Shoppers are starting to feel the pain of new trade policies and tariffs when ordering online.
Friday, the Trump administration ended a policy that allowed for low-value imports to enter the United States without tariffs.
It comes on top of steep new tariffs, including some as high as 145% on products from China.
“Shein is like the only way I can support four kids back-to-school clothes,” said Everett mom Miranda Lopez.
She says prices on the Singapore-based e-commerce giant have surged in recent days.
“Some of the boys stuff could even be $7 for a full outfit,” Lopez said. “Now if you go on the website, it’ll advertise one single pair of pants without a top as about $12 to $15.”
Experts warn that affordable alternatives aren’t likely to pop up in the U.S., since labor and other costs can be cheaper abroad.
“We don’t make things like that in the United States as a general rule,” said Jeff Gramlich, Director of Hoops Institute of Taxation Policy and Research, at Washington State University.
Gramlich and other experts have warned that low-income households could be hit the hardest.
Researchers from UCLA and Yale have reported that shoppers from lower-income zip codes were more likely to utilize a tariff loophole that the Trump administration just canceled, allowing U.S. shoppers to import lower-value goods free of tariffs.
It’s not just low-cost retailers that are feeling the burn.
KIRO 7 added a swimsuit to the cart from online retailer, Triangl Swimwear. The subtotal was $99, but the total cost spiked to $306.95 after shipping, taxes, and $175.63 of duty fees.
So what comes next for shoppers looking for a deal?
“Businesses are rather nimble, especially ones that have been working with pretty heavy government before,” Gramlich said.
Chinese-based retail giant Temu has overhauled its model, shipping U.S. sales through U.S. sellers.
It’s just one option companies might have around tariffs.
“There’s a lot of other countries where you can ship goods to and then have those countries import the items into the United States,” Gramlich said.
It might not happen overnight though, so shoppers shopping overseas might have to pay up in the meantime.
“I suppose we’re gonna have to just go with things like Walmart,” Lopez said. “It’s the cheapest that you can find around here. It’s not going to be trendy, new, “in” outfits anymore, or even have to thrift more often probably.”
Shopping secondhand can be a great way to save money, and shop more sustainably. You can also download price tracking tools to compare prices online and to find active coupons.
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