Kickstarter is launching a new “Tariff Manager” tool that will allow creators to apply a surcharge to projects after their campaign has ended, as spotted earlier by 404 Media. The tool is supposed to help creators deal with “rising costs” and import fees as a result of President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs.
If a creator’s project is affected by tariffs, they can submit a request through Kickstarter and then apply per-item surcharges to backers with US shipping addresses. Kickstarter will include the extra fee in a separate line on a backer’s payment page. The platform says the tool is “weeks away” from rolling out.
“We understand that asking backers to pay an additional fee — especially after a campaign has ended — can be sensitive,” Kickstarter writes. Backers who decide not to pay the fee will have to reach out to creators directly to come up with a solution, such as adjusting their pledge or getting a refund, according to Kickstarter.
Larger campaigns have addressed the tariffs head-on, like the one for Peak Design’s Roller Pro Carry-On, which says it has “made the decision to not add any additional tariff charges to your pledges.” But this campaign has received more than $13 million in pledges, and smaller projects might not be able to cover import fees with pledges alone. Several Kickstarter board game projects, such as ones led by Curt Covert and Gap Closer Games, have already warned backers that tariffs could result in delays or higher prices, as reported by Fast Company.
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