U.S. Orders Temporarily Disabled - New 50% Tariffs

October 27, 2026

We have an important update for our customers in the United States. New U.S. import tariffs are about to affect all Kit Masx products, and we've had very little time to prepare.

The good news? We're working on a solution that will allow our American customers to continue purchasing Kit Masx products without absorbing the full impact of these new tariffs.

Here's what's happening, what it means for your orders, and what we're doing about it.

What's Changing?

U.S. orders are temporarily disabled until November 4.

On October 23, 2026, the U.S. government announced changes to its import tariffs on certain Canadian products, including a new 50% tariff affecting products under the customs classification used for our Tamiya tape masks. Our vinyl masks have already been subject to a 50% tariff since September.

The new tariff on Tamiya tape masks takes effect October 30, 2026.

We learned that our products would be affected on October 25, leaving us just a few days to understand the implications, investigate our shipping options, and develop a plan.

These tariffs are imposed by the U.S. government on imported merchandise. They are not shipping charges or additional fees imposed by Kit Masx.

Until now, our qualifying Tamiya tape masks have benefited from tariff-free entry under the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). Unfortunately, the new tariff applies to covered products even when they qualify under CUSMA.

⏸️ Why Have We Temporarily Disabled U.S. Orders?

Because of the short notice, we've temporarily disabled checkout for customers shipping to the United States.

We need time to update our pricing and checkout arrangements so that customers understand the additional import costs before placing an order.

Rather than continue accepting orders under our existing pricing structure and risk unexpected costs, we felt it was better to pause briefly while we make the necessary adjustments.

We plan to resume U.S. orders on November 4, 2026.

This is a temporary pause, not a decision to stop serving our American customers.

❤️ Our Solution: 30% Off U.S. Orders Starting Nov 4

A 50% import tariff is a significant increase, particularly for hobby products. We know that affordability matters, and we don't want these new charges to put our masks out of reach.

That's why we're planning to introduce a 30% discount on merchandise purchased by our U.S. customers, beginning November 4.

Here's how we intend it to work:

• U.S. customers receive a 30% discount on their merchandise.

• The applicable 50% tariff is calculated on the discounted merchandise value.

• The tariff is collected during checkout, so customers can see the total before completing their purchase.

• Kit Masx continues shipping orders with duties prepaid, rather than leaving customers to pay an unexpected tariff upon delivery.

This approach allows us to absorb a substantial portion of the financial impact while continuing to serve our American customers.

💰 What Will This Actually Cost You?

Here's an example using a mask set with a regular price of $20.

	Without Our Discount	With Our 30% Discount
Regular merchandise price	$20.00	$20.00
Kit Masx discount	—	−$6.00
Discounted merchandise price	$20.00	$14.00
50% import tariff	$10.00	$7.00
Total before shipping and other applicable charges	$30.00	$21.00

Instead of a 50% increase, the combined merchandise and tariff cost would be approximately 5% above our regular price.

That's a difference we're hoping will make it much easier for our U.S. customers to continue enjoying Kit Masx products.

This example assumes the tariff is assessed on the actual discounted merchandise value. We're still finalizing the necessary checkout arrangements with our shipping provider.

📦 What Happens to Orders You've Already Placed?

All U.S. orders placed between October 9 and October 27 will ship on October 28, 2026.

We're making every effort to get these shipments through U.S. Customs before the new tariffs take effect on October 30. While we expect them to clear in time, customs processing times are outside our control, and we cannot guarantee clearance before the deadline.

Here's our commitment to you: If your order is delayed in customs and the new 50% tariff is applied, Kit Masx will absorb the additional cost.

If, for any reason, you're charged an additional import tariff upon delivery, please contact us with proof of payment. We'll issue a Kit Masx store credit equal to 150% of the tariff you paid.

For example, if you're charged a $10 tariff, we'll give you a $15 store credit toward a future purchase.

There's nothing you need to do unless you're unexpectedly charged a tariff upon delivery. However, this is highly unlikely, as our shipping provider has confirmed that any customs fees will be billed directly to Kit Masx rather than to our customers.

We will do everything we can to make this transition as smooth as possible for our customers.

🚚 Will You Have to Pay Tariffs When Your Package Arrives?

Our plan is to continue shipping U.S. orders with duties prepaid (DDP).

That means applicable import tariffs will be calculated and collected as part of your checkout total, rather than leaving you with an unexpected customs bill when your package arrives.

We're working to ensure our checkout system accurately reflects the new tariff and our planned discount before reopening U.S. orders.

We want customers to know what they're paying before they complete their purchase.

🎁 What About the Current Buy 3, Get 1 FREE Sale?

Our current Buy 3, Get 1 FREE promotion runs through November 2, but unfortunately, U.S. customers cannot participate while U.S. checkout is temporarily disabled.

We know that's disappointing, especially for customers who were planning to take advantage of the sale.

However, when U.S. orders resume on November 4, we plan to introduce the new 30% discount to help offset the tariffs on future purchases.

This will be a separate U.S. pricing arrangement rather than an extension of the Buy 3, Get 1 FREE promotion.

Are Canadian and Other International Customers Affected?

Our Canadian customers and customers in other international destinations we currently serve are unaffected by this U.S. shipping pause.

Orders to those destinations remain available, with fulfillment resuming November 4 following our temporary shipping break.

Shipping to the European Union remains suspended separately while we work toward establishing distribution through resellers within the EU.

🔎 What Happens Next?

Our immediate priorities are to fulfill existing U.S. orders, finalize the new checkout arrangements, and reopen U.S. ordering as planned on November 4.

We'll also continue monitoring tariff developments and reviewing our shipping options as circumstances change.

If the rules change again, we'll update our customers as quickly as possible.

Thank You for Sticking With Us!

Kit Masx is a small Canadian business, and changes like these have a very real impact on how we operate.

We've spent the past several days working through customs requirements, speaking with our shipping partners, and exploring ways to keep our products available to American modelers.

We know that our U.S. customers have supported Kit Masx from the beginning, and we don't take that support for granted.

Our goal is simple: keep providing precise, high-quality canopy and painting masks without allowing a 50% tariff to become a 50% price increase for our customers.

We appreciate your patience while we work through these changes.

We look forward to welcoming our U.S. customers back on November 4!

Kevin & Janelle
Kit Masx

This information reflects our understanding of the new tariff requirements as of October 27, 2026. Tariff rules and shipping arrangements may change, and we'll update this announcement as new information becomes available.