Impacts of new announced USA tariffs on our favorite shave stuff?

[sidpost]

Wish that one of the choice in the poll was "Don't know Yet" or "I'll Wait And See".

Dollar Tree went up from $1 to $1.25, and I still shop there. As we've seen with Canada, Mexico, and other countries, tariff negotiations are on-going. My personal opinion is that I don't know what the tariff rate will be when I go to make my next purchase.

The other well-known-but-still-hush-hush thing about world trade is that even though there may be a tariff between the US and country X, country X may channel their goods through country Y which has a better rate with the US. I buy from company A which is based in (and imports from) country Y, so the rate is favorable for me the consumer.

Truly, "Don't Know Yet"

I have had this happen to me recently with some Aliexpress orders out of China. Some shipped from Poland as the "source" and others shipped from the NorthEast USA.

Of course, they were Chinese origin products though so, they probably should have been taxed as Chinese.

Right now there is no system to collect the tariffs for mail shipments so, even though tax is owed, it isn't being collected today, at least on small purchase previously covered by De Minimus.

 

[sidpost]

If US Customs and the USPS has to double its work forces to handle the volume of packages that get imported into the States... I doubt the gathered taxes/tariffs on inexpensive packages will cover their salaries... sounds like a lose/lose to me....... but maybe some of those laid off Federal employees could get hired back on to handle the workload. <eg>

Exactly one of my primary points! The cost to process and collect a $3 tariff on a $15 package will likely exceed the $3 collected. This also means shipping problems out the wazoo as everything now has to have a tariff payment so, lots of storage and hand on time to process the package.

This will likely drive up the costs of shipping fairly dramatically too if it isn't automated. If it is automated, who will pay the billions it will cost to implement a poorly crafted Federal software contract?

 

[blade08]

He’s a businessman first and foremost, just keep that in mind.

Running a country with a population of about 340.000.000 is entirely not a business.

Many people will fall behind, that's a given. Irrespective of economic/financial numbers about the state of the economy. Numbers that will mean nothing to the person who just lost his job because of this.

 

[sidpost]

We had some blueberries from Peru just yesterday... bought at Publix.... one of the main grocery stores here in Florida....

Blueberries grow in the USA too. In fact there are several places around me in Texas that grow them!

Tariff costs don't have to impact you on fruit but, it will be seasonal since you can go to the other side of the equator to be "in season" during our Winter.

 

[Phoenixkh]

In my view, tariffs are just an added tax on the consumer..... Will it fill the US national coffers? That remains to be seen.... If they cause runaway inflation in the States, that will be disconcerting....

 

[Phoenixkh]

Blueberries grow in the USA too. In fact there are several places around me in Texas that grow them!

Tariff costs don't have to impact you on fruit but, it will be seasonal since you can go to the other side of the equator to be "in season" during our Winter.

We have a huge "pick your own" blueberry place just down the road from us... but they are only open for 3 weeks or so a year...

 

[ajkel64]

Gentleman this is a Shaving Forum first and foremost please remember this. You all know where the Terms of Usage are for the forum if you wish to read them again.

 

[sidpost]

Given the amount of stuff I purchased in the last 2 years... I should be good for a good decade. Now I can go to my wife and tell her: "see? In the end all those pucks of soaps were actually an investment!"

But on a more serious note, from an European's point of view, it's a pity because there are many great products which came to the wetshaving world in the past decade. Best soaps are from North America, favorite razors again.

It's funny when people on the forums say that, say razorock razors are great value, inexpensive. Here in Europe it was already double the prices you have in the US. Knowing that perhaps they willl be 20-50-100% more expensive... Sounds crazy to think that it can be like that in the future...

I'm the other way I guess, being a big fan of my Muhle. Edwin Jagger, and Lambda razors! Most of which came from Europe!

 

[Phoenixkh]

I'm the other way I guess, being a big fan of my Muhle. Edwin Jagger, and Lambda razors! Most of which came from Europe!

I have razors from.... let's see... Greece, Turkey, Canada, US, Switzerland, China, France, the UK, Germany... I think that's it.... I know how we enable our fellow B&B members to purchase stuff..... Well, I ordered a razor from China and two from Canada earlier than planned, as I suspect they might be quite a bit more expensive in the coming months.... That is... if the $800 cap is eliminated....

It will take a year or so for this to settle out.... We'll see where we are then... In the meantime, I'll go about my life as usual...

Edit: and brushes from Italy, Portugal and Spain...

 

[UDShaver]

#2. A US machinist could have opened up a business 2 years ago, but didn't. The price of Chinese goods will still be cheaper than $350 domestic made razors.

Henson and Razorock strongly disagree. (Though one or both may be CN)

Solid products for well under $100.

There is no reason why any maker can not move their C&C operation to the US if they had to.

Consumers can import item less in value less than 799.00 USD.

Per US Customs Service.

So the effect it bupkis. Exactly.

I think the current US administration understands fully well what the impact will be on the US economy once China and the EU start imposing their own tariffs on the US.

You have been sorrowfully misinformed. China, the EU etc. had unfair trade and tariff policies in effect already.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

Well, keeping it to shaving...I should probably get some more MdC for backup. And, if they actually figure out how to eliminate the de minimis exemption across the board, it means I won't be buying whetstones and vintage straight razors from Japan anymore.

 

[never-stop-learning]

Gentlemen, This is an evolving situation. Trump is, first and foremost, a negotiator. I'll be greatly surprised if this situation remains the same 30 - 60 days or so from now (if that long).

The sun will still rise in the morning and set at night. In other words, relax, kick back, and don't let this get your ulcers riled up.

 

[blade08]

You have been sorrowfully misinformed.

I respect your opinion but I don't think that's the case. But let's agree to disagree and leave it that

 

[Old Hippie]

Consumers can import item less in value less than 799.00 USD.

Per US Customs Service.

Heh. Old news, now. They took de minimis off shipments from China. That means now there's duties and tariffs on everything even if it's a $12.00 razor. The days of $0.01 shipping are over. But you still get to wait 8 weeks to get it.

O.H.

 

[AshleyC]

Well tariffs being a bad idea did not apparently stop other countries from applying them. So there is a rationale to it.

The world grew accustomed to America behaving in a very particular way, economically, in the 80 years since WW2. And the Cold War was the reason for that. The Cold War ended 34 years ago. It was both unrealistic to expect that way of operating would continue indefinitely, nor that the world would welcome the end of that era. It is what it is.

I mentioned no names, gentlemen!

 

[silverlifter]

You have been sorrowfully misinformed. China, the EU etc. had unfair trade and tariff policies in effect already.

The EU tariffs on US good averaged out to 4.8%, according to the WTO, which is the highest available estimate. Most economists calculate it closer to 3%.

 

[UDShaver]

The EU tariffs on US good averaged out to 4.8%, according to the WTO, which is the highest available estimate. Most economists calculate it closer to 3%.

But they add a VAT of 20%.

We will all see where it will land, but the predictable and Usual Suspects will attempt to spread panic and fear in the mean time.

By this time next week they will be back to WWIII and the end of Social Security! LOL!

 

[Darth Scandalous]

But they add a VAT of 20%.

VAT applies to their own goods too. Hard to argue that they're being unfair.

 

[NorthernSoul]

But they add a VAT of 20%.

We will all see where it will land, but the predictable and Usual Suspects will attempt to spread panic and fear in the mean time.

By this time next week they will be back to WWIII and the end of Social Security! LOL!

VAT is like a sales tax on goods sold to the end consumer. It applies to all goods, without regard to where they are made.

 

[sidpost]

In my view, tariffs are just an added tax on the consumer..... Will it fill the US national coffers? That remains to be seen.... If they cause runaway inflation in the States, that will be disconcerting....

In the past, tariffs like Trump implemented backfired due to the local effects brought on by reciprocal tariffs.

When someone like Lamba Razors goes bankrupt or has a significant loss in business from a primary market, what happens in return? The cost of goods goes up and the wages to pay for them go down.

While my thread is directly aimed at shaving, I am concerned my "flashlight friends" in China will go hungry as people in their primary market balk at paying a tariff and all the fees associated with it.

While many on this forum are well enough off that a 20% tariff out of the EU won't prevent them from buying that nice shaving soap or cream from France or somewhere else, that is a minority of the population in general.

Even during the great depression, extravagant cars were purchased by some of the wealthy but, when the average person can't afford gas or food, a luxury item will never happen.

Switzerland is already upset about the effect on its watch industry. The small shops and families that make our favorite shave stuff won't get the attention at the national government level watches in Switzerland do so, I am concerned about the long-term effects on those small shops and my ability to support them and enjoy their work.

I recently lost a BBQ Spice supplier due to slowing business that will be missed. I can buy spices from other places but, it is more expensive since I have to make my own "blends". This isn't possible with safety razors generally or, most other shave products either.

Does this create an opportunity for someone in the USA to start locally making shave brushes and will artisan soap makers start working to support people like us? At least razor blades don't cost much so, a 20%~40% tariff plus a bit of markup for fees of collecting the tax won't affect most people much considering the number of DE blades used each year.