Hi all,
Yesterday (11/26/2025) Black Friday sales began at Player One in China, so I made several purchases totaling about $4K. I bought four new cameras and a filter wheel.
I must have had a severe brain fart at some time because I didn't even think of the tariffs. Am I going to get crushed with tariffs? Anybody know how bad I'm likely to be hit?
Thanks,
Tommy
The tariffs are already factored in before purchase.
That would be a savior!
Tommy Mastro · Nov 26, 2025, 09:39 PM
That would be a savior!
Yeah, most large vendors and manufacturers pre-apply tariff rates to their products, which allows them to control their profit margins more accurately.
When tariff rates increase, vendors and manufacturers are more likely to just increase the prices of the product to offset the tariff increase.
Sometimes companies will opt to not change prices in response to tariffs. Profit margin shrink can offset by increased sales due to competitors increasing pricing, while keeping their own product’s prices the same, although it is only applicable under specific circumstances.
只有当你从中国当地的网站上买产品，然后自己联系货运公司的情况下，才会收到关税影响。如果你从官网直接购买，不会受到任何影响。
They just responded to my inquiry and said I shouldn’t be charged anything because they ship “duty paid”.
Oh man, I may have dodged a huge speeding bullet! Fingers crossed!
Tommy Mastro · Nov 27, 2025, 04:41 AM
They just responded to my inquiry and said I shouldn’t be charged anything because they ship “duty paid”.
Oh man, I may have dodged a huge speeding bullet! Fingers crossed!
Yup. “Duty” is a business term for import/tariff fees.
Enjoy your new equipment! Gotta get myself some new gear soon!
Tommy Mastro · Nov 27, 2025, 04:41 AM
They just responded to my inquiry and said I shouldn’t be charged anything because they ship “duty paid”.
Oh man, I may have dodged a huge speeding bullet! Fingers crossed!
Yup. “Duty” is a business term for import/tariff fees.
Enjoy your new equipment! Gotta get myself some new gear soon!
Tell me about it. I really need to see a Doctor about my addiction. My wife bought me a sweater that says, “It’s not hoarding if it’s astronomy equipment”!
Tommy Mastro · Nov 27, 2025, 04:42 PM
Tommy Mastro · Nov 27, 2025, 04:41 AM
They just responded to my inquiry and said I shouldn’t be charged anything because they ship “duty paid”.
Oh man, I may have dodged a huge speeding bullet! Fingers crossed!
Yup. “Duty” is a business term for import/tariff fees.
Enjoy your new equipment! Gotta get myself some new gear soon!Tell me about it. I really need to see a Doctor about my addiction. My wife bought me a sweater that says, “It’s not hoarding if it’s astronomy equipment”!
Need to get myself one of those! And… More gear…!
Attention, Player One on the website specifies that prices exclude customs taxes:
“The price on our website without tax.
Please note that buyers are liable to charge tax involved, such as Import tax, VAT, customs handling fee, etc.
Those fees possibly will be collected at the time of delivery by courier.
Better to inform yourself well before buying to avoid unpleasant surprises!
Like Tommy mentioned above, Player One ships DDP incoterms which means the Seller is responsible for import entry, duties, and taxes.
Tommy, do you think you’ll receive it before their end of the year?
Please keep us posted with the final outcome.
Thanks!
My packages arrived today. No Tariffs or taxes of any kind were levied. I only paid for the products (with free shipping).
I hope it remains that way for you. A couple of months ago, I ordered a reducer from TS Optics in Germany. A couple of weeks after the item arrived, I received a bill from FedEx for the duty.
Tommy Mastro · Nov 26, 2025, 09:24 PM
Hi all,
Yesterday (11/26/2025) Black Friday sales began at Player One in China, so I made several purchases totaling about $4K. I bought four new cameras and a filter wheel.
I must have had a severe brain fart at some time because I didn't even think of the tariffs. Am I going to get crushed with tariffs? Anybody know how bad I'm likely to be hit?
Thanks,
Tommy
shouldnt have any effect on you unless it stated you pay the tariff, it’s not the big deal the media made of it.
David DeShan · Dec 5, 2025 at 09:43 PM
I hope it remains that way for you. A couple of months ago, I ordered a reducer from TS Optics in Germany. A couple of weeks after the item arrived, I received a bill from FedEx for the duty.
What is their plan for getting my money once I have the goods in my possession?
Tommy Mastro · Dec 6, 2025, 06:56 AM
David DeShan · Dec 5, 2025 at 09:43 PM
I hope it remains that way for you. A couple of months ago, I ordered a reducer from TS Optics in Germany. A couple of weeks after the item arrived, I received a bill from FedEx for the duty.
What is their plan for getting my money once I have the goods in my possession?
The same happened to me a couple of times; once you accept receipt of he goods, you also accept responsibility to pay for any custom dues which haven’t been settled at the time yet.
Bob Meincke · Dec 6, 2025, 04:45 AM
shouldnt have any effect on you unless it stated you pay the tariff, it’s not the big deal the media made of it.
Being a small or big deal is very subjective.
But it is a fact that for most goods I need to order from Europe, I now end up paying import tariffs - no matter if the sender is paying that on my behalf (DeepSkyDad, for example) or if I need to pay them myself (First Light Optics, for example). China imports are being a bit more subtle about it - the prices went up, but they seldomly mention tariffs.
Tommy Mastro · Dec 6, 2025 at 06:56 AM
David DeShan · Dec 5, 2025 at 09:43 PM
I hope it remains that way for you. A couple of months ago, I ordered a reducer from TS Optics in Germany. A couple of weeks after the item arrived, I received a bill from FedEx for the duty.
What is their plan for getting my money once I have the goods in my possession?
FedEx sent a bill listing the tariffs. There were tariff fees for importing from Germany and tariff fees for manufacturing in China. Overall, on the field flattener, sorry I said reducer, the tariffs came to 55% of the purchase price.
Not China but I had ordered a deep sky dad flat panel and there was a 15% added on tariff to that from Europe as a line item on the invoice. Fortunately, I was able to rearrange my equipment and use one I had from another scope so cancelled the order and avoided the expense altogether. Interestingly, the shipping was added in when they figured the tariff so I would have paid the tariff on the shipping as well.
It is going to be a mess getting money back if the court rules these illegal.