wonder if even Walmart is in a position to ask suppliers to absorb 15% for more than a couple of months. From what I understand Walmart always squeezes suppliers hard. If suppliers could absorb 15%, I'm thinking Walmart would have already squeezed them for it. I suppose there's really no limit on how far quality can drop though. (That's not quite true. The items have to make it out to the parking lot before falling apart.)

[Billingsgate]

What often happens with tariffs and duties is that distributors and retailers grab the opportunity to raise prices even before the taxes come into effect, and they raise prices across the board. Look what happens when oil prices go up or new taxes are announced on gasoline: pump prices go up instantly, even though the current supplies were not subject to tariffs or wholesale price rises, but when taxes or wholesale prices drop, retail prices don't come down until months later.

 

Hence my concern that this will raise prices for Chinese pens even for those of us who don't live in the USA, including on current pre-tariff stock. I'm talking about any shop which does business online. It gives them a handy excuse.

Edited September 18, 2019 by Billingsgate

[Brianm_14]

Yes, the amazing jumping gasoline prices -I was wondering if we'd see an example of that after the strike on the Saudis. We get to pay more for gasoline already in tanks under the ground. Funny how that works.

[A Smug Dill]

Hence my concern that this will raise prices for Chinese pens even for those of us who don't live in the USA, including on current pre-tariff stock. I'm talking about any shop which does business online. It gives them a handy excuse.

 

 

I seriously doubt pen/stationery/variety shops operating on AliExpress will raise their prices for Chinese pens as a result of profiteering from this change.