I'm a small-business owner who paid thousands in tariff fees. I've given up on the idea of getting any of it refunded.

Marc Bowker, owner of Alter Ego Comics in Ohio, has paid $16,000 in tariff fees since April 2025 but does not expect refunds due to complex eligibility rules. Tariffs on collectible action figures, his primary revenue source, have caused a 50% sales decline. Small businesses like his cannot directly apply for refunds as they rely on third-party distributors, and new 10% global tariffs announced by President Donald Trump further complicate matters.