Tariffs impact technology, what Kansans should know
TOPEKA (KSNT) - With massive tariffs on China set to take effect Wednesday, April 9 at midnight, everyday items from the foreign country will soon see a steeper price at the checkout counter.
With most parts and pieces coming from outside our borders, the tech sector will be majorly impacted. Prices for the next iPhone, game console, virtually anything with a chip in it are expected to rise following the latest round of tariff implementation. It might be best to maintain or upgrade what you currently have, instead of buying new.
27 News met with a Topeka tech repair company, Ace Computers LLC. The owner, Bret Degand advises to get those repairs sooner than later. As stockpiles for pieces dwindle across the country, the cost you'll see at the register will reflect the new market price. That's extremely relevant with brands like HP and Dell, that primarily don't manufacture their own equipment domestically.
When sourcing for parts, there are options within the country; but Degand said they typically carry a three to four times higher price tag compared to their Chinese counterparts.
“Through some of our vendors already, we’re starting to see prices already bump up when they announced the tariffs even before they went into effect," Degand said. "Luckily with a lot of the vendors that we work with, they have large US distribution centers, so it’s not going to probably affect our prices for probably 30 to 60 days. Hopefully by that point we’re getting closer to where the tariffs might not be as big of an issue.”
In that time, between the tariffs impacting prices and stabilization, you'll want to prepare that wallet. Degand told 27 News once tariffs kick in something that would cost a customer $250 could pass the $400 mark easily.
Degand expects prices from his vendors to see a gradual increase by the end of April.
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