[axiolite]

> tariffs are surely paid by the buyer, not the seller.

The US has declared import tariffs are to be paid by the importer/shipper, not collected from the end purchaser after... The opposite of the rest of the world.

If you look through eBay, at items coming from China, you'll see most are noted as:

  Import fees: Includes import fees
  This item includes applicable import fees—you won’t pay anything extra after checkout."

So they are being paid by the seller/importer/etc.

It seems to be a rare exception that you'll see the seller is not paying the tariffs:

  Import fees: Import fees due prior to delivery
  Due to US customs policies, the buyer of this item will need to pay import fees to the shipping carrier prior to delivery.

[lostlogin]

> It seems to be a rare exception that you'll see the seller is not paying the tariffs

The seller won’t take the hit if that results in a loss. Surely the price just went up to include the tariff?

[axiolite]

I expect nearly all foreign sellers have increased their prices to cover the tariffs. However, there are items selling for less than eBay says an individual will be charged in fees, so it's not just a you-pay-or-I-pay thing. Either eBay is exaggerating, or sellers are finding a way to get a better deal.

It's a minefield for eBay buyers who likely won't notice the footnote means their $5 purchase will cost them $20+ in fees. They now have something else to lookout for that doesn't show up in the table of search results. Something only in a small note on the item's product page. Something that might mean significant extra cost if you aren't careful when shopping.

[tempestn]

I actually expect quite a lot of smaller foreign sellers have just stopped bothering trying to sell to the US, because the price plus the hassle isn't worth it. Large companies of course still will, with some price increase.

[mitthrowaway2]

Maybe, but when I order from Canada I don't see a lower price. So probably we're paying for your tariffs.