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- 80/20 of Ecom: US Tax Credit for sellers, Tokyo Gift Show trip report 2/14/25
80/20 of Ecom: US Tax Credit for sellers, Tokyo Gift Show trip report 2/14/25
IRS doesn't want people to know about this + Find High Quality Low MOQ Unique Japanese products
Gary Huang
February 14, 2025
Happy Valentine’s Day guys! Love may be in the air but let’s not forget that Ecom is still going strong. In this week’s 80/20 of Ecom:
A tax rebate that US sellers can potentially qualify for
Trump’s Reciprocal tariff on ALL countries
My trip report from the Tokyo Gift Show
And more
Public Service Announcement - Did you know that many US Amazon sellers, 1099 contractors, and gig workers qualify for a federal tax credit worth up to $32,220—but most have no idea it exists?
This Sick Leave & Family Leave (SLFL) Tax Credit is a refund, not a loan, and the deadline to claim it is April 18, 2025.
We’re seeing rebate checks being made for $7,200 on average if they qualify. (YMMV)
📺 Watch the webinar replay to learn how to check your eligibility in minutes and claim your refund before it’s too late! 👉 Watch Now
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“President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday enacting a reciprocal tariff policy for all current and potential U.S. trading partners” according to Supply Chain Dive.
Trump explains that “they charge us a tax or tariff, and we charge them the exact same tax”
“They charge us a tax or tariff, and we charge them the exact same tax”
Takeaway: Trump has been making changes fast and furious and then postponing implementation. He’s been known to change his mind so stay tuned to the 80/20 of Ecommerce what happens next week!
It seems the 80/20 of this is that sellers need to be AGILE. And whoever can adapt the fastest will be the winner.
This week was the semi-annual Tokyo Gift Show. Known as the largest trade show in Japan, it takes place twice a year in the spring and autumn.
I visited the show and was surprised to find many local Japanese manufacturers who made high quality products and some of them were ready for export.
There was a language barrier as most vendors didn’t speak English but nothing that ChatGPT on my phone couldn’t solve (if you don’t speak Japanese)
What products did I see?
Japanese foods
Matcha, teas, juices
Sake, beers, Japanese gin, and more beverages
Made in Japan children’s toys
Japanese made fashion
Kids’ apparel
Super high end Japanese denim that can be custom-made into anything - i.e. pet accessories, bags, etc.
Weird kitchen tools and sponges from different materials
Handmade knives, shears, etc.
And a whole lot more
Minimum orders: Some of the MOQs were as low as 1 to 10 pcs. Even when I asked for a quote for 50-100 pcs, these suppliers were willing to listen.
UNIQUENESS: In terms of unique products not all of them were headturners but there were some products that I have not seen elsewhere.
Crowdfunding: There was even a Japanese crowdfunding section where there were robotic products, funky canes, and some stuff I didn’t even recognize.
One of the robotic window washers raised over $100k on the Japanese equivalent of Kickstarter according to the founder who I met.
Made in Japan?
Not all the products were made in Japan. In fact a lot of the stuff was made in China, but there was a section devoted to Japanese products.
Some of them were made by craftsmen that had been perfecting that craft for 50 years.
All in all - I’m going to follow up and check the demand for these products and potentially source them afterwards. I’ll keep you posted.
The next edition of the TGS will be in the fall. Let me know if you plan to attend!
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In case you missed it
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