The Tariff Talk

@weatherweenie , so it looks like:
ItemCost
Sweatshirt$37
Shipping$13
EuroTrash VAT$19
Tariff:$11 - but is likely now %5.50
Total:$80 or $75

So, the tariff is now likely about 7% of total cost, or as quoted about 14% of total cost.

The EuroTrash VAT (a sales tax at all trasaction points) is about 23.75% of quoted cost, or 25.33% at the likely current cost if you call them again.

This is an example of the highest impact for the tariff. A product purchased directly from a store in the EU and shipped to you from that store. Even then, the major non-product costs incurred are the VAT (EuroTrash Value Added Tax) and the shipping. Call the Euro's and see if they will reduce the cost of their taxation :LOL:

If you really want that Italia National Soccer/Football Team sweatshirt you gonna have to pay the gubmint(s) dearly!!!
 
Which reminds me of a story. Oldsters like me like telling stories. So, here goes.

I'm so old I was traveling through Europe in 1987 - before the EU, so all the countries had their own tax system. EVERYTHING was expensive. No breakdown appeared on the bill informing you of the split between product cost and tax cost. We knew that the EuroTrash tax everything and tax it high. So, yeah, everything was expensive. We thought all countries were doing the EuroTrash VAT thang. At least there was absolutely NO sales tax :banana::banana::banana:

Then as we roll through France we start hearing about a 10% sales tax in Belgium. OMG. That is going to be a killer. Sweating profusely because Belgium was near the end of our Bohemian Vacation and we would be scraping coins!!!

We get there and have to buy something. We grab that something which was actually priced well, take it to the cashier, and open the wallet. Here comes the sledge hammer.

Nope, the sales tax was INCLUDED in the listed price and they DID NOT have a VAT.

It was SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper to get stuff of all types (hotels, food, gifts, whatever) in Belgium with a 10% sales tax than it was to get anything in the rest of Europe with the VAT.

Too funny.
 
EU says “Not so fast”.

EU vowed $600B US economy investment from Trump trade deal. Hours later, European bloc admitted it can’t back that promise​


The Independent

Less than a day after President Donald Trump claimed that the European Union had agreed to invest $600 billion into the United States as part of a trade deal that will see Trump ask Americans to shoulder a 15 percent import tax on many European goods, EU officials are quietly backtracking.

(Snip)

But on Monday, multiple EU officials walked back the massive outlay by noting that it would be made by a variety of private companies over which the bloc has no authority when it comes to corporate spending priorities.

One such official told Politico that none of the funds touted by Trump would be from the public coffers of any EU nation. “It is not something that the EU as a public authority can guarantee. It is something which is based on the intentions of the private companies,” the official said.

Another official stated that the $600 billion figure had been calculated "based on detailed discussions with different business associations and companies in order to see what their investment intentions are,” but as of Monday the European Commission has not announced any plans to use any sort of incentives to encourage the investment at issue.

More:
 
@weatherweenie , so it looks like:
ItemCost
Sweatshirt$37
Shipping$13
EuroTrash VAT$19
Tariff:$11 - but is likely now %5.50
Total:$80 or $75

So, the tariff is now likely about 7% of total cost, or as quoted about 14% of total cost.

The EuroTrash VAT (a sales tax at all trasaction points) is about 23.75% of quoted cost, or 25.33% at the likely current cost if you call them again.

This is an example of the highest impact for the tariff. A product purchased directly from a store in the EU and shipped to you from that store. Even then, the major non-product costs incurred are the VAT (EuroTrash Value Added Tax) and the shipping. Call the Euro's and see if they will reduce the cost of their taxation :LOL:

If you really want that Italia National Soccer/Football Team sweatshirt you gonna have to pay the gubmint(s) dearly!!!
I usually prefer to have the purchase price include the tax, like they do in Europe. The issue I shared is that after I paid for the purchase, it was the shipping company that said I was going to have to pay additional taxes and fees.

Interestingly, to me anyway, was I placed an order for the same item, through a different European retailer. After purchasing the item, the shipping company said that in order to complete shipping I would have to pay additional taxes and fees. However, the amount they quoted was $19, not $30+ the other shipping company charged.
 
@James48843, free economies (both US and EU economies are semi-free) don't force businesses to open factories or whatever in other countries or, for that matter, even in their own. They may coerce 'good behavior' (or otherwise) through the tax and regulation code, but the EU Grandee cannot force a sweatshirt manufacturer to open a business in the United States. So the number is always a SWAG in a free(ish) economy - unlike China or Russia or Saudi Arabia.

@weatherweenie , you may have found a company that either just opened an outlet in the United States or has had one open for some time or who ships cheaper and is using the 15% tariff computation rather than the 30%. Let us just say that this is a small part of the 'Big Beautiful $600 Billion' investment in the United States. That means:
  • No tariff
  • No VAT
  • Reduced Shipping
Anyway, all this stuff is kinda a flower dance. Do any of you think that some European company actually hires a bunch of old ladies to man the looms in 2025. Your sweatshirt is made in Vietnam, shipped to Turkey, embroidered in Mozambique, inventoried in Italy, and sold over the internet. All you found was a 'European' company (in name only) who had a sweatshirt made in Vietnam, shipped to Turkey, embroidered in Mozambique, inventoried in the United States, and sold over the internet.
 
@James48843, free economies (both US and EU economies are semi-free) don't force businesses to open factories or whatever in other countries or, for that matter, even in their own. They may coerce 'good behavior' (or otherwise) through the tax and regulation code, but the EU Grandee cannot force a sweatshirt manufacturer to open a business in the United States. So the number is always a SWAG in a free(ish) economy - unlike China or Russia or Saudi Arabia.

@weatherweenie , you may have found a company that either just opened an outlet in the United States or has had one open for some time or who ships cheaper and is using the 15% tariff computation rather than the 30%. Let us just say that this is a small part of the 'Big Beautiful $600 Billion' investment in the United States. That means:
  • No tariff
  • No VAT
  • Reduced Shipping
Anyway, all this stuff is kinda a flower dance. Do any of you think that some European company actually hires a bunch of old ladies to man the looms in 2025. Your sweatshirt is made in Vietnam, shipped to Turkey, embroidered in Mozambique, inventoried in Italy, and sold over the internet. All you found was a 'European' company (in name only) who had a sweatshirt made in Vietnam, shipped to Turkey, embroidered in Mozambique, inventoried in the United States, and sold over the internet.
Just like any other company/store in the USA that in this case sells anything from the likes of Adidas, Nike etc.

It is also important to remember that the additional charges are being collected from the shipping company.
 
Last edited:
Trump’s trade deals for ‘the world’ will be ‘done by Friday,’ but China will take longer: Lutnick

President Donald Trump’s upcoming deadline to impose major tariffs on a slew of trading partners won’t be delayed any further, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said.

Trade negotiations with China are progressing on a separate timeline, Lutnick said on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”

Trump has shared letters sent to more than two dozen world leaders setting new tariff rates that their countries’ exports to the U.S. will face starting Aug. 1.

 
Just like any other company/store in the USA that in this case sells anything from the likes of Adidas, Nike etc.

It is also important to remember that the additional charges are being collected from the shipping company.
Maybe you are missing the transactions here.

European countries can, and DO, mantain sovereign wealth fund holdings. Investments in real businesses, overseen/monitored by the government of that country, that does make money in another market. Deals they are talking about is using their country sovereign wealth fund money to make money.

Whereever you are, it’s all about the $$$$$$$! I
 
Maybe you are missing the transactions here.

European countries can, and DO, mantain sovereign wealth fund holdings. Investments in real businesses, overseen/monitored by the government of that country, that does make money in another market. Deals they are talking about is using their country sovereign wealth fund money to make money.

Whereever you are, it’s all about the $$$$$$$! I
It seems like the point is being missed.

New fees are being charged to the consumer. It is directly the result of tarrifs.
 
It's going to be difficult to break out the tariff - or, the increase in the tariff...

I haven't bought any Charles Tyrwhitt ( https://www.charlestyrwhitt.com/us/homepage ) shirts since the tariffs went into affect, but I can say this:

There was a costly 'Customs Duty' - and, that was years ago. That is a tariff. These shirts (and, they are great) come from England. I don't know if I will be buying more before my great exodus in the sky, but if so I might be able to compare.
 
Wait a day, and everything changes.. was that 15%? Or 25% or 35% , or an extra 40% for transshipments. Another attack on trans?

Trump increases tariff on Canada to 35% from 25%​

Source: Reuters

July 31, 2025 7:28 PM EDT Updated 27 mins ago


WASHINGTON/TORONTO, July 31 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order increasing tariffs on Canadian goods to 35% from 25% on all products not covered by the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, the White House said.

Goods transshipped to another country to evade the new tariffs will be subject to a transshipment levy of 40%, according to a White House fact sheet.

The increased tariff, which the White House said was the result of Canada's "continued inaction and retaliation," comes after Trump told reporters that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney reached out ahead of an August 1 tariff deadline, but no conversations between the two took place.

Trump has warned that any country that does not strike a deal with the U.S. before Friday will be subjected to higher tariffs imposed on goods. "We haven't spoken to Canada today. He's (Carney) called and we'll, we'll see," Trump told reporters during an event at the White House before the 35% rate was announced. Carney's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/trump-increases-tariff-canada-35-25-2025-07-31/
 
So, we've set long term tariff and trade deal frameworks with most of our major trading partners - and the dumb money runs scared...

I don't know what Cramer is saying, but I would be yelling 'Buy, Buy, Buy'.

1754059217308.png
 
Back
Top