US lowers tariffs, but retro gamers are still getting a raw deal (Update)

Update, May 13, 2025 (5:30 AM ET): The situation remains volatile, as the Trump administration revealed that smaller shipments are excluded from the new trade agreement (via Axios). That means that orders previously duty-free due to the de minimis exemption were subject to a higher 120% rate.

However, another executive order was issued late on Monday, reducing that rate to 54% or $100 per postal item. This is still significantly higher than the rate on other goods, and it may incentivize companies to open US warehouses or ship goods to middlemen in the US. That would take months, and with no clear indication of what’s next, companies might opt to wait and see how things develop.