Any thoughts on the 145% Chinese tariff on purchases?

[Tijoe]

Here we go again....

Here are the tariffs still in effect:

    145% duty on all goods from China
    25% tariffs targeting aluminum, autos, goods from Canada and Mexico not under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement
    10% levy on all other imports

[MrJag]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-04-10/trump-tariffs-on-china-now-at-least-145-as-trade-war-ramps-up

" De minimis packages under $800, effective 2 May:

The US will tax imports of items priced up to $800 at a rate of 120% of their value, up from a prior plan to levy a 90% ad valorem tax.

The per postal item fee on goods entering after May 2 and before June 1 will rise to $100 from the planned $75. Parcels entering after June 1 will face a charge of $200 per item instead of $150 announced previously.

UPS and FedEx are reviewing brokerage fee charges for small packages to develop a more affordable option for low value packages. This is in response to the post office charging only $8.85 to clear packages with duties owed. "

 

De Minimis is now more expensive than standard tariffs. At this point, just make it an embargo.

[00Garza]

This sounds too ridiculous to be serious. I keep thinking this is just a bluff/power move to have an upper hand on negotiations and it'll settle at a much more reasonable number.

But nothing is clear and that's the problem.

[Serge_K]

This sounds too ridiculous to be serious.
But nothing is clear and that's the problem.

Made me think of that: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21413849-nothing-is-true-and-everything-is-possible
Very nice book. I recommend.

[jonathanf2]

Props to the Chinese sellers and shippers. They're sending stuff to the US as fast as possible. I'm receiving last minute items almost every other day. I'm ordering simple stuff like tools and everyday items that will be hard to come by at a 145% tariff mark-up!

[MrJag]

Props to the Chinese sellers and shippers. They're sending stuff to the US as fast as possible. I'm receiving last minute items almost every other day. I'm ordering simple stuff like tools and everyday items that will be hard to come by at a 145% tariff mark-up!

I'd love to know if they have MORE or LESS order volume right now. You have all those too scared to risk getting hit, and all those rushing to get their last minute panic buying in.

[Tijoe]

I'd love to know if they have MORE or LESS order volume right now. You have all those too scared to risk getting hit, and all those rushing to get their last minute panic buying in.

I am guessing still busier.  I was consistently tracking my items to take 3 to 4 days max, to ship fro China to US Customs.   My last order was placed on April 4th and arrived in Customs today. (April 10th) . (2 days slower.)

I am thinking about risking one last small order on or before April 16th...

[womble73]

I can see a business forming for some enterprising Canadian. Create a drop address for US citizens and have things shipped to Canada. Then it "gets moved" over the border and posted internally through UPS / DHL etc..

Like the mail forwarders but slightly more manual. It is probably not legal, although if it is a "gift" then it doesn't get a tariff or insurance.

[jonathanf2]

I can see a business forming for some enterprising Canadian. Create a drop address for US citizens and have things shipped to Canada. Then it "gets moved" over the border and posted internally through UPS / DHL etc..

Like the mail forwarders but slightly more manual. It is probably not legal, although if it is a "gift" then it doesn't get a tariff or insurance.

They need to open one in Mexico as well. Tijuana will become a boom town for one stop shopping! TijuAliExpress! 

[glepore]

I can see a business forming for some enterprising Canadian. Create a drop address for US citizens and have things shipped to Canada. Then it "gets moved" over the border and posted internally through UPS / DHL etc..

Like the mail forwarders but slightly more manual. It is probably not legal, although if it is a "gift" then it doesn't get a tariff or insurance.

Ahh, good luck with that. Risk jail as a smuggler over aliexpress stuff? No thank you.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-04-10/trump-tariffs-on-china-now-at-least-145-as-trade-war-ramps-up

" De minimis packages under $800, effective 2 May:

The US will tax imports of items priced up to $800 at a rate of 120% of their value, up from a prior plan to levy a 90% ad valorem tax.

De Minimis is now more expensive than standard tariffs. At this point, just make it an embargo.

Well, they're not dumb-they're well aware of declared values on small items being lower than actual value...

[FullCarbonAlchemist]

If the China tariffs last very long and other countries stay low, we’ll see a lot of warehousing in the low tariff countries since the added expense will probably be far less than 145%.

At some point there will likely be efforts to counter that but it would be even less logistically practical than eliminating De Minimis which I’m still skeptical about being sustainable. Customs would need 10X the employees and resources which would take years if it’s even possible at all.

[bremerradkurier]

Interesting to see that the yuan to USD exchange rate is about where it was five years ago during peak Covid.

[coffeebreak]

How will Amazon combat this I am really curious to know. It is after all Aliexpress on steroids. Bezos greasing the right palms and wetting the beaks for getting exceptions?

[amacal1]

How will Amazon combat this I am really curious to know. It is after all Aliexpress on steroids. Bezos greasing the right palms and wetting the beaks for getting exceptions?

Abso-freakin-lutely. Bezos being given the primo seats during the inauguration seem to hint that he/they knew this was going to come eventually and he's got all the palms lined up for the greasin'.

[bremerradkurier]

How will Amazon combat this I am really curious to know. It is after all Aliexpress on steroids. Bezos greasing the right palms and wetting the beaks for getting exceptions?

Even at 145% he could still be profitable.

Rockbros glove on Ali  7.42 USD-Jeff probably gets a break when he orders in quantity  and he's not seeing min fees on import duties.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256808036099693.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.9.2fe7xBcTxBcT87&algo_pvid=640097c4-2190-40d9-80d4-16295f4568e3&algo_exp_id=640097c4-2190-40d9-80d4-16295f4568e3-8&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22order%22%3A%2288%22%2C%22eval%22%3A%221%22%7D&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21USD%2115.14%217.42%21%21%21110.26%2154.03%21%402103146c17443984637252631ee277%2112000044284913888%21sea%21US%211699911272%21X&curPageLogUid=63IFQJynPbau&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A

Same glove AFAIK on Amazon at 20 USD

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DLKRBCFT/ref=twister_B0DLKRDGMN?_encoding=UTF8&th=1