Alter Ego Comics Owner Abandons $16,000 Tariff Refund Hopes as 10% Global Levy Persists
Updated
Updated · Business Insider · Jul 13
Alter Ego Comics Owner Abandons $16,000 Tariff Refund Hopes as 10% Global Levy Persists
1 articles · Updated · Business Insider · Jul 13
Summary
$16,000 in tariff fees since April 2025 has led Alter Ego Comics owner Marc Bowker to stop expecting any refund, saying retailers that buy through distributors cannot claim reimbursements directly.
Refunds after the Supreme Court's February tariff ruling are going to Importers of Record—typically large manufacturers or importers—while Bowker says suppliers have not clarified whether any money will be passed down.
A new 10% global tariff has kept fees on every shipment from his main supplier, and Bowker said sales of tariff-hit action figures—his biggest revenue driver—are down 50% from pre-tariff levels.
Bowker is weighing whether to drop tariff-affected products and says small businesses with fewer than 5 or 10 staff lack the legal and finance capacity to chase reimbursements.
He urged trade groups and chambers of commerce to press for relief, warning tariffs could leave lasting price increases even if the duties are later removed.