American tech companies and small businesses are refusing to ship products to the United States in droves because of the unpredictable tariffs imposed by the Donald Trump administration. Tariffs on Chinese goods reach 145%, making sales unprofitable. Small manufacturers have been hit first, but even big brands are being forced to raise prices or temporarily leave the market.
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One example cited by PCWorld is California-based Keyboardio, which makes the beloved ergonomic keyboards in a wooden case. Although the case may be made from American materials, key components such as printed circuit boards are supplied from China. Due to new tariffs and the abolition of benefits for small quantities of goods, sales of these keyboards in the United States have become unprofitable. In their blog, the founders of Keyboardio stated that they are “suspending all shipments to the States until they can guarantee fast and reliable delivery.”
Keyboardio is not the only company facing this problem. Retro console maker Anbernic has also announced that it is temporarily suspending shipments from China to the US. However, the remaining stock in US warehouses will soon run out, and no new shipments are expected.
Major players like Razer and Logitech are also feeling the effects of the trade war. Razer has temporarily removed gaming laptops from its website, while Logitech has raised prices on mice and keyboards by 25%. Logistics company Hapag Lloyd reported that 30% of its customers have cancelled shipments from China to the US. At the same time, the International Monetary Fund has warned that such measures will negatively affect the global economy.
Also, Hyte, a leading American manufacturer of advanced components and peripherals for gaming PCs, has completely stopped deliveries to the States, explaining that moving production to the brand’s homeland will not save it from losses. Cooler Master, Corsair and other brands are experiencing similar problems. “If a shipment leaves China with a duty of 20% and arrives with 150%, this can destroy the business and lead to layoffs,” the companies comment on the situation.
Recall that initially the duties on Chinese goods were 145%, but under pressure from the industry, the Trump administration reduced them to 20% for computers, smartphones and components. However, it is unclear how long this relaxation will last. Experts call Washington’s policy “chaotic” and predict further growth in prices for electronics.