A new tariff starting July 6, puts a 25% tax on some things imported from China into the United States. Wikipedia defines a tariff as:
A tariff is a tax on imports or exports between sovereign states.
It seems the tax will only effect smaller parts, not fully assembled devices like tvs or cellphones.
We wonder how many small businesses in the United States this new tariff will effect? Will it effect many people who do electronics as a hobby because they may buy parts from China? Will it effect people who make and sell electronics on Tindie? We assume it will effect everyone in this space who buys parts from China.
Chibittronics
Bunnie Huang, founder of Chibitronics, states his products will now cost 25% more. Chibitronics makes educational tools with electronics. For schools and other people with limited budgets, this may make products out of reach.
Bunnie states:
They’ve essentially saddled ‘Made in America’ with 25 percent tariffs whereas stuff made in China has no tariffs. It’s really ironic. It seems to be the opposite of what they’re trying to achieve.
See Bunnie’s in depth analysis on the tariff New Us Tariffs are Anit-Maker and Will Encourage Offshoring.
What Can I Do About The Tariff
Read this plea from Moog, a 60 year old American company in Asheville North Carolina that makes synthesizers with many parts from China. They have a letter you can copy and either email or mail to your state representatives.
Also see this other article by Bunnie on Marketplace or read this Washington Post article US-China Tariffs.