The Challenge
Due to the U.S. tariffs announced on April 5th, 2025, De’Longhi coffee machines would face a 15% increase overnight. But days later, there was an exemption: computers. And according to tariff code HTSUS 84714, a computer is any machine that processes data, produces output, stores information, and runs programs and would remain unaffected by tariffs. We realized that De’Longhi’s coffee machines already met all those criteria.
The Solution
Introducing the De'Longhi Computer, the perfect loophole to hack a challenging tariff. De’Longhi identified a loophole: computers were exempt from tariffs. And by definition, its coffee machines qualified. So the brand reclassified its coffee machines as "computers," passing the savings directly to consumers in real time. Available on De’Longhi’s e-commerce platform, consumers could choose to buy either the De’Longhi coffee machine or the De’Longhi computer, the exact same product presented under two different names. By simply selecting the “computer,” they could purchase the same product with a 15% discount, exactly matching the tariff increase.
