With the Trump Administration’s April 2nd deadline for imposing tariffs fast approaching, it appears as if several manufacturers and distributors are taking a wait-and-see stance when it comes to importing their goods into the US. Presently its not clear how much of a tariff will be applied to product being imported from such countries as China, one of the principal makers of diecast models, and a longtime target of the current administration. Indeed, one of our distributors has already indicated that they plan to increase prices on several lines that they import from China weeks ahead of the looming deadline. Another has thus far decided to delay the import of several lines for the foreseeable future until the matter has been settled one way or the other. Should the tariffs go into effect next month, its possible that these lines will be held up at the ports for several months until a decision has been reached regarding their cost to consumers.
As it stands right now, it may be a rather dry spring and summer in terms of new product making it to market, or at least until a trade agreement has been reached that satisfies both nations. To date, we’ve had to adjust the prices on new product coming in from Air Force 1, Luft-X, Wings of the Great War and Armor Collection. Other companies — most notably Corgi and JC Wings — may soon have to be cost adjusted if the trade negotiations fail and pressure builds to import these lines to prevent them from languishing in limbo. Still other key manufacturers — Hobby Master, Panzerkampf and Legion, among them — are made in Bangladesh, may or may not be affected by tariffs since talk seems to change on a week-by-week basis based upon the mood and climate in Washington. To be fair, the president has said that he is “flexible” regarding the imposition of across-the-boards tariffs but as we all know by now flexibility can have different meanings depending upon who we are talking about and when the conversation takes place. In any event, we hope to have further updates regarding the tariffs and, in so doing, discuss possible delays in receiving certain lines as trade negotiations progress.