The OnePlus Watch 3 Has A New Permanent Price In The US After Tariff Scare

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If you paid $500, you’ve got a refund coming

Summary

OnePlus Watch 3 price started at $330, hiked to $500, now lowered to $350 due to US-China trade tensions.
Customers who paid $500 will receive partial refunds directly from OnePlus.
Despite $20 increase from original price, OnePlus says new $350 price “will not be changed.”

The OnePlus Watch 3 was initially intended to launch at a price of $330 in the US, competitive with devices like the 44mm Galaxy Watch 7 and 41mm Pixel Watch 3. But in the midst of President Trump’s on-again off-again tariff fiasco, the China-manufactured wearable ended up hitting American shelves at a much higher $500. Now, with tariffs on Chinese-made electronics considerably lower for the time being, OnePlus has announced a new price that “will not be changed going forward:” $350, $20 higher than initially intended. Customers who paid the inflated price for a OnePlus Watch 3 are eligible for a partial refund.

OnePlus North America Head of Marketing & Communications Spenser Blank tells AP that shoppers who ordered a OnePlus Watch 3 prior to this latest price adjustment will be contacted directly by OnePlus customer service to arrange a partial refund back to the initial payment method. OnePlus has not explained the OnePlus Watch 3’s fluctuating price point directly, instead alluding to “ongoing market conditions.” But the conditions in question are clearly trade tensions between the US and China, which have escalated quickly in recent weeks.

When the OnePlus Watch 3 initially went up for sale in the US, tariffs on China-made goods entering the country totaled 145 percent. That means that US-based importers owed the American government a fee equal to 1.45 times the declared value of imported Chinese items, making the proposition of importing Chinese-manufactured goods much more expensive and, in many cases, consequently raising prices for consumers. Just a couple of days after the 145 percent figure was implemented, though, the Trump administration announced an exemption for many consumer electronics, like smartphones, laptops, and smartwatches. These items are still subject to a 20 percent tariff, however.

The OnePlus Watch 3 on a wrist next to a tree.

If you paid $500, you’ve got a refund coming

We liked the OnePlus Watch 3 quite a bit, even at its prior $500 price point. Battery life in particular is a high point: the watch can last up to five days on a single charge, without using any additional power-saving features. At $350, the watch is still more expensive than initially expected — but a $20 increase is a lot easier to swallow than an extra $170. OnePlus is framing this new price point as permanent, though it seems likely that the market conditions OnePlus has alluded to could continue to fluctuate.

If you paid the OnePlus Watch 3’s inflated price between its initial US availability and this new price adjustment, OnePlus says you should be hearing from the company about a partial refund. Keep an eye on your inbox.