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Tariffs
We are closely monitoring the new tariffs imposed by the United States on Chinese imports. As you know, most of our partners are in China and manufacture the cards, stickers, deck seals, and metal products we produce. We were able to absorb the 10% tariffs imposed earlier this year. The new tariffs may or may not apply to playing cards and other products we import, but if they do, our cost will increase by 54% (in aggregate). I'll let you know if this eventually has any impact on the timing of our fulfillment. The promising thing is that our partners in China understand the dilemma and are willing to work with us to mitigate if they can. And who knows? Maybe the tariffs won’t even be in place by the time we’re ready to import. I'll keep you updated.

34% tarriffs on Chinese products ON TOP OF his originsl 20%? Tarriffs on most of the rest of the world?
It was lovely having a games industry while it lasted…
But yhe , it was lovely having a lot of things. Alies. Stability. A recovering economy.
GREAT going, pro-business GOP.

Evilgamer wrote: ↑Thu Apr 03, 2025 7:41 am Honestly I think its probably the end of the collectible cards as we know them, unless either something changes or they find a loophole.
Even at $25 going to $50 in June for individual packages I don't see that being something most people are going to stomach.

wonderfulfacts wrote: ↑Thu Apr 03, 2025 11:24 am

Evilgamer wrote: ↑Thu Apr 03, 2025 7:41 am Honestly I think its probably the end of the collectible cards as we know them, unless either something changes or they find a loophole.
Even at $25 going to $50 in June for individual packages I don't see that being something most people are going to stomach.

It may be the end of a lot of industries as we know them and certainly many things are about to change real fast.
But those industries might simply find ways to prosper in new ways.

Most probably some creators will be able to find some loopholes or maybe the import and export of playing cards itself will find some sort of loopholes. Charmie/jinjade are shipping rewards to their backers labeled as gifts and maybe others will do something similar, declare even lower content values etc

Are those $25 going to $50 your average import charge estimate per package?

Although they represent somewhat of a minority, there are also european creators in the playing cards category that do not ship from china and those packages will not see such cost increases.

Imported goods sent through means other than the international postal network that are valued at or under $800 and that would otherwise qualify for the de minimis exemption will be subject to all applicable duties, which shall be paid in accordance with applicable entry and payment procedures.

All relevant postal items containing goods that are sent through the international postal network that are valued at or under $800 and that would otherwise qualify for the de minimis exemption are subject to a duty rate of either 30% of their value or $25 per item (increasing to $50 per item after June 1, 2025). This is in lieu of any other duties, including those imposed by prior Orders.

Evilgamer wrote: ↑Thu Apr 03, 2025 7:41 am Honestly I think its probably the end of the collectible cards as we know them, unless either something changes or they find a loophole.

USPCC doesn't print foiled cards and only wants runs of 2,500 anyway, I don't know of any other company outside of china that can really do the work.

Even at $25 going to $50 in June for individual packages I don't see that being something most people are going to stomach.

And yes I feel for any producer who has cards that wont make it to the US by next week. Im sure KWP is having some discussions right now for sure.

JazzBaloo wrote: ↑Thu Apr 03, 2025 5:14 pm I am not in a panic if the outcome is a stronger American economy with more purchasing power.

kevork wrote: ↑Thu Apr 03, 2025 5:52 pm

JazzBaloo wrote: ↑Thu Apr 03, 2025 5:14 pm I am not in a panic if the outcome is a stronger American economy with more purchasing power.

If we're talking about implementation of blanket tarrifs, I see no possibility of having more purchasing power. China, South Korea, and Japan are uniting against the US. You have EU and Greenland gravitating further away from the US. The administration is isolating us from the world in a negative way.

I hear multiple people saying there's ways to circumvent the tarrifs. You can label a package whatever you want but if it's coming in from a tarrifed country, it's false hope to assume the costs would be avoided.

Ask any goods importer who takes the burden of the costs for tarrifs. It's always the end consumer.

There's many ways that tarrifs are helpful when it is to promote a domestic sector. Blanket tarrifs are nothing but stupid and unnecessary. I'm incredibly frustrated as I write this but don't want to share more. If it means I'm going to have to buy less, then so be it. I won't be happy about it.

This government, on both sides of the aisle, continues to shoot itself in the foot and is beholden to corporate and oligarch interests. The people losing out are you and I and 99% of the people we all know.

JazzBaloo wrote: ↑Thu Apr 03, 2025 6:15 pm I haven't seen the losing out yet.

GandalfPC wrote: ↑Thu Apr 03, 2025 7:13 pm It is fine to think that it will all be worth it or all be a fiasco - that at least is still a freedom we all enjoy.

Let’s try to not cross that line so deep into political debate that my delete finger needs to get busy again. its still sore from last time.

Steve Jackson Games CEO Meredith Placko lays out the tariff crisis in our industry perfectly. Many companies and stores and possibly even distributors now face the very real threat of having to go close their doors. This is absolutely devastating. Anyone trying to tell you a tariff is not - in essence - a tax probably also has a bridge they want to sell you (though the bridge now costs 54% more, due to steel tariffs).
This is DOUBLY painful for me to watch, as my degree was in Economics, and this is basic 101-level stuff.
(Cartoon by the brilliant Canadian cartoonist Bruce MacKinnon.)
---------------------------------

On April 5th, a 54% tariff goes into effect on a wide range of goods imported from China. For those of us who create boardgames, this is not just a policy change. It's a seismic shift.
At Steve Jackson Games, we are actively assessing what this means for our products, our pricing, and our future plans. We do know that we can't absorb this kind of cost increase without raising prices. We've done our best over the past few years to shield players and retailers from the full brunt of rising freight costs and other increases, but this new tax changes the equation entirely.
Here are the numbers: A product we might have manufactured in China for $3.00 last year could now cost $4.62 before we even ship it across the ocean. Add freight, warehousing, fulfillment, and distribution margins, and that once-$25 game quickly becomes a $40 product. That's not a luxury upcharge; it's survival math.
Some people ask, "Why not manufacture in the U.S.?" I wish we could. But the infrastructure to support full-scale boardgame production – specialty dice making, die-cutting, custom plastic and wood components – doesn't meaningfully exist here yet. I've gotten quotes. I've talked to factories. Even when the willingness is there, the equipment, labor, and timelines simply aren't.
We aren't the only company facing this challenge. The entire board game industry is having very difficult conversations right now. For some, this might mean simplifying products or delaying launches. For others, it might mean walking away from titles that are no longer economically viable. And, for what I fear will be too many, it means closing down entirely.
Tariffs, when part of a long-term strategy to bolster domestic manufacturing, can be an effective tool. But that only works when there's a plan to build up the industries needed to take over production. There is no national plan in place to support manufacturing for the types of products we make. This isn't about steel and semiconductors. This is about paper goods, chipboard, wood tokens, plastic trays, and color-matched ink. These new tariffs are imposing huge costs without providing alternatives, and it's going to cost American consumers more at every level of the supply chain.
We want to be transparent with our community. This is real: Prices are going up. We're still determining how much and where.
If you're frustrated, you're not alone. We are too. And if you want to help, write to your elected officials. Ask them how these new policies help American creators and small businesses. Because right now, it feels like they don't.
We'll keep making games. But we'll be honest when the road gets harder, because we know you care about where your games come from – and about the people who make them.
-- Meredith Placko

JazzBaloo wrote: ↑Thu Apr 03, 2025 6:15 pm I haven't seen the losing out yet. A stronger dollar equals more purchasing power. If you have some additional information to share that I or others aren't privy to then please disclose it. Anything helps. As for getting around tarrifs, manufacturing or assembly in the U.S or other countries. Fulfillment through countries with lesser tarrifs?

chatgpt.com wrote:The Smoot-Hawley Tariff was a significant piece of legislation passed by the U.S. Congress in 1930, during the Great Depression. Named after its sponsors, Senator Reed Smoot and Representative Willis C. Hawley, the tariff aimed to protect American industries by raising import duties (taxes) on thousands of foreign goods. The idea was that by making foreign goods more expensive, American consumers would be encouraged to buy domestic products, thus supporting U.S. businesses and helping the economy recover from the ongoing depression.

However, the Smoot-Hawley Tariff turned out to be highly problematic for several reasons:

1. Retaliation from Other Countries
- One of the biggest problems with the tariff was that it triggered retaliatory measures from other countries. Many foreign nations, particularly in Europe, imposed their own tariffs on American goods in response. This led to a sharp decline in international trade, as countries tried to protect their own industries by taxing imported goods.

2. Exacerbated the Great Depression
- The tariff worsened the economic situation in the U.S. and around the world. By discouraging international trade, it reduced the market for American products abroad, further hurting U.S. businesses and leading to job losses. As global trade slowed down, the depression deepened.

3. Global Trade Decline
- The Smoot-Hawley Tariff is often seen as one of the factors that contributed to the **collapse of global trade** during the 1930s. Global trade volumes dropped significantly, which undermined efforts to recover from the economic downturn. This "beggar-thy-neighbor" policy—where countries acted in their own interest but harmed others in the process—led to a vicious cycle of protectionism.

4. Impact on Consumers
- While the tariff was intended to protect American jobs, it also led to **higher prices for consumers**. As the cost of imported goods rose, consumers had fewer options and paid more for many products. This hurt the average American, who was already struggling due to the depression.

5. Long-term Damage to U.S. Reputation
- The Smoot-Hawley Tariff damaged the U.S.'s reputation internationally. Other countries viewed it as an aggressive move that worsened the global economic situation. In the long run, it strained diplomatic relations and hindered international cooperation.

Conclusion:
While the Smoot-Hawley Tariff was intended to protect American jobs and industries during the Great Depression, it ultimately worsened the global economic situation, increased unemployment, and deepened the depression. The tariff is often cited as a cautionary example of how protectionist policies can have unintended and disastrous consequences when global trade and international relations are taken into account.

ShuffleUpandDeal wrote: ↑Thu Apr 03, 2025 10:43 pm Companies need to circumvent the US by shipping from China to Europe or Canada and then fulfilling from there. I assume that would be way better than importing the whole thing to the US and then fulfilling from there. Or go through Australia or something.

kevork wrote: ↑Fri Apr 04, 2025 12:33 am

JazzBaloo wrote: ↑Thu Apr 03, 2025 6:15 pm I haven't seen the losing out yet. A stronger dollar equals more purchasing power. If you have some additional information to share that I or others aren't privy to then please disclose it. Anything helps. As for getting around tarrifs, manufacturing or assembly in the U.S or other countries. Fulfillment through countries with lesser tarrifs?

I'm actually really curious how you are tying the tariff conversation to a stronger dollar.

TorresOVER wrote: ↑Fri Apr 04, 2025 9:30 am I sincerely hope that such an outcome can be avoided, much like last time. As a fellow creator, we have already made plans to print with USPCC, mitigating tariff concerns. However, as a printer, I can only balance the needs of both parties—ourselves and our customers—by slightly increasing prices and accepting a reduced profit margin. We are also exploring more cost-effective shipping options to the US.

JazzBaloo wrote: ↑Fri Apr 04, 2025 12:30 pm

TorresOVER wrote: ↑Fri Apr 04, 2025 9:30 am I sincerely hope that such an outcome can be avoided, much like last time. As a fellow creator, we have already made plans to print with USPCC, mitigating tariff concerns. However, as a printer, I can only balance the needs of both parties—ourselves and our customers—by slightly increasing prices and accepting a reduced profit margin. We are also exploring more cost-effective shipping options to the US.

Your calm demeanor is refreshing. You're saying it's not yet time to crack open our skulls and feast on the goo? Good call. Someone claimed that Uspcc doesn't do foil. What are your thoughts on that?

JazzBaloo wrote: ↑Fri Apr 04, 2025 2:25 am Are you suggesting a recession is coming?

Dplay wrote: ↑Fri Apr 04, 2025 10:54 pm But I do want to point out that there is probably a plan behind all of it.