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Brooklyn electronics company Adafruit hit with surprise $36K tariff bill: "pay in one week" (boingboing.net)

submitted 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/economics@lemmy.world

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When DHL delivered mail to Adafruit Industries last week, it wasn't a typical invoice but a gut punch: a $36,126.46 customs duty bill that had to be paid within seven days.

The bill comes from Trump's multi-layered tariffs that can stack up to 170% on certain electronics components. For Adafruit, a company that supplies makers and engineers with specialized electronic parts, this creates a perfect storm.

These components were ordered months ago before tariff changes, can't be sourced elsewhere due to intellectual property restrictions, and must be paid for immediately — not after sales are made.

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[–] breezeblock@lemm.ee 21 points 3 weeks ago

Correction — small American businesses. The large ones can easily pass on the cost to consumers.