679 replies to this topic

[EFT]

Just as a point of clarification, are the tariffs on Chinese manufactured goods assessed on anything manufactured in China, or anything manufactured in China and sold by a Chinese company? I have several astro cameras from Altair Astro in the U.K.; I expect that they are made in China to Altair Astro specs, but nowhere on the cameras does it say "Made in China" (they actually don't say where they are made). If I were to buy another camera from Altair, how would U.S. Customs know that it was manufactured in China (assuming that is actually true)? They have always come via DHL, and DHL has handled any Customs charges (I had to pay a charge for my 183C 2 years ago because I bought something else at the same time, and the total was just over $800; the 26C order, which I purchased a few months ago and cost between $1200 and $1500, came through with no charge, but that was in the middle of the original de-minimus chaos). I am considering another purchase, but am concerned about a surprise large tariff charge. I understand that I would likely have to pay the minimum 10% tariff (assuming I purchased it in the next +/-90 days), but it is the 145% Chinese tariff that concerns me.

 

Paul

In the US, if you sell a product that was manufacturered in China and only rebranded in the US without anything signficant done to it, it is a product of China, not the US, and needs to be declared as such when shipping it out of the country.  I don't know what other countries do, but most are more strict than the US in almost all respects when it comes to imports and exports.  You might get lucky and not be charged at all, or you might get charged based on the item coming from the UK, or you might get charged the full China tariff.  It's a crapshoot at this point.  It always has been, but until now, the resultant differences were not as signficiant.  Businesses pay tariffs.  Consumers don't necessarily when they buy direct.

[Battlestamps]

 What about ones run by computers/electronics with this new planned tariff just announced?

None as they aren't under the same classification as smart phone and laptops. 

 

"Ben Hauck, senior vice president of North American sales for Celestron, told Astronomy that it appears nothing the company imports is covered under the excluded codes. The majority of their products are imported under HTS code 9005, a heading that covers “binoculars, monoculars, other optical telescopes, and mountings therefor.”

A subheading of the same (9005.90) explicitly includes “parts and accessories (including mountings)”. Therefore, even a computerized Go-To mount — though filled with electronics — falls under the umbrella of heading 9005.

Hauck said that Celestron’s Origin — a smart telescope that exclusively takes images, with no optical eyepiece — is also considered an optical telescope and is covered under 9005."

Edited by Battlestamps, 13 April 2025 - 06:34 PM.

[wykbbb]

None as they aren't under the same classification as smart phone and laptops. 

 

"Ben Hauck, senior vice president of North American sales for Celestron, told Astronomy that it appears nothing the company imports is covered under the excluded codes. The majority of their products are imported under HTS code 9005, a heading that covers “binoculars, monoculars, other optical telescopes, and mountings therefor.”

A subheading of the same (9005.90) explicitly includes “parts and accessories (including mountings)”. Therefore, even a computerized Go-To mount — though filled with electronics — falls under the umbrella of heading 9005.

Hauck said that Celestron’s Origin — a smart telescope that exclusively takes images, with no optical eyepiece — is also considered an optical telescope and is covered under 9005."

I think the exceptions from April 12th  that Ben is talking about different than what is talked about today April 13th. 

[Battlestamps]

I think the exceptions from April 12th  that Ben is talking about different than what is talked about today April 13th. 

From Ben's article, "Late on Friday, the Trump administration granted exclusions from the steep tariffs on smartphones and a set of other electronics products, a move seen as a big break for technology firms such as Apple and Dell Technologies that rely on imports from China."

 

Sounds like the same ones.

[Wildetelescope]

OK folks you all know the TOS.  Please go read them again to refresh your memory.   The conversation has gone way off topic and certainly political.  Thread is now locked pending further review.

 

JMD