- Nintendo demands refund and interest for the fees it paid
- It’s unclear if or when you’ll be able to get a refund…
- …although it is unlikely that you will receive any kind of refund for the technology you purchased
After the US Supreme Court struck down the Trump administration’s “reciprocal tariffs” introduced on so-called Liberation Day, companies have already begun suing the government for a refund of what they paid. That includes Nintendo, which is demanding, through its lawyers, its share of the “more than $200 billion in tariffs on imports from almost every country” that the United States collected (via Aftermath).
Nintendo isn’t just asking for a full refund either; It also requires interest.
This makes it one of more than 2,000 similar lawsuits, according to one law firm, a volume that perhaps explains the Customs and Border Protection agency’s request for a 45-day period to set up a refund system, and a judge offered it respite in response (via The Hill).
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However, you don’t want to take too long, as interest is accruing every day, and estimates suggest that interest adds around $650 million to the amount the US government owes each month.
Unfortunately, when (even if) fee refunds are issued to businesses, it is unclear whether these refunds will be passed on to us, the consumers, in any way, although we doubt it. It will be difficult to judge exactly when and who the tariffs impacted (as some stock sold during the period would have already been in the country) and companies could also simply argue that they did not pass on the increased costs to consumers.
That’s not to say it won’t happen, but beware of potential scams that take advantage of the confusion. If you receive an email or call about how Nintendo or another company owes you a refund for fees you paid, be sure to triple check if it’s legitimate before clicking on any links or sharing any details.
Lower entree prices? No
Never say never, but higher prices will almost certainly continue to be a trend in 2026.
While Trump’s original tariffs are removed, he has already reinstated the 15% global tariffs, and we are still seeing the ongoing impacts of the RAM crisis induced by AI’s reliance on memory chips.
On top of that, the war that recently broke out in Iran has caused oil prices to skyrocket; At the time of writing this article, we have surpassed $100 a barrel. Oil is essential for power generation, transportation, and even some manufacturing processes, so its price has a major impact on the cost of goods. If high prices persist (or oil costs rise further), the technology is expected to see some cost increases as well.
Hopefully we’ll see technology prices drop at some point, but let’s not expect that to happen anytime soon. If you’re feeling the pressure, our TechRadar advice is to always try to get the most out of your existing devices for as long as possible (delay upgrading the phone for a few months to a year to maximize value) and if you need, or just want, to upgrade your devices, try purchasing during a sale like Black Friday or one of Amazon’s many Prime Day variants.
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