Liberation day - US Vapes

oddjobold

oddjobold

Vape swap shop
A question for those not in the US. Liberation day is upon us, and tariffs have been applied around the world.

Do you feel any different about buying US Vapes?
Will it make you think twice about buying a US vape?
Will you be hit with increased prices due to reciprocal tariffs?

Or will all of this make no difference to you at all?

Hope we can have a civilised conversation about this subject and keep it nice.
 
oddjobold,
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Perfect_Speed4069

Perfect_Speed4069

I am the beetle in a box that only you can see
I'm pleased there's such a wide variety of manual vapes produced outside the US tbh, so aside from @TRWW products, I'm not sure this will affect me that much in the UK.

In a broader note, I'm not at all sure this is the best way of dealing with the enormous volume of Chinese held US Treasury Bonds, but my understanding of economics and the Trump administration's are somewhat divergent.
 
Pangolin 6

Pangolin 6

Active Member
Well my first vapey loves were both from the US: The MLFB (100% USAian afaik) and later the Firefly 2 (designed/headquartered in Cali). I imagine that is true for quite a few peeps.

I wouldn't and don't feel the need to boycott the type of small business that makes artisan vapes and accessories. (I actually particularly approve of the type of business that is not aiming to make millions (or be bought out for millions) but to provide a service for vapers (or whoever) and a good income for the people who work to provide that service)

The only US vape I am really interested in currently is the FATX. Regarding that I'll wait and see how the tariffs are implemented. It is possible packages under a certain value may be exempt. Even still if I am in the position to absorb any additional charges I may go ahead and buy that but we'll see. If I don't it won't be as a boycott.

Other than that honestly the vapes I have interest in are european which is great as I would prefer to support as local as possible. This has nothing to do with the current international turmoil caused by the Mandarin King but is my philosophy generally: if I can buy locally I do, if not I try to keep as local as possible so if I can keep it within EU I will. And I feel quite lucky to have such desirable device made in europe as the TM2, Vapman, Couchlog, Musa etc.

To illustrate my feelings I would say this: I look at the classifieds often and usually dismiss the listings from North America because it seems wasteful to buy from across the Atlantic what I could buy here even if the price is good and the seller is willing to ship. For example there were some vapman for sale recently, I think from Canada, I was interested but thought why would I buy something that originated in Italy and travelled to North American and have it travel back when I could get one from Europe instead? That vapman went to North America, it is now there for people in North America to enjoy so I shouldn't get in their way!
 
dimildarko

dimildarko

Well-Known Member
Pangolin 6 said:
To illustrate my feelings I would say this: I look at the classifieds often and usually dismiss the listings from North America because it seems wasteful to buy from across the Atlantic what I could buy here even if the price is good and the seller is willing to ship. For example there were some vapman for sale recently, I think from Canada, I was interested but thought why would I buy something that originated in Italy and travelled to North American and have it travel back when I could get one from Europe instead? That vapman went to North America, it is now there for people in North America to enjoy so I shouldn't get in their way!
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Wish more folks thought like this, great wisdom here.
 
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chillAtGVC

Well-Known Member
I am in Canada. I don't feel any different about buying US vapes or really anything from the US. As long as De Minimus is in effect (for Canada, what the US does is irrelevant for packages coming into Canada), it won't affect what I buy as long as it is below that level.

The US has cancelled De Minimus for products coming from China but I am not confident that will last. The sheer volume compared to the tariffs collectable will probably bring it back, though at perhaps less than US$800. Somewhere between $1 and $800 there is a point where collecting the tariff costs more than the tariff amount.

Edit: looked it up and "Duties apply to imports over C$150, while taxes kick in at just C$40". So Canada is a lot less generous with De Minimus levels than the US. That does not change anything for me, but I am more likely to buy US items on a visit to my friends in the US and bring them back with my tax/duty free allowance.
 
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oddjobold

oddjobold

Vape swap shop
Being in the UK, so much of what we spend our money on is from America or via America. Not spending on American goods or services is impossible.

However as I see it, counter tariffs will only work if your one of the big players like the EU or China. Your big enough to weather the storm of inflation to a certain degree.

The governments of smaller countries don't have a lot of options. However consumers switching from American goods will have some effect.

I cancelled my Amazon Prime for a start.

In regards to vapes, I need to restrain my VAS anyway. I am not saying I won't buy American. If something really amazing comes out by an American manufacturer, I am up for it. But I will think twice and I'll think is there a UK or EU alternative.

P.S. I ordered my Ceramo pre tarrifs :-)
 
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Flotsam

Flotsam

Well-Known Member
oddjobold said:
Being in the UK, so much of what we spend our money on is from America or via America. Not spending on American goods or services is impossible.

However as I see it, counter tariffs will only work if your one of the big players like the EU or China. Your big enough to weather the storm of inflation to a certain degree.

The governments of smaller countries don't have a lot of options. However consumers switching from American goods will have some effect.

I cancelled my Amazon Prime for a start.

In regards to vapes, I need to restrain my VAS anyway. I am not saying I won't buy American. If something really amazing comes out by an American manufacturer, I am up for it. But I will think twice and I'll think is there a UK or EU alternative.

P.S. I ordered my Ceramo pre tarrifs :-)
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Then again you could support companies that design and manufacture in your country. In the case of UK the one that intrigues me the most is Nectar Hex. I particular like their grinding/assembly line processing of cannabis. and a gold chamber as well. Cool design.

I ended up getting a US market POTV Lobo instead primarily since it is a reasonable 420 price and i shouldn't have to worry about a shortage of parts or anything. But i really like to see what comes out of every different countries because then you get a good range of design options. Someday that Nectar Hex will be mine !!

This trade war stuff is just plain STUPID! I was up in Canada last week and amazed at the response towards the US. Getting BOOED at hockey games LOL . The liquor stores were completely devoid of US whisky and other spirits and so were pretty empty. It is hurting Kentucky so bad and now both Republican senators want these tariffs stopped immediately. What did anyone expect from the Guy who is a convicted rapist and went bankrupt w his personal company 8 times!
 
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zeebudz

Well-Known Member
Flotsam said:
Then again you could support companies that design and manufacture in your country. In the case of UK the one that intrigues me the most is Nectar Hex. I particular like their grinding/assembly line processing of cannabis. and a gold chamber as well. Cool design.

I ended up getting a US market POTV Lobo instead primarily since it is a reasonable 420 price and i shouldn't have to worry about a shortage of parts or anything. But i really like to see what comes out of every different countries because then you get a good range of design options. Someday that Nectar Hex will be mine !!

This trade war stuff is just plain STUPID! I was up in Canada last week and amazed at the response towards the US. Getting BOOED at hockey games LOL . The liquor stores were completely devoid of US whisky and other spirits and so were pretty empty. It is hurting Kentucky so bad and now both Republican senators want these tariffs stopped immediately. What did anyone expect from the Guy who is a convicted rapist and went bankrupt w his personal company 8 times!
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Now look at Harley Davidson. They are hurting and know it's going to get way worse, and the CEO is complaining about "being discriminated against and politically targeted by the EU and Canada". On top of it, it's American assembled but "brakes and clutch are imported from Italy, the engine pistons are made in Austria, the bike suspension comes from Japan, and other electronic components originate in Mexico and China" so their prices will be going up as demand goes down. (Same thing, but way worse, for Telsa)

Amazing how much global damage one person can do. And that's just on the economic side.
 
2tiki

2tiki

Well-Known Member
I will not stand here while you people disparage the current president of the USA!

I will sit, and fill my vape while you do it. 🤣

Because there's no way I'm facing reality, while he's in power, without something to fight the anxiety. I had taken a break from THC for 7 years, and started right back up again as soon it was announced in 2016 that he was going to be in office the first time because it was obvious to me what he would be up to.

2 of the countries I've always wanted to move to are Canada and Australia. I love many of the people I've met in the US who were from those countries, and I love the arts, and entertainment, senses of humor in those countries. And the fascist has severely damaged our once friendly relationships.

Since I'm "trapped" in the US, I'm assuming that this will lead to much higher prices for everything, including vapes, for me.

Hopefully, at least the rest of the world will eventually understand that at least half the country didn't vote for him, and are not at all ok with what he is doing. Just like I don't assume every Russian citizen approves of what Vlad is doing. Though there are obviously a sizable portion of people in this country that want anger, hate, and greed to control the government.
 
florduh

florduh

Well-Known Member
Perfect_Speed4069 said:
A couple of years ago I watched a fan edit of Star Wars in YouTube that focused mainly on the trade wars sub plot. Ho ho said my GenX peers to one another.

I just looked for it now, and it looks like it's been taken down, but thankfully one of the ho-hoers of yesteryear has remembered the key takeaways
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Perfect_Speed4069

Perfect_Speed4069

I am the beetle in a box that only you can see
2tiki said:
I don't assume every Russian citizen approves of what Vlad is doing.
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Solidarity friend. And solidarity with anyone whose government/popular imagination has been captured by unhinged criminal imperialists (Israeli, Russian inter alia). Like all bad trips, keep hydrated, sit with someone you trust, and try to avoid staring into mirrors. It'll pass.
 
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Pachena

Well-Known Member
oddjobold said:
Do you feel any different about buying US Vapes?
Will it make you think twice about buying a US vape?
Will you be hit with increased prices due to reciprocal tariffs?
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Until recently (like my whole life, and I’m retired!), I viewed “made in the USA” as a good thing. I live very close to the USA border and the round trip to pick up a package (at my USA box) was easily under an hour (including border crossings!).

No longer.

All our purchases now involve looking at where the product is made/sold, as we try and avoid anything US made. Spend more times looking at labels, for sure. Grocery stores are making it easier (previous shoppers were putting the US products back on the shelf upside down — but now stores have clear signage indicating products originating in Canada). Doesn’t help with me prioritizing other countries over USA, but it’s a start.

I will/would use a similar philosophy for ALL my purchases (including vapes, etc). We are currently actively avoiding anything USA made/supplied, if at all possible.

Trying to apply the same rules as all my other purchases (Including vapes).

Am I happy about it? Not at all.

Reciprocal tariffs would be VERY welcome by me.

Do I feel bad about boycotting some great US businesses? Absolutely. But we didn’t start this fiasco.

Elbows up, eh?
 
florduh

florduh

Well-Known Member
I’ve been exchanging currency for weed at my dispensary for years. But they’ve been ripping me off, because they refuse to buy an equal amount of tomatoes from me. So now I’m burning the dispensary down. It’s called being a business genius :shrug:
 
TigoleBitties

TigoleBitties

Big and Bouncy
florduh said:
I’ve been exchanging currency for weed at my dispensary for years. But they’ve been ripping me off, because they refuse to buy an equal amount of tomatoes from me. So now I’m burning the dispensary down. It’s called being a business genius :shrug:
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I have a massive personal trade deficit with my dentist so I'm going to start charging myself 40% more for all procedures until I learn how to domestically drill my own teeth.

https://www.threads.net/@alexfalcon...icit-with-my-dentist-so-im-going-to-start-cha
 
RogueGuy

RogueGuy

Well-Known Member
Accessory Maker
I have been buying in bulk to avoid the tariffs, but eventually I will run out and need to restock. I'm hoping that by that time, common sense will prevail, and the tariffs will be dialed back and de minimis will be reinstated. Otherwise, I have no other choice than to pass the cost increases directly to the consumer. One way I have saved money is ordering less merchandise, more often, so that my orders are under $800. Not possible now.
 
olysh pops

olysh pops

Well-Known Member
I live in Europe, I love buying vapes (MFLB, Supreme, Lotus, Phase3, TRWW) and glass (THG, Cloud Connaisseur, Gooroo) made in US, it makes me dream. It's only the price that might change my mind. At the moment, prices are stable, but if vape prices go up and Europe imposes taxes, it's obvious that I'll buy less often. Sad.
On both sides of the ocean (even more so on the European side, where prohibition is still quite strong), Liberation Day is likely to create a drop in the number of customers and a drop in both research and production on vapes and glass, in my opinion.
 
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bellona0544

Well-Known Member
Flotsam said:
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They HAVEN'T lost billions, though. Their billions are in assets that are NEVER real until they cash out and actually sell shares. Instead, they all are sitting on HUGE piles of cash so they can buy up a bunch of assets on the cheap. Then, when markets recover, they have even MORE shares than before, and can get even MORE ludicrous loans with obscenely low interest rates that they pay back with dividends, so they never actually LOSE any money.

Market crashes are the best possible thing that can happen for rich people. It is only the poor who have had their retirement futures tied to the stock market that see meaningful losses from market crashes, because they are the only ones who ever have to sell large portions of their portfolios for cash. Musk and Zuckerberg and Tim Apple *do not care* about crashes or "losing billions" when markets are down.

The one exception in this case *was* Musk who needed to keep Tesla's share price above a certain threshold or else the loans he used to buy Twitter will be called in, since those lines of credit are all based on his assets, and the bank will call in a loan if the asset prices drop and they're concerned they can't get repaid. (Wasn't that the plot of the first episode of Succession?) Musk recently sold Twitter to himself again, though this time it was an all-stock deal (plus debt), meaning he offloaded his own personal risk (which was only like $10 billion if I recall right). Now, since xAI technically owns Twitter, Musk probably restructured the credit agreements so it isn't as based on Tesla's share price and is instead based on other, private assets of his--like his rocket company, which is real convenient for him to own considering the rate the president is blowing through missiles in Yemen. There's something symbolic about Nazi rocket scientists moving from missiles to space exploration in the last century and Nazi rocket company owners moving from space exploration to missiles in this one. Like a Nazi rocket space missile ouroboros.

RogueGuy said:
I have been buying in bulk to avoid the tariffs, but eventually I will run out and need to restock. I'm hoping that by that time, common sense will prevail, and the tariffs will be dialed back and de minimis will be reinstated. Otherwise, I have no other choice than to pass the cost increases directly to the consumer. One way I have saved money is ordering less merchandise, more often, so that my orders are under $800. Not possible now.
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Out of curiosity, does hope mean you believe it is likely, or are you hoping despite the fact that you recognize it is very unlikely for these tariffs to go away or for the world to avoid recession?
 
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Perfect_Speed4069

Perfect_Speed4069

I am the beetle in a box that only you can see
Principal Guy said:
Fuck trump, I hate him
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The most productive way to counter MAGA/tariffs is by building beyond the short sighted/misdirected resentment encouraged by the super-rich.

Let's remember what really matters: kindness, reciprocity, fairness and ultimately trust. Not everyone is out to fuck us over, despite what those in charge would have us believe.
 
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