Trumps tariffs

[kiwigeo]

Okay Trump has announced a blanket 10% tariff on all good imported into US from Australia.

How will this affect those of our members who export instruments to the US.

Any comments Pete..or others?

[peter.coombe]

At this stage I don't know much. I would expect that an American customer would need to pay the tariff when the instrument arrives at US customs before they will release it. I have a mandolin destined for the USA soon, so I guess I will learn soon enough. My concern is that there is likely to be a massive log jam at the border. Then again, the US customer might cancel. Pity ignoramus Trumpty can't tell the difference between a tariff and the GST. Is somewhat annoying when we import more from the USA than what they do from us and we charge zero import tariffs. They also have a sales tax, but it is on state by state basis. However, we are not the only country affected, many are far worse. Personally, I think the world economy is going to go pear shaped because of this. How that will affect us remains to be seen, but the GFC was not good, and I have no desire to repeat that.

[kiwigeo]

At this stage I don't know much. I would expect that an American customer would need to pay the tariff when the instrument arrives at US customs before they will release it.

But isn't the big orange baby saying that the exporting countries will pay the tariffs????

I notice Australia has copped a 10% tariff while Norfolk Island has been lumbered with a 29% tariff. Trump not aware that Norfolk Island is an Australian territory.

[Mark McLean]

But isn't the big orange baby saying that the exporting countries will pay ????

Yes he says stuff like that, and that it will raise trillions of dollars for the US, but the way that tariffs work is that the buyer pays it to their own government. There will be a backlash from Americans who voted for Trump when they realize that he is raising trillions of dollars in a tax that they end up paying.

[kiwigeo]

The separate tariff imposed on Heard and McDonald Islands.....nobody lives there except a bunch of penguins and seals!!

[peter.coombe]

Ha ha ha, Trumpsy's minders did not do their research properly. That really is a silly screw up.

[kiwigeo]

Ha ha ha, Trumpsy's minders did not do their research properly. That really is a silly screw up.

Its an indication of how hurredly this tariff business has been cobbled together.

[TallDad71]

At this stage I don't know much. I would expect that an American customer would need to pay the tariff when the instrument arrives at US customs before they will release it.

But isn't the big orange baby saying that the exporting countries will pay the tariffs????

I notice Australia has copped a 10% tariff while Norfolk Island has been lumbered with a 29% tariff. Trump not aware that Norfolk Island is an Australian territory.

A leather goods export from the Bahamas for a million dollars was accidentally mislabelled as coming from Norfolk Island. Franks shoe shop said it wasn’t him!!!!
Hence the Lump decided that imports from NI far outweighed exports to, so calculated 29% with their baby like formula.

Why are Fascists sooooo stupid??

[kiwigeo]

Things are getting serious! The inhabitants of Heard and McDonald islands are protesting the 10% tariff imposed on their exports.

[peter.coombe]

My American customer cancelled so it will be a while before I know what happens when exporting to the USA. I do have another American customer, but the mandolin is fair way off being finished so will be a while before I send it off.

[kiwigeo]

Sorry to hear that Pete.

There must be quiet a few US guitar makers with factories outside the US...eg Gibsons Epiphone factory is in China isn't it?

My American customer cancelled so it will be a while before I know what happens when exporting to the USA. I do have another American customer, but the mandolin is fair way off being finished so will be a while before I send it off.

[peter.coombe]

Yep, as far as I know Epiphone manufactures in China. The latest I have heard is that things are so chaotic in the US that the tariffs are not being collected by US Customs at the moment. I would assume that will change.

[Allen]

This just posted by William-Grit Laskin on a FB group some of us belong to.

Hi Folks--LACEY ACT ALERT!
For anyone shipping into the US, the value threshold for Lacey to apply has been $2,500. Just 2 weeks ago, as a result of the new tarrifs, the threshold has been dropped to $250.

[kiwigeo]

This just posted by William-Grit Laskin on a FB group some of us belong to.

Hi Folks--LACEY ACT ALERT!
For anyone shipping into the US, the value threshold for Lacey to apply has been $2,500. Just 2 weeks ago, as a result of the new tarrifs, the threshold has been dropped to $250.

Wow. Does Trump realize that US companies like Gibson and Fender import a significant amount of their wood????

[peter.coombe]

I have just shipped a mandolin to the USA. It went straight through US customs, no tariff, no Lacey Act paperwork, no problems. Unfortunately that was not the case in Australia. I have a new ABN which caused all sorts of issues here, but eventually got all sorted. US customer has the mandolin and is happy not to have to go through any hoops. I suspect the mess so huge in the USA that they let small parcels through. A container load would probably be different.

[Allen]

Thanks for the update Peter. I have one to go to the USA next week and was a bit worried.

[kiwigeo]

Send Trump one of your ukes and he'll be so impressed that he'll sign a PO declaring that you'll never pay any taxes or duties on your instruments ever again

Thanks for the update Peter. I have one to go to the USA next week and was a bit worried.

[Mr Glyn]

Since the tariffs were imposed I have sent around 10 items over to the US from NZ. They were all well under the US$800 De Minimis threshold. Everything sailed through without even a hint of delay. Seems like business as usual for small items.

[peter.coombe]

My mandolin had a declared value of $5000 AUD so is well over the limit.