The USA’s trade war on imported goods continues to destabilise the sim racing equipment market, with Asetek SimSports warning of possible price changes.
“What I can say is, for now, we do have a little bit of inventory at the old prices that has not been tariffed more than or taxed more than the 20%, so that’s the prices as normal,” said the Danish company’s CEO, André Eriksen.
“The best I can offer you right now is to buy from the current inventory we have in the US, and where it’s going from there on is really impossible for me to tell.”
Asetek SimSports manufactures elements of its range in Europe, Malaysia and China. Under President Donald Trump, the European Union was hit with a 20% tariff on all imported goods and Malaysia 24%, announced on 2nd April – although these were reduced to 10% respectively for a 90-day ‘pause’ just days later.
Products manufactured in China, meanwhile, were hit with a 20% tariff in March. Following that initial implementation, a trade war between the two nations began earlier this month, with escalating tariffs now sitting at 145% for Chinese goods entering the USA.
On the 12th April, smartphones and computers were excluded, then a day later, President Trump threatened that they could still be tariffed, just at a different levy rate. It remains to be seen if that includes further electronic devices.
“Needless to say, as a company, we cannot absorb these extreme tariffs that we now have to pay when we import into the US, just like we cannot predict whether it is going to go up or down or where it’s going from here,” said André Eriksen.
Asetek SimSports contemporary, Fanatec raised US prices by as much as 50% on some lines earlier this month. Meanwhile, some of Next Level Racing’s new F-GT Pro cockpit accessories are upwards of 76% more expensive in the USA compared to Europe ($199 USD compared to €99 for the monitor mount).
Looking today, 18th April, USD prices on Asetek’s website do not appear to have been raised yet.
Asetek SimSports tariff plan
- Prices will not change until tariffs are officially applied and directly impact our costs
- You may see some products increase in price while others stay the same — this will depend on local stock availability
- We understand that price changes can be frustrating, and we’re only adjusting as necessary
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