Let's Talk Tariffs

As everyone will be acutely aware, tariffs have been imposed on imports to the USA from external sources. As we are in the UK, we come under that ruling, with a 10% tariff imposed on goods imported from the UK into the USA.

That isn't good, but there is some good news: the de minimis system is still in place, which means orders under $800 do not come under these new tariffs.

This is due to the tariffs being mainly aimed at business-to-business transactions.

Now, things are fluid, but at the time of publishing this blog post, orders destined for the USA will not be affected if you keep the value under $800.

But What If The Tariff Situation Changes?

Even if de minimis is removed, and you end up with a 10% tariff imposed (tariffs are a tax applied to the importer of goods), that isn't too bad; let me explain.

Like most countries, the UK has an internal tax system called VAT (Value Added Tax), which is currently 20%.

My UK customers have this tax built into my prices, so what they see is what they pay. I then have to remit the taxes collected to the government quarterly - Boo!

This tax is not charged for export orders, so anyone ordering from abroad gets my products 20% cheaper than anyone in the UK - Yay! Unless you are in the UK, of course - Boo!

Once you have entered your address during checkout or when the shop detects you are ordering from abroad, you will see prices with VAT removed.

So even if you have to pay a 10% tariff in the future, you will still get my products 10% cheaper than domestic customers.

Is It Fair?

It doesn't sound fair (especially if you are in the UK), but those are the rules. I cannot charge VAT on export orders.

My export customers actually have a considerable advantage in that regard.

Whether or not you have to pay customs fees when your order arrives in your country will depend on your local regulations.

But remember, you are getting things from me at a discount of 20%, and that is before any special offers or prices that I apply to my goods.

It is always best to check with your local customs people regarding tariffs or customs fees.

The information in this blog post is correct at the time of publishing, but things may change. It is your responsibility to understand your local regulations when ordering from abroad.