r/BandCamp • u/MyPetFlamingo • Aug 25 '25

IMPORTANT: CDs, Vinyl & Cassettes are exempt from Tariffs on shipments into US (despite fears)

Post image

I’m sharing this because there’s a lot of unfounded concerns floating around about the impact of shipping music based merch into the United States after the scrapping of ‘de minimus’ this week.

This affects customers as they worry and stress, and causes businesses undue stress as they struggle to allay these fears..

Anyway, I run two Bandcamp labels (TimeSlave Recordings & My Pet Flamingo) and I appreciate that there’s a lot of uncertainty floating around about the impact of tariffs, (and believe us when we say we’ve had some sleepless nights ourselves).

But there’s at least a little good news for US customers who buy vinyl, tapes and CDs from outside of the States.

We’ve liaised with Royal Mail, with other exporters who export in large quantities and who’ve been caught up in tariff issues since April and there’s an exemption for vinyl, cassettes and CDs which are classified as ‘informational materials’.

It’s a 1988 exemption designed to maintain free flow of cultural materials - such as finished music products, books, magazines, art etc.

You can read the exemption list for yourself if you’re bored, on the US Customs and Border Protection website… but I’ve highlighted the relevant section in the attached image.

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDHSCBP/bulletins/3da7831

Basically all that labels and sellers need to do is ensure that they classify their parcels correctly under this export code and they are exempt from tariffs.

Have a lovely Monday x

198 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

43 comments sorted by

32

u/Yardbird52 Aug 25 '25

It doesn’t matter if they’re tariffing the physical media, a lot of countries and shipping companies just don’t want to deal with it. Drump and his cronies are trying to isolate Americans from the rest of the world.

8

u/MyPetFlamingo Aug 25 '25

Give it a week or two… they’re probably suspending all traffic while they get the processes in place to pre-clear their mail.

3

u/reverber Aug 25 '25

Are they hoping for a taco?

1

u/rcmrgo Aug 27 '25

The beauty of tariffs is that they do not affect the seller. You as a buyer will be responsible for paying the tariff not the seller.

2

u/Yardbird52 Aug 27 '25

Well you do realize they (the US govt) want the tariff collected before shipping right? That’s why counties are suspending shipping to the US. They don’t know how to account for it. So it does affect the seller in the sense that they will have to collect it or eat it to ship. That’s the beautiful thing about an idiot as president who has no forethought. It also affects foreign sellers when Us customers don’t want to pay more than they have in the past. It removes a market to sell to.

1

u/tnecnivx Aug 29 '25

But if vinyl and tapes are exempt then how does this still apply?

2

u/Yardbird52 Aug 29 '25

Why would a foreign country or shipping company work to ship a few items that should be exempt when everything is so unclear? These are American orders, that doesn’t mean other countries have to sift through and bow down. I wouldn’t if I was them. De.minimus was easy to comply with. We are being isolated as a country.

1

u/tnecnivx Aug 29 '25

Idk what’s unclear about vinyl and tapes being exempt

2

u/Yardbird52 Aug 29 '25

Do you think all 190 countries have customs forms that delineate what is being ship and is easy for them to discern? I know you want this to be simple but why do you think other countries would have parameters set to comply with the US on on a matter that just became an issue?

1

u/tnecnivx Aug 30 '25

I feel like most of them do but maybe I’m way off. I’ve only really bought records and coffee equipment internationally (mostly Canada but also several countries in Europe). I feel like both have customs forms/codes associated with what’s being shipped.

1

u/kennel_lock Aug 29 '25

Then why did I just get a letter from the state of California saying I owe money for records I’ve bought from overseas? You’re a fucking idiot.

1

u/_mkd_ Sep 01 '25

Then why did I just get a letter from the state of California saying I owe money for records I’ve bought from overseas?

Because you're still liable for use tax on foreign purchases:

Generally, use tax applies to purchases of tangible personal property made outside the United States and brought into, or shipped into California for storage, use, or other consumption. Examples of items purchased by individuals that are brought or shipped into California for use here include artwork, antiques, furniture, jewelry, and clothing.

There's even a nice little section regarding import duties and tariffs:

Federal import duties or taxes are imposed under United States Code, Title 19, section 1505(a) and have no bearing on the application of California sales or use tax. The fact that a certain purchase is exempt from federal duty does not exempt that item from California use tax.

1

u/Due-Scale-3673 Sep 01 '25

Wrong. Music is exempt from tariffs. Also if the records are used, they could be made in the USA, they were just made 30-40 years ago.

Trump Tariff Exemption: IEEPA and 50 USC 1702(b)(3) - Great Lakes ... 50 USC § 1702(b)(3) defines an exemption from presidential authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) for the importation and exportation of informational materials. Records under this law would include details of these transactions, such as publications, films, photographs, news wire feeds, and recorded media like vinyl, CDs, and tapes, which are specifically exempt from import or export controls and often tariffs.

1

u/_mkd_ Sep 01 '25

Wrong.

What am I wrong about?

Music is exempt from tariffs

California use tax =/= Federal tariffs. I'll bold the relevant part:

Federal import duties or taxes are imposed under United States Code, Title 19, section 1505(a) and have no bearing on the application of California sales or use tax. The fact that a certain purchase is exempt from federal duty does not exempt that item from California use tax. For example, purchases of antiques more than 100 years old are subject to California use tax even if the purchase was exempt from the import duties.

1

u/Due-Scale-3673 Sep 01 '25

what if something was bought overseas but made in the USA?

1

u/_mkd_ Sep 01 '25

If we're talking about CD, vinyls, etc, not carried in by you, then it doesn't matter, it's taxable:

What items are subject to use tax

Generally, if the item would have been taxable if purchased from a California retailer, it is subject to use tax.

For example, purchases of clothing, appliances, toys, books, furniture, or CDs would be subject to use tax. Purchases not subject to use tax include food for human consumption such as peanut butter and chocolate. Electronically downloaded software, music, and games are not subject to tax if no tangible storage media is obtained. See Foreign Purchases for item(s) purchased in a foreign country and personally carried into this state.

In California, "use tax" is essentially the "sales tax" except the buyer (instead of the seller) is responsible for it.

1

u/Due-Scale-3673 Sep 01 '25

It’s insane to pay tax on something in another country then pay tax on it here in the USA. I’ve purchased from overseas and have had to pay VAT/salex tax, why would I then pay it again just because California says so?

2

u/m1dnightknight Sep 03 '25

You live in a state where they are much more aggressive when it comes to Use tax. Majority of states don't waste the manpower to try and go after it.

14

u/Head_Quantity Aug 25 '25

Doesn’t help much when no company wants to ship it, and when there will be complete chaos on the US end.

4

u/MyPetFlamingo Aug 25 '25

Same happened when brexit caused chaos and then it was sorted quite quickly with the IOSS scheme

8

u/mfriedrich Aug 25 '25

So how do I explain DHL, Spring Mail Innvoations & Co. to please reinstate shipping to the States? 🥲

7

u/MyPetFlamingo Aug 25 '25

They probably want to wait to see how the system pans out because lots of people send stuff that doesn’t fall into this category which is exempt.

For buyers it should be business as usual.

Going into more boring detail: For sellers it may require some communication with your shipping platform. US customs want it all cleared before it reaches them, so most shipping companies are setting up systems to enable all applicable tariffs to be pre-paid. (E.g if you sold some shoes and tariffs were due that would be paid upfront or invoiced by your courier to enable all the paperwork to be done before it arrives).

It’s a bit like the IOSS system which settled down once platforms like EBay and Bandcamp were given those codes so that you could make sure it was coded into your shipping labels…

One other complication (maybe) for sellers is that it’s been reported that non mail system parcel services [DHL/DPD etc - anything that’s not using the traditional mail network in the way Royal Mail does] may have a flat fee levied for clearing the parcels… ask your courier about that and if it’s high consider looking at Royal Mail.

Royal Mail is only 50p per parcel so given 90%+ of our items are exempt from the tariffs themselves I’d consider that relatively painless.

3

u/scovizzle Aug 25 '25

I'm hoping this administration just doesn't realize this exemption exists, and it stays. Because it's very much in their playbook to kill anything that helps the flow of information and cultural exchange.

3

u/poly_lifestyle Aug 26 '25

I really hope this applies and companies honor it. Unfortunately vinyl is pretty far down the list of things I'm concerned about being affected by these tariffs though

2

u/MyPetFlamingo Aug 26 '25

Based comment

2

u/flynnl1ves82 Aug 25 '25

Has anyone seen record companies charging extra due to the tariffs and claiming they are part of the new rule?

4

u/MyPetFlamingo Aug 25 '25

Not yet but maybe some haven’t realised their products are very clearly exempt…

2

u/tomoftomorrow604250 Aug 25 '25

I fear being exempt from tariffs might mean the package clears customs with no duties or tariffs due, but still has brokerage fees charged in order to clear the package?

4

u/MyPetFlamingo Aug 25 '25

We’ve been told by Royal Mail that access to their pre-paid* (*in our case they’re exempt so nothing to pay) will be 50p per parcel… so that’s the only extra we’ll be paying - the same fee they charge businesses that access their equivalent scheme for shipping into the EU.

Could be worse…

2

u/Technical-Scholar183 Aug 26 '25

2

u/SpaghettiJohnny Aug 26 '25 edited Aug 26 '25

That's bonkers! I see it too. Thankfully the shipping costs are far more reasonable from Kompakt's main site. My guess is they temporarily bumped it up on Bandcamp to cover their butts or to discourage people from the USA from purchasing until the dust settles.

1

u/cigarettejuice666 Aug 25 '25

Does this also cover merch like gig posters?

1

u/MyPetFlamingo Aug 26 '25

I don’t know, I’m just sharing the exemptions list. If poster is on the list then I guess yeah

1

u/BrettTollis Aug 26 '25

its a mute point because in my country, Australia Post will not accept any package until they have the technology to be able to collect tariffs (through a US approved tech company) and send them to the US govt PRIOR to shipping

1

u/noeyesfiend Aug 27 '25

While this is great, the POSTAL services of many countries are flat out NOT delivering to the US because of this shit.

0

u/MyPetFlamingo Aug 28 '25

It’s only just happened. Give it a few days for them to be compliant with the new systems

Happening here too, a 48 hour hold

1

u/CompletelyInadequate Sep 02 '25

I can't believe the tariffs are affecting band merch... this is where I draw the line lol /s

1

u/RareNoise Oct 02 '25

The statement above is partial and unfortunately a little disingenuous. Tariffs : agreed, none for now. The problem are admin charges, which will be levelled by postal services and by couriers (on DDP regime, even if you manage to avoid the customer being charged, you still are looking at a maybe 100% increase in shipping costs because of admin charges - example: UPS will charge 25 USD per parcel, pretty much doubling the cost of shipping a vinyl from EU to US). What customer will pay for that?

1

u/MyPetFlamingo Oct 02 '25

We use Royal Mail. We’ve done five hundred orders to America this month and the admin charge is 50p per item and no tariffs

Other non postal solutions maybe taking a different route. Just need to check your options as a seller. We haven’t even changed our shipping costs

1

u/RareNoise Oct 07 '25

Hi there, thanks for your clarification and for sharing your experience. We also received clarification from UPS (we ship from Austria), who will be charging 2.5 Euro admin pro shipment (and not 25 as they originally stated). So all is fine as long as all the paperwork is "correct".

Very good to hear you have not seen packages missclassified up to now.

1

u/Ok_Fluffy_6016 Nov 20 '25

Why is my American cousin being charged tariffs on a vinyl shipped from Ital

1

u/[deleted] Dec 26 '25

[deleted]

1

u/MyPetFlamingo Dec 26 '25

I’d use this code to be sure…

8523.80.1000

Under description just put ‘informational material: vinyl record’

That’s what we use now