If you’re a do-it-yourselfer when it comes to fixing your RV, you may price shop when it comes to parts and accessories. With the average American watching their wallets, it’s only a natural. After all, why spend $21 for a trailer breakaway switch from Camping World when you can get one from Amazon for $9.99? But lobbying by the RV industry and manufacturers has had an effect: you may soon see RV parts prices soar.
Loopholes allows smaller shipments into U.S., tariff-free
Part of what makes less-expensive parts deals possible are foreign parts and accessories imports. But to level the playing field, many countries face tariffs when their products are imported to the U.S. A federal rule called the de minimis rule provides what some call a loophole.
The de minimis rule allows goods valued at $800 or less to enter the U.S. without facing tariffs or rigorous inspections. Many in the U.S. manufacturing sector see this as a way that foreign manufacturers can ship competing products into the U.S. while dodging tariffs, thus making U.S.-made goods more expensive.
Lobbying efforts, White House rule could lead RV parts prices to soar
Lower-price RV parts imports are taking advantage of the de minimis rule. The RV Industry Association (RVIA) has been active in lobbying Congress to tighten up on the rule, and slow down imports. While some legislation has been proposed, it hasn’t gotten into law. But now, the White House has moved to write new rules that would shut down the de minimis exemption for many goods imported from China.
While the White House notes it is specifically working to target Chinese exporter Temu, Amazon and other large warehouse firms may also be affected. U.S. media organization More Perfect Union says Amazon takes advantage of de minimis rules this way. “Amazon ships products from China to wait in warehouses just outside the U.S., waits until a customer in the U.S. orders a specific product, and then imports that product directly to that individual consumer, tariff-free.” With the de minimis rule exemption gone, RV parts prices could skyrocket.
RVIA friends will benefit
The RV industry says there are several reasons de minimis exceptions should be wiped out. Their concerns range from support of U.S. manufacturers, to protecting the safety of consumers.
In an article published earlier today, the RVIA made this statement regarding the White House proposal: “For the RV industry, these changes could be significant. With foreign competition rising in sectors such as RV parts and accessories, the stricter enforcement of de minimis rules may help level the playing field for U.S. manufacturers, ensuring that imported products meet the same safety standards and trade regulations as those made domestically. Additionally, cracking down on tariff avoidance can help support American jobs in the RV manufacturing and supply chain, fostering growth in this critical sector of the outdoor recreation economy.”
How will you be affected?
RVers may in some ways see more protection, in terms of having “the same safety standards” as U.S.-made products. At the same time, there will no doubt be a decided increase in the cost of RV parts and accessories. It wouldn’t be surprising to see fewer competing products as well.
Only time will show just how the new rule-making that the RV industry supports will directly affect you. Meanwhile, for some RVers, it may be a good time to plan to spend more for RV repairs or improvements. In the future, RV parts prices could soar.
##RVT1175b
Trump says he wants to impose as much as 100% tariff on foreign manufactured products to incentivize companies to open factories in the USA.
Promoting domestic job creation versus promoting foreign job creation. Seems reasonable to me but what do I know?
Quite true Cancelproof, but don’t overlook that every imported good contains resources of whatever country in which it was produced. Further, it forestalls the use of similar resources within the U. S. Effectively foreign resources are appropriated with each import. Alternately, U.S. resources are appropriated by foreign countries with each good exported. Have a great day, safe travels, and safe stays! 🙂
No doubt Neal. Much more nuanced than a simple net positive or net negetive when discussing the free trade/foreign trade equation. I was merely replying to the “open factories in the USA” part of the comment which is IMHO, always a net positive for US jobs
Back at you on a great day Neal.
Promoting jobs for some Americans versus making all of us pay more. And, since we are near full employment the only way to fill those new jobs will be with more immigrants.
Consumers will pay hefty tarrifs so manufacturers will open more factories so they can charge us higher prices and make higher profits. Progress? I think not
The fact is, I order very few parts from Amazon that are not already warehoused in the United States. Usually when I order repair parts, not only do I need them, I have to be stationary for the shipping time. In fact, that is one reason I rarely buy from Camping World. The part may be in one of their US warehouses, but processing time for CW was abysmal. It might have been faster to have the part shipped directly from China. For Amazon, if the part is already in the US for one vendor, overseas for another, even if it costs a bit more, I’ll pay the extra to get it to me within a few days.
Better order your solar panels now. Prices may go back to 2019 highs.
Thank you, Russ and Tina! 🙂 Curious and curiouser … . Seems RVIA and its member manufacturers are lobbying to cut off their collective nose to spite their collective face. That is, yes, consumers may pay higher prices for parts used to repair or enhance their RVs because they become more likely to buy from the parts department of their manufactur rather than Amazon. However, so, too, will manufacturers pay more when they buy parts used to assemble their RVs. If safety is an issue, then address that as needed rather than through such a potentially perverse lobbying effort. I do wonder sometimes how much thought and how little emotion go into RV executive decision-making. Thanks again, …
… have a great day, safe travels, and safe stays! 🙂
“…rules may help level the playing field for U.S. manufacturers, ensuring that imported products meet the same safety standards…
RVIA…what a joke! I guess they haven’t been keeping tabs on all the safety related recalls for all kinds of issues that the U.S. RV mfgs have had. If those are the standards it is hard to believe mfgs in another country couldn’t do better! Perhaps RVIA should get far more serious about fixing U.S. mfg quality and safety issues first.
Sorry, Mikal. I just noticed your comment was put into Trash by our sometimes-overzealous filter. That’s odd, since it usually just holds a potentially questionable comment in “Pending” for moderation. Anyway, it looks fine to me, so here it is.👍 Have a good night. 😀 –Diane
Didn’t get your filtering software from RVIA, did you? 😉😆
🤣 Maybe that’s the problem.🤔 Have a great day, Mikal. 😀 –Diane
🤣😂
More workaround for corporate greed.
While not fully down for greed being the primary impetus on this JB, I do tend to agree with the premise of your comment. No doubt about it, greed is a part of this equation JB.
Safety and RVIA in the same sentence is an oxymoron.
Yet the RV industry imports these parts and ups the prices for their RV’s made in the good ole USA. The notion of “their concerns for U.S. manufacturers” is BS when their excuse before was supply backlog from overseas.
“Many in the U.S. manufacturing sector see this as a way that foreign manufacturers can ship competing products into the U.S. while dodging tariffs, thus making U.S.-made goods more expensive.” Explain how this makes US made goods more expensive?
It doesn’t make US goods more expensive, it keeps Chinese goods less expensive. Poorly worded.
There are a lot of counterfeit products sold through Amazon. I never buy safety-related products like a breakaway switch from Amazon. Ditto for Harbor Freight.
On the flip side of the coin, some products overseas are not available in the USA. One good example was a tiny hinge pin, with a step-down threaded end, was only available from China, on eBay. This piece was to retrofit modern wiper blades to my old RV.
Second example was a fuel pressure regulator for a 1982 Opel with Bosch 2.2L injection. No seller in the US, or Europe had one. Finally found a seller in China who had 10x available. Bought one, and fixed my customers car.
When was the last time you bought something and it said (made in America)? Government control over corporations drove up the cost along with corrupt unions. But again corporate greed made them move all manufacturing overseas for cheap labor and no government control. It’s all about profit and bonuses.
I just bought an “American Standard” brand garbage disposal at Costco. It said it was made in China…
Made in China must be the new American standard.
“New” only if you include 20-30-40 years ago?
The idea for tarrifs is to keep manufacturing jobs here. Chinese companies do not have to abide by the same rules as US companies so they can make them cheaper. That means they take away good jobs. The rub is, we the people need to decide do we want cheaper products or keep the jobs here.
Calling the potential cost increase a “Tactic” is deceptive on the authors part. In 2018 Pres Trump put tariffs on a wide range of products from China because of unfair trade policies, intellectual property theft, forced labor and protect American jobs. These practices negatively affected thousands of companies. Several Chinese companies found a loophole (De Minimis) in the US trade laws that lets them bypass the tariffs & safety reporting by shipping items ($800 or less)directly to US customers. The Biden admin is trying to close that loophole, so the Trump tariffs apply as intended. More balanced article: White House de minimis loophole rules target Shein, Temu (cnbc.com)
I value consumer choice. Any manufacturer that can’t keep up with competition and offer products consumers will buy should make something else. If the Chinese manufacturers are priced out of our market do you really think our domestic manufacturers will pick up the slack? I don’t. They’ll focus on high value added products where they can make more money. Many parts will become hard to find. But the lobbyists will say the answer is just to buy new RVs
The trouble with Tariffs is they raise the prices so Unions can make the big money. While the rest of us who only get 2.5% retirement raise suffer.
The proposed rule that would increase the prices of RV parts does nothing for consumers other than limit our choices and take more of our hard-earned money for repairs. RVIA says it would increase safety. That’s BS. Have you ever tried to find small or obscure parts like knobs and switches? The big, domestic suppliers don’t make them and don’t stock them. This is “Hi! We’re from the RVIA and we’re here to help improve your safety.” Just so much self serving PR drivel.
OK RVIA, let’s make a deal!
I will support your lobbying for closing this loophole if you’ll drop your battle to prevent RVs from being covered under state Lemon Laws.
Deal?
The de minimus exemption rule may seem like a government overreach but lowering it and adding additional import inspections will reduce the illegal products that regularly skip through any validation. All lithium-powered bikes and devices are required to have UNDOT 38.3 safety transport certifications. Yet, the exemption for anything valued under $800 doesn’t need copies of the actual certificate to travel with the product. So “On File” from Chinese manufacturers is presented as their version of validation. Now we have UL 2849 full system certification for eBikes and virtually none of the Chinese brands have this. Lowering the de minimus threshold will help to reduce unsafe products.