Americans have quickly learned that tariffs—”the most beautiful word in the dictionary,” according to Trump—are not, in fact, “going to make us rich as hell.”
As we watched the POTUS slap higher and higher tariffs on imported goods—especially from China, which faces tariffs as high as 145%—consumers are the ones hurting the most. Almost everything is now more expensive than it was a month ago—tech, in particular. For example, DJI increased the price of its popular Osmo Pocket 3 vlogging camera by over 50%, from $519 to $799, and Microsoft raised Xbox Series S and X consoles by $100 and jacked up game prices to $80. Naturally, people are freaking out and panic buying not just essentials like pantry staples or toilet paper, but anything and everything that will get pricier soon.
Gizmodo staff aren’t immune to impending price hikes. Here’s what some of us have panic-bought recently.
Kyle Barr, Consumer Tech Reporter:
Back in early April, I told anybody who would listen that they should buy their gadgets ASAP before they became too expensive. I took my own advice and jumped on two retro handhelds, a TrimUI Brick and a BatlEXP G350. Both individually cost under $50 when I ordered through the dropshipping site AliExpress. With the end of de minimis exemptions on low-value imports from China and lingering 145% tariffs on Chinese goods, those devices will necessarily cost far more when you try to order some of the latest emulation-focused devices. I’m heartbroken by the impacts tariffs have had on the board game industry, and I’ve been trying to support my favorite creators by running my local brick-and-mortar shop to buy Arcs: The Blighted Reach from Leder Games and Stonemaier Games’ Fishspan. There’s a little voice in my head whispering I shouldn’t be spending this kind of money when we’re facing an impending recession, but tariffs were a big reason I spent half the morning on April 24 refreshing GameStop’s store page just to preorder a $500 Switch 2 bundle.
Rose Pastore, Gizmodo Editor-in-Chief:
Japan’s sunscreen technology is light-years ahead of what’s FDA-approved in the U.S., and my sensitive-skin family has been using Japanese spf for years. I can usually find my favorite sunscreens (Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence and Skin Aqua UV Super Moisture Gel) for around $12 a tube at local Japanese markets. I have no idea how tariffs will affect their price—or the ability to easily find them at all—so earlier this week I hurried over to Teso Life to stock up. I also bought several of my favorite ultra-soft Japanese toothbrushes (Lion Systema), which are adult-sized but have bristles that feel like the baby toothbrushes you find in the U.S.
Sabina Graves, io9 Staff Reporter:
After finding out that tariffs would impact party supplies right after the closure of Party City locations, I decided to preemptively buy as much as I could for my daughter’s first birthday in August. So I went to Shein for their Strawberry Shortcake collaboration for party favors, and a few other retailers with options in theme for decor. Seeing all the back and forth with online shops right now with raised taxes due to tariffs made me glad I planned early, but the uncertainty of where resources will come from is stressful.
Raymond Wong, Gizmodo Senior Editor, Consumer Tech:
Unlike my colleagues, I haven’t jumped the gun and panic-purchased anything yet. But I’m very close to pulling the trigger on a few Game Boy modding kits from FunnyPlaying. The boutique modding shop hasn’t announced any price increases (only that shipping times may take longer) for its popular DIY component swaps (IPS displays, lithium-ion batteries, shell and button replacements). But the fact these parts ship directly from China means they could be subject to up to 145% tariffs. Trump’s administration is reportedly hoping to lower tariffs on Chinese imports to “below 60%,” according to Bloomberg, but who can be sure if and when that might happen? It’s not just third-party Game Boy parts that I fear may become too costly because of tariffs, but any niche DIY hobby, like mechanical keyboard customizations, where it’s often a small operation (if not a single-person one) selling very specific small-batch products, may become too expensive to partake in. The worst-case scenario is that these small businesses become unsustainable and they’re forced to quit altogether, and the products simply disappear overnight—and the vibrant online communities of tinkers with them.
What about you, loyal Gizmodo reader? Have you panic-purchased anything, and why? More than any year, because of the uncertainty of tariffs, it feels like doing your birthday, anniversary, or holiday shopping early is a good idea, and could save you a ton of money.
