US tariffs have reached historic levels since the beginning of 2025, for online sellers who import or export, the impact is direct on costs, prices, and competitiveness.
Since Donald Trump returned to the White House in January 2025, the global commercial landscape has been continuously redesigned, steel, aluminum, automotive, Chinese products, reciprocal rights... the measures have followed one another at an increasingly pace, forcing companies and entrepreneurs to adapt constantly.
For entrepreneurs who sell or source internationally, this reality is no longer a simple economic topic: it is a direct issue on their margins, prices and competitiveness.
A customs duty is a tax levied by a state on goods imported from a foreign country, it is generally expressed as a percentage of the value of the product, we speak of duty Ad Valorem and applies at the time of customs.
Concretely, if you import products from China to resell them on your Shopify store, these products may be subject to significant additional duties even before arriving in your warehouse, the final cost borne by your company or passed on to your customers can be greatly increased.
American tariff increases were numerous and rapid in 2025:
In one year, American consumers and importers absorbed more than 90% of the cost of these increases, according to several economic studies.
The situation is nuanced. French exports to the United States held up quite well, growing by 1% between 2024 and 2025, which is better than the European average, but Chinese products, which were less well received in the United States, redirected massively to Europe, redirected massively to Europe, increasing competition on local markets.
A trade agreement between the EU and the United States says”Turnberry Agreement” Was signed in the summer of 2025, beginning a reduction in tariffs on industrial and agricultural products, but negotiations are continuing, and the European Commission has warned that it will respond “firmly” to any violation of American commitments.
If you import from countries that are subject to tariff hikes, your purchasing costs increase. To maintain your margins, you must either pass on this increase to your selling prices, or find other suppliers, which takes time and requires resources.
Competitors who source from more favorable tariff zones may offer lower prices and without real-time visibility on your costs and financial flows, it is difficult to react quickly.
Between January and September 2025, tariff rules changed almost every month; entrepreneurs who do not follow customs news risk being taken by surprise with orders that were blocked or taxed more than anticipated.
Centralize your financial data and that is precisely the mission of Klark: gather in one place all your e-commerce data, Shopify, Stripe, PayPal, invoices so that you have a clear and instant reading of the impact of any cost variation on your real margins.
Anticipate purchases, several companies have increased their stocks in preparation for new price increases, a possible decision, provided they have the cash flow and the tools to manage it properly.
Reevaluating your supply chains, diversifying suppliers, exploring alternatives that are less exposed to customs duties (Eastern Europe, Maghreb, Southeast Asia) is a fundamental strategy that is worth considering now.
For entrepreneurs and managers of VSEs/SMEs throughout France, it is also an opportunity to rethink the organization of their purchasing flows and to gain efficiency. Constraint becomes an advantage if it is anticipated early enough.
