Pros & Cons of Tariffs:
A Retailer’s Guide to Margins Lost and Markets Missed
One policy shift. One unexpected announcement. One container is stuck at customs, and suddenly, your margins are gone.
This is the reality for thousands of retailers navigating a global trade landscape disrupted by unpredictable tariffs. While some champion tariffs as a protective shield for domestic markets, the vast majority of retailers—especially in furniture, home décor, and garden categories—feel the pressure where it hurts most: their margins, their timing, and their customer trust.
So why do some still welcome them? And what does every buyer need to know to avoid falling into the tariff trap?
The Hidden Costs of Tariffs That Most Retailers Underestimate
Tariffs aren’t just a surcharge—they’re a domino effect.
When applied to imported furniture, décor, and seasonal stock, they can inflate landed costs by 10–30%.
For businesses operating on tight margins or dealing with large-volume SKUs, that can make entire categories unviable overnight.
But the damage goes deeper:
A recent report by the National Retail Federation found that over 70% of U.S. retailers experienced delays, higher freight costs, or margin erosion as a direct result of tariff spikes between 2018–2022.
According to Deloitte, 58% of retailers who supported tariffs in theory had to shift their procurement strategy within a single season due to unforeseen operational challenges.
What Most Retailers Experience
Let’s look at what happens when tariffs go up:
And here’s the worst part:
The financial impact doesn’t always show up right away. It sneaks into markdowns, overstocks, and lost customers who quietly shift to competitors
Global Base: The Partner Retailers Count On When Tariffs Hit
At Global Base, we help retailers avoid becoming tariff casualties. Whether you’re importing from China, India, Indonesia, or Vietnam, we ensure your procurement strategy is resilient, even in volatile policy environments.
Here’s how we do it:
We’re not just a vendor—we’re your operational safety net.
How Global Base Helps Retailers Navigate Both Sides
Whether you see tariffs as a threat or an opportunity, preparedness is everything. At Global Base, we work with retailers across 51+ countries, helping them manage procurement complexity and adjust to global shifts, tariffs included.
Our support includes:
While some retailers were scrambling to renegotiate contracts mid-season, our clients had already pivoted, adjusting supplier allocations, updating pricing strategies, and keeping
How Global Base Helps Retailers Navigate Both Sides
Tariffs don’t give warnings. They land fast, they ripple through supply chains, and they crush those who don’t have a flexible strategy in place.
Email us at [email protected] to explore how we help you prepare before the next policy shift hits your margin, your timing, and your customer experience.
Because in global trade—you don’t win by guessing. You win by planning.
