Tariffs are back in the headlines—and this time, they’re hitting your gadgets, your luxury goods, and even your childhood toys. In response to a sweeping set of tariff hikes—most notably a 104% increase on Chinese imports—the global market is pushing back. Multiple companies have paused sales or shipments to the U.S. as they try to deal with the uncertainty and cost spikes. From Nintendo’s highly anticipated Switch 2 to Swiss luxury watches and even beloved brands like Tonka and K’nex, the list of affected products is mounting. And while big brands have enough clout to adapt, many small businesses are staring down massive losses—some are even suing the government. As Jay Foreman, CEO of toy maker Basic Fun, put it, “I cannot risk putting any product on the water that might incur [high] tariffs.” Oof.

Here are the key takeaways:

🔹 Nintendo

• Paused U.S. preorders for the upcoming Switch 2.
• Official U.S. release date remains June 5, but pricing may be affected (base price: $450).
• No word yet on when preorders will resume.

🔹 Framework

• Paused U.S. sales on select Laptop 13 configurations (Ultra 5 125H and Ryzen 5 7640U).
• Also put a temporary hold on U.S. preorders for the new Laptop 12.
• Prices could increase due to rising import costs.

🔹 Razer

• Halted nearly all sales of laptops and certain accessories in the U.S.
• Website now only allows “Notify Me” signups for laptops.
• Some third-party vendors may still have stock—at a premium.

🔹 Jaguar Land Rover Automotive

• Stopped shipping vehicles to the U.S. after the administration added a 25% import tax on automobiles.

🔹 Basic Fun

• Known for toys like Lincoln Logs, Care Bears, K’nex, and Tonka Trucks.
• Paused U.S. shipments for products made in China, citing tariff uncertainty.

🔹 Swiss Watchmakers

• Luxury brands like Audemars Piguet, Breitling, and Rolex have paused U.S. shipments.
• This follows a 31% tariff introduced on imported Swiss goods.

🔹 Small Businesses

• Hit especially hard due to limited cash flow and inability to absorb extra costs.
• Sarah Wells Bags was charged an extra $15,000 just to retrieve inventory from customs.
• Emily Ley, founder of Simplified, has filed a lawsuit claiming tariffs will cost her $630,000 this year.

💡 Context:

• New tariffs are part of the Trump administration's broader trade conflict strategy.
• China has retaliated by hiking tariffs on U.S. goods from 34% to 84%.
• This has led to a volatile and highly unpredictable business climate, with more companies likely to pause U.S. operations as the situation unfolds.

🎧 Stay tuned—this story’s not going anywhere, and we’ll keep you updated as it develops.
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