Selling in Unprecedented Times

August 27th, 2025

With the rise of American Tariffs, counter-tariffs, and certain countries closing shipping to the United States, business as an artist has become rockier than ever. US clientele is often essential for sellers both local and international, and a good portion of convention spaces and hosting sites are based in the US.

We currently live in nerve-wracking, uncertain times - and it’s okay (more than okay, in fact) to be nervous. Sands are constantly shifting, and it’s difficult for vendors (including myself) to know what exactly to aim for when it comes to keeping our business alive. How can we be certain we’ll be able to stay in business when a large part of our audience and supply chain is cut off?

While I do not have expertise on politics or tariff policies, I wanted to share some information for fellow vendors and artists as things grow more and more uncertain. I hope that in some ways this may provide some comfort and preparedness in the current hour. Just be aware that things may change, and it’s important to remain well-informed and to keep your finger on the pulse of current goings-on.

Why are countries suspending shipping to the United States?

As of 8/27/2025, multiple countries have announced they are suspending shipments indefinitely to the US via their national postal services. This includes services such as DHL, which is one of the primary shipping services a lot of manufacturers and indie artists alike use for international shipping.

The reason for this suspension is a counter-measure against the United States’ removal of De Minimis, a policy which was intended to ensure that packages heading to US Businesses under an $800 value would not receive additional fees and taxes. This was a crucial exemption for a lot of small businesses, as every penny counts when it comes to manufacturing and the cost of running a small business.

Unlike larger companies such as Amazon or Walmart, a majority of small businesses rarely make enough in their net margins to afford this additional cost. An increased cost of getting the materials from an international supplier to the US (aka a higher cost of manufacturing/shipping) means a higher cost of the product for small businesses to make ends meet. So to simplify it: Losing De Minimis = Higher Product Costs, and due to the US’s already shaky economic state, less sales and more small businesses going out of business.

This is, well, obviously bad. It makes it essential for American consumers to stop ordering from small businesses (local and international), and is more likely to incentivize them to turn to larger corporations with cheaper shipping or otherwise cheaper goods. This means that a majority of the money that would have gone to supporting individuals ends up going to larger corporations and investors, including companies like Amazon who have negative environmental impact and treat their workers poorly.

You might be reading this and asking yourself:

Why are small businesses so important?

In the era of convenience and cheap products, small businesses are as essential as ever. For one, a good portion of smaller businesses have the benefit of reduced waste and environmental impact due to how their business operates. We don’t often require large facilities that guzzle tons of electricity or water to function.

Additionally, a lot of small businesses/indie artists often provide content that isn’t regulated or otherwise throttled by a board of investors. A large reason why a lot of indie games have become more and more popular is because they aren’t required to meet certain quotas or check certain boxes off in order to please investors. Indie artists in general get to create works that may be more thought-provoking or otherwise less “sanitized” compared to what’s often approved in larger companies. For instance in the animation industry, a lot of concepts and ideas end up on the chopping block due to mass marketing appeal, or due to the fact that said company is required to appeal to companies with greater restrictions regarding what can and can’t be shown in a film.

Lastly, small businesses are often an essential means of earning income for those with disabilities such as myself. Disability (both visible and invisible) can impact one’s ability to work a “regular” job. Some members of the disability community may need to take a day off unexpectedly, or rest more one particular day in order to function more. This can be difficult or impossible to work around with traditionally scheduled jobs, where pushing oneself too far leads to further health impacts and reduced productivity.

Ensuring that small businesses are able to continue producing and thriving is essential to both supporting people, but also reducing corporate monopolies. Monopolies can lead to cuts, damage to packages, or straight up lower-quality results. A small business doesn’t have the benefit of doing so, as one lost customer can mean a lot for their reputation or business as a whole. It takes a lot to win a customer back once they’re gone, so it’s important for us to keep as high a standard as possible when doing our work.

So, what do I do about my business in this time?

While I know a majority of my audience is American, I want to ensure this article helps folks on both sides of the coin. This isn’t an American Vendors vs International Vendors issue, we all get screwed over by what’s ultimately a very predatory policy. We are all losing business due to this, so it’s important to continue supporting each other where we can.

So, I’m going to start with some general suggestions, and give some more specific information after this.

Start Crowdfunding

No, I don’t mean start a GoFundMe to save your business (though if you are in dire straits, I wish you the best of luck). In our current economic state, a majority of people can’t always afford to buy full-priced goods. A lot of us are living paycheck to paycheck, or might only have a little bit of money to spare.

Regardless of whether you’re offering physical or digital goods, when you’re running a business it’s essential to have a form of passive income through websites such as Patreon, Ko-Fi, or Subscribestar to help supplement your income. People will pay for things such as early-access, behind the scenes content, special perks, or just to support you! You can also offer discounts to loyal customers who support you through these platforms (though please make sure that you’re earning more rather than losing money through these discounts).

While it isn’t ideal by any means, a lot of people are more likely going to be able to afford a $5 subscription to a content creator they like over buying a $100 commission every month. The more time and work you put into it, the more people who will find your work and support you. Having 10 people supporting you at $5 a month is an extra $50 in the bank, and so long as you balance your workload properly, it can be a good way to earn money when sales are tight.

Be prepared to Shift Paths

One of the greatest factors to success anywhere is resilience and flexibility. A lot of creators who make physical merch usually start as an artist or artisan of some form, and whether you’re making the design and having it manufactured elsewhere, or you’re making everything yourself - the odds are you have skills that you’ve picked up over time.

The unfortunate truth is, making and selling merchandise internationally is going to be very, very hard over the next while. As such, it’s important to start putting your eggs into a few other baskets in case a day comes where we can no longer manufacture or ship international merchandise. As a few examples, plush and fursuit makers often offer digital patterns for sale. Merch creators may offer digital alternatives to their content that can be purchased online at a cheaper price, or find something else to fill the space that’s equally appealing.

It’s neither ideal nor desirable to have to possibly pick up a new skill or change from what you enjoy. I know for me, I really enjoy the process of making tactile merchandise such as pins or things based around fabric/stationary. However, when one iceberg is rotating in the water, it’s important to swim to the next one until the old iceberg is safe to climb on again.

Have a Backup Plan Ready

This is going to be the hardest pill to swallow, but especially for those whose businesses aren’t as stable/regular - you may need to be prepared to close up shop temporarily until conditions are improved. Be ready to find another form of income to either supplement your business or cover your own expenses in the event you are unable to afford to continue selling, or legislation makes it impossible for your content/merchandise to be accessed by your audience.

To put it simply, this legislation is outright infuriating for a lot of us, and it’s not something we chose to have come about. However, surviving and making it through this is a rebellion in its own. If you can make it through to create another day, it’s a greater victory than many expect.

What should US Artisans Do?

While it might seem like we aren’t as impacted at the moment, a lack of shipping to the United States means packages won’t be returned if something goes wrong, at least in a timely manner. Several artists have experienced unexpected taxes or tariffs with packages being returned to them, either due to the fact that it couldn’t make it to the destination, or a parcel ended up getting trapped at customs.

If another country isn’t shipping to our country, that means your hard work could very likely get trapped either in a post office somewhere overseas, or worse - discarded after a time.

If you feel it is essential, it may be advisable to suspend shipping to international countries until this current legislation has been reversed, or in the very least communicate with your international clientele about the current situation and make them aware of the risks. Though we as business owners are highly aware of the circumstances (as we are directly impacted by them), not everyone ordering may know about the current political circumstances directing the market.

Additionally, it is highly important that you continue to remain informed about international shipping policies with other countries. Some countries may decide to suspend accepting US packages altogether, or may charge you or the client additional fees as a form of retaliation against the current tax policies. Keep your ear to the ground, and be prepared for sudden changes (positive and negative).

What about manufacturers? I get my product from overseas…

It’s an unfortunate case that a lot of countries where products are manufactured are being taxed. Artists here in America often rely on international manufacturers for items such as enamel pins and other bulk-manufactured objects that require dedicated facilities.

The choice to use an international manufacturer is not only due to the overall cost, but also the quality of the object. It’s an unfortunate case that American-manufactured goods aren’t always as high quality as certain goods made in Japan just as an example, and we often end up paying more for them due to the cost of labor.

Step one is to make sure that your manufacturer is still able to ship to you before ordering. Things like enamel and acrylic pins are an expensive and time-consuming endeavor, so you want to make sure your package can actually reach you by the time it’s going to be sent your way. If they can still ship to you and you can afford the costs of the tariffs, you’re in the green! (Assuming current policy doesn’t change). Alternatively, you can look into manufacturers from other countries that haven’t implemented the suspension - though bear in mind it’s possible for them to change their mind.

Depending on what you’re manufacturing (and you have the space/health to do so), it may be advisable to invest in some of the equipment to start making the merchandise on your own. This isn’t applicable to everyone by any means, but for instance if your primary business is DT Film shirts - you may be able to save money by setting up a DT printer in your workshop over having to pay the tariffs over time.

Depending on the type of merchandise, offer INTL clients an alternative means of receiving their merchandise (if you’re willing to do so).

While this isn’t ideal by any means, if you have a large international client base, you may want to consider offering them an alternative to acquire your merchandise in the interim so you can continue to make your earnings. For instance if you are selling badges and cannot ship to them directly, you may be able to send them digital copies that they can print and laminate on their own.

Print-on-Demand Services may also offer multiple manufacturing sites closer to your clients. While Print-On-Demand options aren’t ideal (for a multitude of reasons), you may be able to use their discounted sample service to ship directly from their international manufacturer to the client’s location without having to have the object in your hands directly.

Ultimately make sure what you’re doing isn’t putting you in the red financially.

What should International Artisans Do?

Unfortunately, this is where things get a little complicated due to just how many countries are being affected. In my respective fandoms/communities, a lot of international sellers have been effectively screwed over due to a lack of safe access to American conventions, and now an inability to ship to our country. A lot of artisans have had significant blows to their sales due to having a largely American audience.

As of August 2025, it is currently inadvisable to travel to the United States for a multitude of reasons. Vending at and traveling to conventions is incredibly risky for anyone coming over the border regardless of legal status. However, I’ve done my best to compile some options for y’all in the meantime in hopes that things will change in the near future.

Consider Business Partnerships

If your company is highly reliant on American clientele, you may want to consider finding an American business partner to help you continue your business via local manufacturing and shipping. This is a BIG step on multiple levels, because it not only involves managing a whole new set of tax information, paychecks, and income - but it also means you’ll need to split income with your business partner. As such, this is only really ideal if your business is big enough to consider doing so.

If you are unwilling to start a “branch” as it were, you can also speak to an American business owner to see if they’d be willing to offer your designs in exchange for a margin of the profits. Be careful when doing this, and make the guidelines of what can/cannot be sold/recreated very clear. It is highly advised to write up a contract and have the agreement in writing and signed in the event a legal battle does have to occur. You’re better off doing this with someone you trust won’t steal your designs or claim them as their own.

Bear in mind if you’re planning on starting an American branch of your business, you’ll need to find American Manufacturers to create your merchandise, a place to store your goods, and someone to manage packaging, shipments, and any issues regarding returns. You’d essentially be running a miniature version of your business acting as someone else’s boss, which can be a lot for those who are more experienced with doing everything themselves.

Look into Print-On-Demand services hosted in America

Again, this is not an ideal way by any means - however if you are on the smaller end and are more just looking to have your merchandise available to American audiences without relying on them for sole income, you may consider using Print-On-Demand such as Spring (formerly Teespring) in the interim. It is advised against to use platforms such as Redbubble due to their increasing cuts from their artists, find a platform that pays you what you’re worth.

The nice thing about Print-On-Demand is you don’t have to worry about managing the inventory or shipping it, you just upload the design and the company takes care of the manufacturing for you. Unfortunately the company itself takes a majority of the profits, since they are in turn doing most of the labor. American printing services in general are just more expensive due to our cost of labor, so be aware of this when listing your products.

Find alternative means for American Audiences to Support You

Similar to the US Artisan section, offering American audiences alternatives in the interim to receive merchandise (or find a way of getting it themselves) is advisable to help keep yourself afloat in these current times. This is most applicable when it comes to unique objects that aren’t mass manufactured, such as personalized prints, character badges, and graphic design.

You may consider selling a digital version of a design for “Personal Use Only” - wherein the buyer has essentially paid for the right to go and get the design printed on merch in their own country under the agreement that they cannot re-sell it or use it to turn a profit. This is, however, a risky endeavor as it essentially operates on the honor code, and it may open up more trouble than it’s worth.

If you do decide to go with this route, make sure that the digital copy you sell has a watermark, signature, or other option embedded within the print so as to distinguish your copies from stolen copies. It doesn’t have to be super invasive, but even just a signature in the corner and a light noise filter over the image can make it not only difficult for thieves to steal your work, but it also ensure that you have proof that the design was stolen from your shop, and reduces the chances of people being able to impersonate you (as your “original” copies won’t bear the signature).

Conclusion

If you’ve made it to the end of this post, congratulations! It took a good deal of research and a long time to write, but I hope it has provided at least some comfort or ideas on ways to survive the current landscape that is the current commerce scene.

These changes are going to affect all of us negatively, and in these times it’s going to be paramount to support each other in the interest of staying afloat. Collaboration, connection, and even just sharing a fellow artist’s work can make the difference between putting food on the table or not.

Even if none of these solutions work for you, keep your head held high and remember that your work is worth it.

Thank you for reading, I’ll see you in the next post.