you guys would not believe this e-mail ad I got

I have a digital subscription to CrossStitcher magazine, which is based in the UK. the physical magazine copies come with little cross stitch kits, which is usually just fabric and floss, but sometimes slightly heavier little items.

and I got an e-mail from them saying this:

they're saying a yearly physical subscription, mailed to the US, is $200

I went on their website and did the math, in the UK the yearly subscription is about 70 pounds or $94 USD, and that includes the shipping.

so.... for mailing to the US the price has doubled???

I have another recent example, too - I paid into a Kickstarter for a book coming from Australia, it's basically the size of a comics trade paperback. and this was my receipt

shipping is nearly the cost of the book itself

and lest you think it's just for overseas shipping, a lot of small business nail polish companies have raised their prices too. Mooncat just went from $10.50 - $13 for a single bottle to $15 - $18, which is QUITE an increase

ILNP is raising their prices slightly less thankfully, their boutique polishes are going from $10 to $12.50 and the regular plain colors are still $10

and those are just the ones I know of...

so like, idk if Walmart or other big box stores have raised their prices yet, but predictably small businesses are suffering first

oh yeah, for comparison's sake I dug up the previous book I paid into a Kickstarter for, from the same collaborators, and this was the shipping price in August 2024

shipping going from $25 AUD to $40 AUD, and in less than a year.... like holy shit

AND that first order was the book + printed extras, not just a book

I nearly forgot about Knock Thrice, too - they're a small company clothing brand in Canada. I have a nice autumy cardigan I bought from them once. so I got the e-mails of them saying how much trouble they were having with tariffs and getting orders that were already placed and ready to go to their customers :/

like damn, forget just not being able to buy anime waifu merch for a while, I can't even support slow-fashion small businesses or ones with better quality products now without eye-watering prices

help, i hate it here

same