How will tariffs affect the price of the robot? They are changing daily! When I went to order, it looks like orders have to prepay 81% tarrif!
Where are you seeing a pre-payment for tariffs? I don't have any prepayment or tariff charges listed as part of the purchase. Unfortunately I did have to raise prices 10% given 5 shipments of parts that arrived last week had a 71% tariff rate hike attached to them and it cost me significantly more than usual. This was only for a handful of parts but as I need to replenish stock on other items the increased cost will continue to affect the kit price. I now have enough stock on aluminum & combo kits parts to get through the spring and probably most of summer. but I'm uncertain on the timeline and price to get more parts beyond that. I will keep the prices where they are at for the stock I've already paid for but if this volatility continues I could see having no choice but to raise prices further once I run out of parts - this project is super fun for me to work on and develop but there is not a lot of room on the pricing. I removed the aluminum only kits for now so I can ensure combo kits stay in stock for the next few months. If this craziness ends I'll of course bring the prices right back down as fast as I can.
Hi Chris, thank you for a through reply. I think I made the mistake of assuming everything shipped from China. I did not understand the shipping process in parts. I saw the warning on stepper-online website before proceeding to payments:
From April 9, 2025, U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods will increase by 34%, which together with the 10% added in February 2025, the 10% added in March 2025 and the existing 25% from April 2018 will add up to a total of 79% additional tariffs.Â
From April 7, 2025, StepperOnline will pre-collect customs duties for orders over $800, so you do not need to pay additional customs duties when you receive the goods.
Thankfully, the motors are just below $800!
Now the $800 has been canceled. It seems the ar4 kit will be able in the US soon. Hope the cost will be reduce then.
Unfortunately I still have to pay 70% on any aluminum manufactured parts: Aluminum parts from China remain subject to the following tariffs:
25% Section 232 Tariff: Imposed for national security reasons, this tariff applies to all aluminum imports, including derivative products.
25% Section 301 Tariff: Targeting unfair trade practices, this tariff affects a broad range of Chinese imports, including aluminum products.
20% IEEPA Tariff: Implemented under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, this tariff addresses issues like the fentanyl crisis and other national emergencies.
These tariffs are additive, resulting in a cumulative tariff rate of 70% on aluminum parts from China. The temporary 90-day tariff reduction does not affect these specific tariffs. On top of that with the elimination of the deminimis exemption ($800 rule) all my smaller orders for switches, wire, etc. are now subject to 30% or more depending on the classification. I'll do everything I can to diversify and keep the prices as low as I possibly can.
