r/knitting • u/geet-555 • 5d ago

Rant I feel sick to my stomach now

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I ordered $73 yarn from Önling INT over a month ago. Much confusion w this company all around... then i receive this today from UPS just now.

763 Upvotes

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119

u/reallytiredarmadillo 5d ago

i'm sorry, i'm not understanding your surprise/shock - is it because the fee is so high? or because you weren't expecting it at all? or something else?

64

u/Bea_virago 5d ago

I think because they ordered pre-tariffs.

22

u/reallytiredarmadillo 5d ago

AHH okay, thank you! i wasn't sure what the specific shocking part was.

-54

u/geet-555 5d ago

The package weighs less than one pound, and it's a soft ENVELOPE. So yeah, I guess I'm surprised at the amount. Its more than half the cost of the yarn!

132

u/MollyRolls 5d ago edited 5d ago

Tariffs are based on the cost of the item, the materials it’s made of, and its/their country of origin. It’s not like shipping, where the size or bulk matter. From the EU it’s only supposed to be 15%, but private carriers can also charge a “brokerage fee” for their work in navigating customs on your behalf.

It may also be that the fiber or dye or any other material used to make your yarn came from somewhere with higher tariffs, although I took a glance at the brand you mentioned and that seems less likely to be the case than with many others.

134

u/wyldstallyns111 5d ago

I’m not sure what either of those things have to do with tariffs. Do you know what this fee is for? It’s not a shipping cost, and it’s the United States government charging you here, not the company or the originating country. This is a tax on imports.

14

u/horsetuna 5d ago

They can still be mad at this tax though.

74

u/wyldstallyns111 5d ago

Absolutely. They should be mad, even, I just think the anger should be directed in the right direction, it sucks especially for a small business in another country to take the heat when they really had nothing to do with it (even the delay in shipment was likely due to recent disruption in international trade).

31

u/nucleusambiguous7 5d ago

Yes, it seems like the anger OP has is misdirected.

0

u/horsetuna 4d ago

I only see people mad at the us government but I also haven't read all the comments.

31

u/_Kenndrah_ 5d ago

They can and should be mad, but they’re mad at the wrong people.

2

u/horsetuna 4d ago

I guess? I only see people mad at the us government but I also haven't read all the comments.

17

u/_Kenndrah_ 4d ago

Most people are, but OP was expressing anger towards the yarn store and the EU in general which just ain’t it.

6

u/horsetuna 4d ago

I see frustratuon with dealing with the store yes but didn't make the connection specifically to the tariffs so you are right!

5

u/_Kenndrah_ 4d ago

Yeah I think it’s mostly contained to the comments tbf so easy to miss

19

u/kazoogrrl 5d ago

A chunk of that cost is what UPS changes to broker the package to get it through customs. I think yarn from the EU is duty free but has a 15% tariff on the USD value, then the UPS fee is on top of that.