Where is it made?

[Big John]

I expect that all those wonderfully detailed kits coming out of the Ukraine will soon be unavailable.

[Rodent]

On 3/4/2025 at 8:17 AM, Rodent said:

I have heard from several (reliable) sources that the de minimus provision is going away as well. 

Correction: The de minimus provision did go away, but was reinstated due to the huge amount of extra labor involved to include every package (like the $4 socks that my spouse likes)

[stitchdup]

2 hours ago, Big John said:

I expect that all those wonderfully detailed kits coming out of the Ukraine will soon be unavailable.

those kits are selling really well in europe. they sell out pretty quick, except the icm model t's but i think they were released too soon after each other.

[niteowl7710]

2 hours ago, Rodent said:

Correction: The de minimus provision did go away, but was reinstated due to the huge amount of extra labor involved to include every package (like the $4 socks that my spouse likes)

Temporarily...they're still threatening to remove it again. It got reinstated after 4 days last month because Customs was buried under a literal million pieces of mail and air cargo at JFK alone. 

No politics here - just the simple fact that USCBP doesn't have the anywhere near the staff or facilities to actually deal with sorting and inspecting (opening) all of that to check contents vs. declared values. I also expect Americans will lose their collective minds if they start getting all their $4 socks packages rifled through and sealed with Customs inspection tape (which they don't have enough of hand to do the job either for that matter).

[stavanzer]

I'd say let's wait about 6 more months before panicking about Tariffs.

Every other Day there is a story about the President, threatening More Tariffs, Reducing Tariffs, Putting Tariffs on Pause, or some Other Tariffs story.

He's been President for less than 5o days at this point. Let's not go off about this until we actually see prices steadily rising. I think the markets are waiting for things to settle down.

Then they will see exactly what the Tariff percentages are, and price accordingly.

So, for now, just set back and give this whole thing some time to shake out.

[stitchdup]

Its not going to matter where the kits are produced. the raw plastic is all made in china. we let them do this because we dont want big stinking plastics factories near our towns because of forever chemicals and what they do to our health and kids. Erin Brockovitch 2 could be made sooner than you think

[niteowl7710]

On 3/7/2025 at 6:15 AM, stitchdup said:

Its not going to matter where the kits are produced. the raw plastic is all made in china. we let them do this because we dont want big stinking plastics factories near our towns because of forever chemicals and what they do to our health and kids. Erin Brockovitch 2 could be made sooner than you think

There are still several "big stinking plastic factories" in the Houston Metro area. 

Edited March 9 by niteowl7710

[oldcarfan]

10 hours ago, niteowl7710 said:

There are still several "big sticking plastic factories" in the Houston Metro area. 

I grew up across the bay from Corpus Christi and the refineries always let you know when the wind was coming from the north!

[niteowl7710]

21 hours ago, oldcarfan said:

I grew up across the bay from Corpus Christi and the refineries always let you know when the wind was coming from the north!

No doubt, My office is on an Island in the Ohio River just North of Pittsburgh and we're next door to a liquid fuel distribution rack. Every so often they burn something off over there that makes that whole God forsaken island smell like hot superglue. 

[Tom Geiger]

Cars in US Market made in China (and people didn't even notice)...

Polestar  (By Volvo in China)

Volvo S90

Buick Envision

Lincoln Nautilus SUV

A friend recently got a Volvo SUV and I asked him if it was made in China.. His reply was he didn't know.

My wife's friend's husband was arguing the other night that there was a $15,000 electric car coming soon from China and he wants to buy one! I mentioned the damage to the US auto industry and he said he didn't care, just cared about HIS pocket.   And that's how it goes! 

 

[slusher]

On 3/6/2025 at 8:32 PM, stavanzer said:

I'd say let's wait about 6 more months before panicking about Tariffs.

Every other Day there is a story about the President, threatening More Tariffs, Reducing Tariffs, Putting Tariffs on Pause, or some Other Tariffs story.

He's been President for less than 5o days at this point. Let's not go off about this until we actually see prices steadily rising. I think the markets are waiting for things to settle down.

Then they will see exactly what the Tariff percentages are, and price accordingly.

So, for now, just set back and give this whole thing some time to shake out.

I wouldn’t talk about this subject…

[Luc Janssens]

Heard today that a hobby distributor and a vendor who orders directly from the USA,  both from the Netherlands are dropping Round2, Moebius. Revell USA and Salvino's. because they feel due to the extra charges, US kits will be a very tough sell, if at all.

A model kit dealer I recently spoke with said, that a Savino's kit would be over €100 (about the same in USD) retail.

Oh well.

 

Edited March 22 by Luc Janssens

[lordairgtar]

There has been a 25% tariff on Chinese produced molding tools since 2018.

[slusher]

On 3/6/2025 at 3:51 PM, stitchdup said:

those kits are selling really well in europe. they sell out pretty quick, except the icm model t's but i think they were released too soon after each other.

Les just curious are thes kits still being made?

[stitchdup]

1 hour ago, slusher said:

Les just curious are thes kits still being made?

i'm not sure but there are tons on ebay

[niteowl7710]

FWIW the ending of the de minumis exemption is back on the table for May 2nd. Currently only for items shipped from China & Hong Kong. It will subject individual mail pieces to a 30% duty or $25, which increases to 30% or $50 June 2nd. No guidance from the magic felt tipped pen as to whether that's a "whatever is higher or lower" type of thing. There's also no guidance as to who, how and when the duties have to be paid in order to actually receive what you order.

This of course could magicly go away May 1st, or May 10th. Still no word if Customs refunded the duties paid by people during the first four day attempt at eliminating the exemption earlier this year.

Edited April 3 by niteowl7710