The Trump administration launched a “Liberation Day” reciprocal tariff on April 2 and made a series of follow-up tariff announcements including a 145% tariff for goods made in China. It brings a big challenge for American merchants. It is very hard for an American merchant to plan inventory beforehand and do pricing. They are facing a series of tough decisions. For example, whether they should pass the tariff to consumers or bear the burden themselves? How do their peer merchants make this decision for similar merchandising items?

In addition to the fast pace of tariff development, the administration may back track or blink overnight, which generates additional uncertainty and unpredictability. For example, on late Friday, the administration exempted computers, semiconductors and electronics, as reported by WSJ . It made fashion and sports merchants like Macy’s and Nike scratch their heads. Why does the administration not provide tariff exemption to apparel and sneakers? Which goods does the administration want onshore more, smartphone and electronics vs. apparel and sneakers? If apparel and sneakers are less a national security concern, should we exempt apparel and sneakers instead of computers and electronics? Does the carved out exemption this past Friday give people the impression that apparel, beauty, and sneakers are key industries that the US needs to onshore instead of computers, semiconductors, and electronics? American merchants, especially SME merchants, deserve more clarity and stability.

During these extremely uncertain times, for American merchants in the fashion and sports category, AI Price Hunter is able to help the pricing planning. In particular, AI Price Hunter will help American merchants in two aspects of pricing planning. First, it will help American merchants do research on the pricing landscape given the selected SPU and provide the lowest price intelligence in the ecommerce space. Second, it will help American merchants do research on the pricing landscape of a competitor’s SPU and provide the lowest price intelligence in the ecommerce space.

The AI Price Hunter is available to American merchants through CloudStore AI service as a part of CloudStore AI APIs. If you as an American merchant are interested in this service, please contact us.