Quote from: Valatar on April 13, 2025, 03:11:23 AMThe common refrain that I have heard is that people hiring illegals pay jack shit with terrible conditions and threaten to get them deported if they complain, and that is basically slavery. 

Quote from: bat on April 13, 2025, 10:55:12 AMIn addition to the abhorrent practice of slavery, IP is not often respected, if you have ever lived in a developing country around China (I have) you will see so many knockoffs of things that sometimes it is difficult to know what is legitimate. They even knockoff pharmaceuticals that are inert sent to countries in Africa where there are people expecting actual medication. Surprise.

Quote from: Anon Adderlan on April 14, 2025, 10:12:19 PMBecause of the weird fee schedules which make China less expensive than the EU and even Canada when it comes to shipping to the US.

Quote from: Habitual Gamer on April 15, 2025, 09:58:43 AM

Quote from: Anon Adderlan on April 14, 2025, 10:12:19 PMBecause of the weird fee schedules which make China less expensive than the EU and even Canada when it comes to shipping to the US.

I have a bunch of White Wolf books from the 90s printed in Canada.  I wonder how long until I start seeing that again in the credits pages of books.

Quote from: Cathode Ray on April 15, 2025, 03:59:19 AM

Quote from: bat on April 13, 2025, 10:55:12 AMIn addition to the abhorrent practice of slavery, IP is not often respected, if you have ever lived in a developing country around China (I have) you will see so many knockoffs of things that sometimes it is difficult to know what is legitimate. They even knockoff pharmaceuticals that are inert sent to countries in Africa where there are people expecting actual medication. Surprise.

This is amusing, because SJ Games, probably the most vocal defender and addict of China and its slave labor, has China making knock-offs of Munchkin, the game that has kept them in business all this time.

Quote from: RI2 on April 12, 2025, 07:12:58 AMSpeaking personally—when I set up and planned the Colonial Gothic Kickstarter, I chose to print in China. Yes, I was aware of the situation. And yes, I felt dirty making that decision. But in the end, it came down to one thing: cost.

So, I sold a piece of my soul for a cheaper print bill.

In retrospect, I should have printed elsewhere. Hell, I should've printed in the United States. But at the time, when you're unsure whether printing will eat into the budget you've set aside for every part of a project, you compromise. You give up something. You gamble.

When it came to tariffs, I always planned for them. I wanted to be prepared, so I built a cushion into the budget in case things got out of hand. Books typically fall under the following Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) subheadings:

• 4901.10.0000 – Single-sheet printed matter
• 4901.99.0010 – Textbooks
• 4901.99.0093 – Other printed books, including brochures and similar materials

Most hardcover books—whether for general reading, education, or gaming (like roleplaying books)—are classified under 4901.99.0093. I could go deeper into this, and explain how Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 gives the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) authority to act on unfair trade practices. But I won't.

With all that in mind, I went ahead and printed in China. From a business perspective, it made sense. From a stress perspective? It spiked everything.

What surprises me is how few people seemed to actually look into tariffs or plan ahead. I did. I wanted to stay nimble, ready to pivot to another country if the U.S. and China entered a full-blown trade war. Still, even then, I took a gamble—because the price per unit I was getting in China fit the budget.

And I've been lucky—so far.

Or have I?

Printed books under HTSUS 4901.99.0093 are currently excluded from Section 301 tariffs, with that exemption extended through May 31, 2025. The other codes—4901.10.0000 and 4901.99.0010—haven't been listed in any of the tariff rounds (Lists 1 through 4A), so they're also clear—for now.

But May 31, 2025, is a ticking time bomb.

Given how things are trending, I have no faith that the exemption will be extended again. And I honestly wonder how many of my fellow publishers are even thinking about this.

As for me? I'm still stressed. Why? Because the books are printed and about to be shipped. According to my printer, it takes 5 to 7 weeks for them to arrive. That puts me uncomfortably close to the May 31 tariff exemption deadline.

Next Kickstarter? I'm printing in the U.S. It's the safer bet—even if the cost of paper and potential tariffs are higher on paper. At least I'll sleep better.