Tariffs, Duties, imported Goods, Surcharges, Hand Wringing, Justifiable Apprehension

As of Friday May 2, the imports from China that I rely upon to create diamond painting kits for you, the customer, will no longer be exempt from typical import tariffs up to $800 in  value.  Starting with the first dollar, the tariffs will be assessed.  My factory bases the value the way they fill out duty forms for customers worldwide, the US isn't special, they get the same disclosure and the goods get the same import product codes that everyone else that uses the same factory depends upon.

In February, I had a shipment held in Shanghai for nearly a week, just until the first executive order was signed reinstating tariffs on goods from China, UPS was the carrier at the time, long story short, tariffs on my shipment totaled less than $6.  The factor that is most influential in the assessment is the value and the product classification which is the multiplier.  I have no option when it comes to those pieces of information provided to authorities by the factory, my shipment forms will have the same code, the valuations will be determined the same way and I would anticipate the total tariffs on a shipment of similar kit quantities and values would be similarly small amounts.

I am making no changes to pricing, no surcharges, orders are still being placed on the same schedule (the current is a few days late withg a few last minute additions, but tonight or tomorrow that one goes in).  I will monitor the situation and with information from the factory regarding rates and assessments they see, can then revisit pricing, but it would need to be a significantly larger amount than $6 on a shipment, even $6 per kit is manageable without any action.  Some costs of doing business fall on my shoulders.  I am responsible for choosing suppliers and products, if those costs change, I have an option to change suppliers or products  adjust pricing--always the final option if all else fails.

I am saddened to see and hear of surcharges that to me seem questionable related to the products with the surcharges added, if an item is in a warehouse in, lets say Houston, that item was not assessed a tariff and should not be surcharged if purchased today or tomorrow.   Because replacement may be assessed a tariff, the case could be made to collect it now, but I would still roll my eyes at the brazen assessment just to hedge against a price increase.  Businesses all make decisions like these pretty regularly, they look at their bottom line and then make adjustments to continue a profit to grow and reinvest to keep the cycle in motion.

A component of profits is also the price a customer is asked to pay, is that price fairly set, adjusted upward or downward legitimately based on solid facts or are they knee jerk changes that give an opportunity to get just a little more with a surcharge, just as a hedge, just a little bit, not much -- and then mulitply that by the number of items that surcharge is added to, the small amount can become obscene quiclkly.  Profiting off of a crisis is simply gross.  I choose not to go there and will join in anyone that would like to denounce such actions,

As of today, April 29, 2025, Diamond Art Emporium prices are not being changed in anticipation of tariffs, those decisions can only be made honestly and fairly with solid numbers and facts.  I will wait on those numbers and will make sure everyone that choosed my shop for their diamond painting purchases knows the price they pay will not change for the forseeable future,  if the next order is bombarded with assessments, I will do my best to cover them all, I may not reorder immediately and pause those orders, but I will not go back to a customer and ask for anything more.  That scenario seems unlikely after the experience of February showed.

I can't tell anyone else what to do, but I can tell you what I will and won't do.  I won't make any changes to hedge or offset or whatever word might be used to say raised prices.

If anyone would like to place an order that will be delivered in mid-May, the 25% discount is still in place on those orders and will continue as the celebration of the store's first anniversary.  Celebrations are going to be muted, and redirected to June Pride events, most likely.  I'll be posting a few things that are planned and invite each and every one to participate and join in the little milestone of 1 year.