Any discussions with your buyers on the tariffs?

Summary: sapphyres-designer-jewellery initiated a discussion expressing concerns about misunderstandings regarding US tariffs among American buyers, highlighting the potential impact on international sellers and the confusion spread by political misinformation. mrdutch1001 and other participants echoed frustration over misinformation, drawing parallels with other political issues. Some sellers, like biglittleape, are considering blocking US orders due to the anticipated backlash from American customers unfamiliar with tariffs. reallynicestamps and niceoldstuff-1 mentioned adapting their sales strategies and being cautious with US shipments. Meanwhile, intimewithmusic emphasized the importance of treating customers respectfully, regardless of political differences, and shared a positive customer interaction. Participants generally expressed challenges in educating buyers about tariffs and adjusting their business practices accordingly.

I was busy trying to figure out verbage to use when talking to buyers about how there might be tariffs on packages. It was pointed out to me that since the US president is telling Americans that other countries pay the tariffs, that my buyers might think I'm supposed to be paying tariffs and if their goods show up with tariffs owing, then I did something to get out of paying them and pass on to them (and they'll still believe they're not the ones who has to pay).

I was talking with the shop owner today (where I get a lot of my items) and he said it will be hard to educate all the buyers on tariffs when the US President is lying to them about who pays them. And it might take some time for US buyers to realize that they're paying the tariffs by having the cost of everything go up (as they realize this is happening).

Anyone talk to their buyers about tariffs and how is that going?

I've had a few buyers asking about tariffs to see if I know anything new about how it's all going to work. They're asking me if the stuff in my store is subject to tariffs, how do they know if they'll have to pay, that kind of thing.

I did have one discussion with someone in the US (not one of my customers, they are another seller) who said "the tariffs are paid by the other country, Americans don't have to pay tariffs. They put tariffs on other countries so the other countries will be the ones paying". I tried to explain about the cost of everything I buy at the grocery store that comes from the US with tariffs on it costs more for me the end shopper to pay, and they will be paying more for a lot of things too because of the tariffs. This person was as dense as cement and I couldn't get through to them that the buyer pays the tariff, not some other country that's selling a product to the buyer.

This discussion with a dense individual in the US is making me wonder how many dense customers are out there that will be angry with us because they have to pay tariffs and are not realizing that as the buyer they have to pay tariffs, it's on American citizens to pay their government for the privilege of sourcing outside the US. (And if you start making it all in the US it will cost more, because the manufacturers will be sourcing outside the country, or the factory workers need living wages and the cost of everything will go up because it's made in the US).

Some people don't get it... curious to know if anyone selling here has encountered this yet.

sapphyres-designer-jewellery

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Posted 11 months ago·Last reply 11 months ago

68 comments

rosscd57

·11 months ago

Any discussions with your buyers on the tariffs?

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