Import Duties/Tariffs for the USA: The Basics (2025)

[GXAlan]

April 2, 2025 Update. Here are the new tariffs from NYTimes.

This is the added tariff. Tom Vodhanel who is the founder of Power Sound Audio and co-founder of SVS (he is the “V” in SVS) has articulated it this way:

This is important because Power Sound Audio is assembling the ICEpower amplifiers in the United States… but from globally sourced components.

If you look at the list from NY Times, countries like Malaysia are important and now represent a 24% increases. HypeX modules are made in Malaysia as are many Yamaha AV products.

Indonesia makes a lot of cabinets and SB Acoustics makes their drivers there.

Thailand makes a lot of Sony gear.

Vietnam was a popular manufacturing destination post-COVID as well.

As we have seen with other tariff announcements, there is a brief lag in pricing. Stuff is likely available at pre-tariff pricing for at least the next 24-48 hours, but if you were on the fence on something, it is probably worth buying it now…

Of course, I am not a financial advisor and it might not make sense to buy frivolous luxury items if we aren’t yet sure how much extra other stuff and other essentials will cost…

 

[Somafunk]

………….…..

 

[Soandso]

Compare different country's average tariffs on USA next to the new tariff levy on that country. Source heading is included for establishing the data time stamp.

 

[GXAlan]

Compare different country's average tariffs on USA next to the new tariff levy on that country.

Looking at that, it’s unlikely that we will see tariffs getting cancelled in the short term future. With the original China tariff boosts, there were temporary reprieves and even the same with Canada and Mexico, but now it is across the board.

The other thing I forgot to mention is that the “de minimis” exemption is also removed for Chinese goods.

I recall that more than half of ASR comes from the EU, so none of this affects most ASR readers. On the other hand, ASR is a U.S. based organization and this may mean that less gear gets shipped to ASR from outside the U.S.

Getting back to the original intent of this post. We will likely see vendors increase the prices in 24-48 hours. Definitely by Monday. When you buy from vendors, they or the distributor are the importer of record so what you pay is what you get, no surprises.

There will be increases in prices as cost of goods for even US based companies assembling stuff from global components.

Last, importing directly can be risky since you personally will be responsible for the added tariffs.

 

[GXAlan]

Still trying to process the logic behind it.

Our goal, honestly, is to avoid the politics. All we can do is process the present reality and make judgment and recommendation on our hobby of speakers and audio electronics in the present. While audio electronics and speakers aren’t a necessity by any means, I imagine those of us on ASR find “quality of life” and “enjoyment” in the luxury of music, movies, gear and
talking about all three.

I have sort of been telling close friends and family who have been on the fence for purchasing electronics to plan for this eventuality… but the other end result is that we’ll probably spend more time on tweaks.

The Audiophiliac who is known for a lot of subjectivism always makes a clear recommendation that the best way to play with your system is to move the speakers around in your room. It’s free and sometimes we are just looking for different instead of better.

 

[Karmacoma]

Our goal, honestly, is to avoid the politics.

Certainly, but I feel we're maybe in a grey aera on this topic.
Another exemple of absurdity, Ireland gets the EU tariff 20%, northern Ireland, which has a special status, gets the UK tariff of 10%, so if it remains like that well see shell businesses florish in northern Ireland, I'm not certain but we might see EU audio gear imports rising from over there.
Oh and Saint pierre et miquelon, another french island with another different impossible-to-implement tariff, so basically the dudes who did that took a map and threw darts at it without even knowing how to use a map.

 

[amirm]

Paid $600 duty for an audio product an EU member bought from Canada and shipped first to me for testing. Will get reimbursed but it is incredible that we have to deal with such things after decades of having the freedom of importing most anything we like without tariffs.

FYI, Harman is raising prices across the board by 3%...

 

[pogo]

it is incredible that we have to deal with such things

That was the voters' wish, or am I misunderstanding something here?

 

[AudioJester]

Iam not sure the above table is correct. There is a 10% goods and services tax in Australia, so US imports come with this,.... but so do locally made goods. Its not really a "tariff", but a tax on all goods (local or import).

 

[Karmacoma]

FYI, Harman is raising prices across the board by 3%...

Inflation's gonna most likely hit hard and fast.

 

[Karmacoma]

Iam not sure the above table is correct. There is a 10% goods and services tax in Australia, so US imports come with this,.... but so do locally made goods. Its not really a "tariff", but a tax on all goods (local or import).

Same for the EU, these numbers are forged, they added the 20% VAT tax as an import tax, just a pretext to add 20% tariff to the EU.

 

[Mort]

That was the voters' wish, or am I misunderstanding something here?

Reductive, but mostly correct.

 

[FooYatChong]

Someone figured it out.

 

[Old_School_Brad]

This ignites a rebellion within me:

"My advice to every country right now is do not retaliate. Sit back, take it in, let's see how it goes. Because if you retaliate, there will be escalation," Bessent said Wednesday in an interview on "Special Report" shortly after the announcement. "If you don't retaliate, this is the high-water mark."

What a blatant act of intimidation.

 

[DanielT]

I understand the logic of having corresponding tariffs, reciprocal tariffs. Sounds reasonable. IF it really is these high tariff rates that Trump claims the US is exposed to. That is the really interesting and important thing. So far no concrete evidence for that yet.

Let's look at level of tariffs in detail, exactly how/which is there. A serious tariff level investigation regarding US vs country X made that is based on concrete evidence and objective facts.

What does it really look like between, let's say, the EU vs. the US? Trump claims that the EU has 40% tariffs against the US. Sounds completely out of the blue and made up. Proof of that 40% please.

In any case, after such a review, IF it turns out that there is x% difference so okay, that should be evened out. Tariffs then that is, not trade imbalance. Trade imbalance is another thing.Trump thinks reciprocal tariffs are fair. It should be at the same level. Of course, now it's only fair that other countries impose reciprocal tariffs on the US. Trump should even appreciate that logic. That is reasonable and fair.

 

[boxerfan88]

Currently it’s only announcement & counter-announcements, if it becomes reality, then welcome global recession…

 

[Soandso]

Someone figured it out.

View attachment 441432

The heading in these charts' blue column states [it's] "including currency manipulation and trade barriers" the US encounters. It does NOT claim those figures are just "tariff rates" the country "charges us." I rate the economics journalist Suroweicki's complaint as dis-ingenuous indignation; another version of the political "gotcha" game.

These charts' yellow columns of USA enacted tariffs do not match (except possibly for the newly instituted 10% baseline tariff on every country listed) their corresponding countries blue column amounts which are certainly not described as tariifs. I suggest that USA public use of the jargon about "tariffs other countries charging us" is for common comprehension of a relationship considering few citizens are economic math pros. It's akin to when here at ASR certain subjects are discussed in language that might inform members who aren't engineering pros.

This Original ASR Post included the word "tariffs", but the new USA President has been going on about intending to redress trade imbalances since a candidate. I think when on that theme he went/goes on to give examples of tariffs that other countries impose on the USA as part, but not the only factor, of the trade imbalances. By reducing the context of this/these trade war(s) to one dimensional tariff contests seems to be overlooking the USA teams' long term strategic plan while being all focused on a battle tactic.

 

[GXAlan]

A serious tariff level investigation reagrding US vs country X made that is based on concrete evidence and objective facts.

What does it really look like between, let's say, the EU vs. the US? Trump claims that the EU has 40% tariffs against the US. Sounds completely out of the blue and made up. Proof of that 40% please.

At the risk of veering more into politics. I drive a BMW that has 80k miles and needs two CV boots replaced, so I am really hoping the parts are already in US warehouses somewhere (although labor is what adds the most cost) because buying a new car is out of the question.

I looked into cars and this is what I was able to figure out for the EU. There is a 10% tariff on all U.S. cars. There is also a VAT, which is like sales tax. This is from 17-27% depending on the country.

Here is where it gets tricky.

If I am the importer of record, I am paying a combined payment of that 27-37%. So from that standpoint, it seems legit.
EU products are also subject to VAT so it’s not specific to the U.S. When I, as the importer of record, sell that car, though, I am supposed to get the VAT credited to me.

But I assume the consumer is now paying the VAT? That is also a sales tax, which we have in the U.S.

What I don’t know is if I live in Germany. If there is no importer, then the VAT is only collected at sales time from the end user.

The question that our European members can help with is answering when VAT is collected and when it is rebated/credited.

This might increase working capital requirements for importers of record to pay for the VAT, with rebates expected later. I don’t know if those rebates are rolling or if you have to float the money up front and then get your rebate at the end of the tax year.

This does create a gray zone where the tariff really is that high and who would risk paying 40% up front before a car is even sold, but also a case where it works out to be just 10% in the end.

NADA says that the average profit margin for dealers is 3.9% and average worldwide profit margin for the automobile manufacturer is 7.5%, so that 10% can be a big deal.

 

[DanielT]

At the risk of veering more into politics.

It's hard not to get into politics. If you listen to what Abigail Hall says, it doesn't sound like ideology to me, at least. It seems like she's talking about economic consequences. Watch from 4:55 in the video:

Abigail R. Hall

Mercatus Research Fellow, George Mason University

www.abigailrhall.com

 

[Sokel]

The intention is fairness and moving production inland, right?
When this worked instantly though? I would welcome an inland production where people getting decently paid for their work and this would equate (audio) components (of the same quality) like the ones made in EU, etc (think Wima in EU for example, or Caddock in US) .

It will be surely more expensive but some of it may reflect some added quality.
It will also be unfair in lots of instances but talking as an EU citizen it will eventually become a part of reality as it is here since forever.
And I trust market will regulate itself as usual.

What will be totally unfair is that some third-country companies will force people to work even for cheaper so they swallow the tariff.
That's horrible.