Hello everyone, 

As negotiations continue, the tariff situation remains fluid and dynamic. Since May 2025, products imported from China have been subject to a 30% tariff, while products imported from Vietnam have recently seen an increase to a 20% tariff. It is anticipated that these rates will continue for the next couple of months, however, the tariffs continue to be under review by the US Federal Courts and no final rulings have been made. We continue to monitor the situation and will provide updates as we learn more.

We are grateful to you, our valued customer, for your continued support throughout.

Q: Do the recent changes to U.S. de minimis import rules affect my BBTS orders?

A: No. All BBTS orders ship from our U.S. warehouse, so de minimis import rules do not apply.

Q: What are tariffs and how do they affect the toy business?

A: Tariffs are a tax on imported products. For 25 years, BigBadToyStore has operated as a family-owned business under a 0% tariff rate. In the last few months, tariffs were imposed on products imported from nearly every country. These tariff rates have been changing rapidly. Initially set at 10%, they have risen multiple times up to 145% for Chinese goods.  Vietnam is also currently subject to a 10% tariff.  These two countries manufacture 90% of the goods that we sell. Tariffs for both China and Vietnam are in a temporary status and therefore subject to change as negotiations continue.

Foreign governments do NOT pay these tariffs. The US based companies who import these goods are directly responsible for paying the tariffs. Some or all of these costs are then passed on to retailers.  Ultimately, the US based consumer pays for the tariffs through higher product prices.

Q: How will these tariffs affect product prices?

A: The tariffs apply to all products imported from affected countries. This includes virtually all new and open pre-orders. Products already in our inventory prior to the tariff (“in-stock”) are not affected, although any additional product we bring into our in-stock inventory could be. 

Unfortunately, the magnitude of these tariffs are forcing us to increase retail prices on affected products. We are working hard to minimize these increases through negotiation with vendors and optimizing our import processes. 

Q: How will the tariffs affect pre-order release dates?

A: Due to the high tariff level and uncertainty around how long these tariffs will remain, many vendors have been delaying production and/or shipments of pre-ordered items, including BBTS. With the temporary decrease in tariff, we are working quickly to get products moving again through efforts with our vendors and shippers. We recognize the impact that delays cause, and it is our goal to get items to our collectors as quickly as possible. This is a fluid situation, and we will do our best to communicate timing updates as we have them.

Q: Can I cancel my pre-order if I don’t want to pay the additional tariff?

A: Yes, customers have the option to cancel pre-orders if you choose not to proceed with the tariff surcharge. Customers will be notified of the final price including tariff surcharge before their payment is processed and will have the opportunity to cancel their order at that time. Customer Service will be happy to assist with refunding any deposits already paid upon request.

Q: If I have already paid for an item in my Pile of Loot, will I be charged an additional tariff?

A: No, we will never add an additional tariff surcharge to an item you have already paid for. When shipping items from the Pile of Loot, the standard shipping and sales tax (if applicable) will be collected at the time a shipment is created.  

Q: Can items be held in the Pile of Loot for longer than 90 days in case the tariffs change again?

A: While we try to remain as accommodating as possible for our customers, we are unable to hold items in the Pile of Loot for longer than 90 days. We appreciate your understanding as we continue to receive new products daily and have limited space available in our warehouse.

Q: Will there be any additional tariff surcharges on in-stock items?

A: No. In-stock products will not have an additional tariff surcharge added to the price listed. In some cases, where there was a tariff surcharge on the item, it will be included in the price listed.

Q: What happens if tariffs are reduced or removed in the future?

A: If tariffs decrease or are eliminated, we will reduce or remove the tariff surcharges on impacted orders accordingly.

Our pledge to you is that we will be fair, and we will share the pain of this. Thank you for the trust and loyalty that you have placed in BBTS with your collecting passion.

Q: Why might a tariff surcharge differ for the same item when the tariff rate is the same for everyone?

A: There are two reasons why tariff surcharges could differ for the same item:

• First, when the initial 10% tariffs were announced earlier this year, we let our customers know that we would not apply the 10% tariff to any pre-orders placed prior to the tariff announcement.  On April 9th, the tariffs rapidly increased to dramatically higher levels, and we could no longer absorb the full tariff amount.  Since that time, we have done our best to honor that early tariff level commitment by applying a reduced tariff surcharge for pre-orders placed on or before April 9th.  Pre-orders or in-stock orders for the same item placed after April 9th have our standard tariff surcharge applied.  This is the most likely reason a person might hear of two different tariff surcharges applied for the same product.
• Second, because tariff levels in 2025 are changing rapidly and with little warning, the tariff for the same product may be different depending on when that product was shipped from its country of origin.  For example, a product that initially had a 10% tariff applied could have been re-stocked, with the new inventory arriving with a 30% tariff or higher.  While this scenario is less common, it is something that could happen over time as tariff levels shift for different countries at different times.  We are working hard to minimize price increases through negotiation with vendors and optimizing our import processes.