Tariffs Surprise - Personal Experience
 

About a week ago, I had to replace (under warranty) the charger for my Lithium Ion Golf Cart Battery.

The Chinese company was great . They shipped me a new charger from China within two days, and it arrived 4 days after they shipped it ... Air express via UPS.

Surprise, when UPS delivered the charger there was a $15 Tariff due (20% of the $75 charger valuation) and UPS tacked on another $15 service charge.

Obviously I was a bit surprised by this, especially the $15 service charge from UPS on a $15 Tariff.

As the economist and financial people have been saying ... US people and companies pay the tariff when the goods land ... its not a paid by Chinese companies. Additional, nobody has talked about the service charges that the shipping companies are imposing.

Just a little heads up if you are expecting a shipment directly from China.

Please note: I am not saying that Tariffs are good or bad policy - that needs to be decided by people with a lot more Tariff knowledge and experience than I have. This post is meant as just a heads up on what you might experience should you order directly from China.

What the - China was supposed to pay that tariff.

Thus the $75 charger now costs $105. Looks like instant 40% inflation to me.

I assume the UPS charge was to fill out the paperwork for the tariff filing.

Actually, it is the importer who pays the tariff. In this case either UPS was the importer (not likely, they were just the carrier) or the OP was the importer since they took delivery of the product directly from the carrier.

At least that is what seems to have happened.

If the Chinese company had worked through a local business then that business would have been charged for the tariff. They may have taken it out of profit but chances are they would have passed it along to the OP as well.

IMO it’s time for equal trade nearly all countries charge tariffs to protect their economy, so why not use? IMO it boils down to cost of labor. It labor not close they can’t be no free equal trade. IMO the problem started 50 years plus ago when companies was allow to move to foreign land for cheap labor and didn’t pay penalties for gutting blue collar labor in this country. What happens when you allow communist access to education and stealing of critically information.

From Google

Global Trade Guide
Tariffs
International (Global) Trade: Definition, Benefits, and Criticisms
What are Tariffs?
Tariffs and Trade Barriers
Trade Wars
How Would a Trade War Affect You?
Who Has the Highest Tariffs?
CURRENT ARTICLE
Protectionism
Global Players
The Plaza Accord
Currency Wars
Factors Driving the USD
Emerging Markets: The Parts of Russia's GDP
How OPEC (and Non-OPEC) Production Affects Oil Prices
BRICS: Acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa
The Economy of Canada

IMO time to even play ground.

It was sarcasm. I lived in a US/Canadian border town for years. I am very aware who pays the tariff. When I brought goods I purchased in Canada into the US I had to pay the tariff. The US government made me go inside fill out the paperwork and pay the DUTY on the spot ! Me myself and I - the consumer (in this case I was the importer) - not the manufacturer.

Like you Bill it amazes me people do not understand who pays the tariff.

Sounds like a very good reason to not import things directly from China.

Sorry, I missed that.

I made regular beer runs to Niagara Falls. Always declares it but only had to par about half the time. Spent the night up there once and left very early. Woke up the officer working the desk. Asked why I was there, gave me a look of disgust, and told me to get out.

That's interesting. On the couple of occasions that I've ordered something from Canada online, I paid no tariff or import fees to have it delivered to me in the USA.

But, when I've shipped to Canada from here, the import fees were added either to the sale (if I sold on Ebay, etc) or it was added when the postage label was created.

My response to anyone sincerely surprised by increased prices from countries that have had a US tariff imposed:

FAFO

Thoughts, prayers, yada yada yada.

There’s a reason I buy made in American. And a reason why I don’t buy made in China. Regardless of tariffs.

When it comes to tariffs the majority of the economist stand firm that the burden will fall on the American people and will start an economic battle that all parties will suffer. Look for those who have doubts this is even the beliefs of the Wall Street Journal, who main interest is the stability of the U.S financial markets.

Better get used to runaway inflation if the plan is to have everything manufactured in the good old USA.

Exactly!! That's why so much gets imported, it's been cheaper to have it made outside the USA. Until now that is. Good luck to all of us through this tariff war.

We make things in America? Give me a hint of what they are and I'll get on the bandwagon, too.

I thought tariffs were to get us to manufacture, buy & support American ?