When DHL delivered mail to Adafruit Industries last week, it wasn’t a typical invoice but a gut punch: a $36,126.46 customs duty bill that had to be paid within seven days.
The bill comes from Trump’s multi-layered tariffs that can stack up to 170% on certain electronics components. For Adafruit, a company that supplies makers and engineers with specialized electronic parts, this creates a perfect storm.
These components were ordered months ago before tariff changes, can’t be sourced elsewhere due to intellectual property restrictions, and must be paid for immediately — not after sales are made.
Needless to say, most companies aren’t Apple. They don’t have cash reserves, can’t reroute shipping, can’t lawyer/bribe up, can’t afford to lose money for even a month. We’re going to see the first bankruptcies and/or layoffs soon. Shit.