How do tariffs affect toy prices?
By Britton Jewell · Last updated . Tariff status checked .
Short answer: a tariff is a tax the importer pays when a toy enters the United States. Shoppers never pay it directly. It reaches you when toy makers and stores raise the regular price, usually built into the price rather than added as a separate charge. In our experience, those higher prices rarely come back down when tariffs ease. As of October 2026, most toys made in China or Vietnam face an extra 12.5% U.S. tariff.
Who wrote this: Britton Jewell, a collectibles reseller who runs BuyHoldCollect. We buy and sell sealed toys, so we see price changes from both sides. More about us.
Who actually pays a tariff?
The company that imports the toy pays the tariff to U.S. Customs when the shipment arrives. For most toys on U.S. shelves, that's the toy maker or a large retailer bringing in its own goods. You don't see a tariff line on your receipt at a store. The cost is already inside the price.
The tariff is charged on the import value, not on the price you see in the store. So a 12.5% tariff doesn't mean the shelf price rises exactly 12.5%. A maker might absorb part of the cost, spread it across many products, or raise some prices more than others.
How a tariff shows up in the price
| What you see | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| The regular price is higher than last year | The maker or store raised the list price. This is the most common way a tariff reaches buyers |
| A separate "tariff surcharge" line at checkout or on a preorder | The seller is passing the cost on visibly. Less common |
| A preorder price changes before it ships | The cost of bringing the toy in changed after the preorder opened. It can move either way |
| A line moves to smaller waves or fewer figures | The maker is cutting costs in ways other than price |
In our experience, some sellers added separate tariff surcharges, but most of the increase was simply built into the new price. Preorders were the least predictable. During the 2025 tariff uncertainty, some preorder prices went up between the preorder and delivery, and a few went back down to the original price before the figure shipped. If you preorder while tariff rules are changing, check whether the store charges the price at the time of the order or at the time it ships.
Toy makers said publicly they would do this. In May 2025, Mattel told investors it would take "pricing action" in its U.S. business where necessary, while expecting 40% to 50% of its U.S. products to stay at $20 or less. Mattel's May 2025 earnings call, page 3. In February 2026, it said "pricing and other mitigating actions fully offset tariff costs" for 2025 as a whole. Mattel's February 2026 earnings call, page 6. McFarlane Toys raised prices on select items in March 2025, citing tariffs on imports from China. DC Collectors report.
Will toy prices go back down when tariffs end?
In our experience, no. Base prices for action figures rose during 2025 and have generally stayed there, even as tariff rules changed several times. A tariff can end in a day, but a maker's list price is set months ahead and rarely moves down once buyers have accepted it.
Stores also set the final shelf price, not the maker. In April 2026, after the Supreme Court ruling, an analyst asked Mattel whether stores would expect lower prices once tariffs fell. Mattel's finance chief declined to speculate and noted, "we do not set the prices the retailers do." Mattel's April 2026 earnings call, page 14.
This is different from a sold-out toy's resale price, which can fall when the toy is restocked or reissued. If the price you see matches what major stores list as the regular price, waiting for a tariff to end probably won't help. See why a toy can be expensive for two different reasons.
What about tariff refunds? After the Supreme Court ruling (below), importers can apply to U.S. Customs for refunds of the struck-down tariffs they paid. Refunds go to the importer that paid the tariff. They don't come back to shoppers, and we haven't seen a refund lower a shelf price.
Why more toys now say "Made in Vietnam" or "Made in India"
Makers have been moving production out of China to lower their tariff costs. Mattel said in May 2025 that China made less than 40% of its toys worldwide, compared with an industry average of 80%, and that it planned to cut toys for the U.S. made in China to less than 15% of its global production by 2026 and less than 10% by 2027. It also said it was relocating 500 toy products out of China in 2025. Mattel's May 2025 earnings call, pages 3 and 8.
Moving a toy to another country doesn't make it tariff-free. As of October 2026, toys from Vietnam face the same extra 12.5% as toys from China, and toys from India, Indonesia or Mexico face 10%. Where a toy is made can also change partway through a line, so two figures from the same series can carry different "Made in" labels.
Quick answers
Do shoppers pay tariffs on toys?
Not directly. The importer pays the tariff when the toy enters the U.S. Shoppers pay it indirectly when makers and stores raise prices to cover the cost.
Why did action figure prices go up?
Mostly because makers raised their regular prices in 2025, partly to cover tariffs on toys made overseas. That's a different reason from a sold-out figure costing more from resellers.
Will toy prices go down if tariffs are removed?
In our experience, rarely. Base prices for action figures rose during 2025 and have generally stayed up, even as tariff rules changed.
What is the tariff on toys from China right now?
As of October 2026, most toys from China face an extra 12.5% U.S. tariff under Section 301, which took effect July 24, 2026. The regular duty on toys is zero, and the older China tariffs don't cover most toys. Check a current, primary source before relying on a rate.
Do tariff refunds lower toy prices?
Refunds of the tariffs the Supreme Court struck down go to the importers that paid them, not to shoppers. Don't expect a refund to lower a shelf price.
Are toys made in Vietnam tariff-free?
No. As of October 2026, toys from Vietnam face the same extra 12.5% U.S. tariff as toys from China.
Related: Why is this toy so expensive? · Why was my preorder cancelled? · What happens when a toy license changes hands?
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Prices, tariffs and store policies change. This page is general information, not financial, legal or customs advice. "In our experience" statements reflect one reseller's observations, not official retailer or manufacturer policy.