Alina Selyuk

You know, one common answer is retrenching and scaling back. Maybe your store shrinks the selection so there's less stuff to ship. Maybe you stop hiring, stop advertising or developing new products, essentially stop growing and go into survival mode. One retailer talked about saving a lot of money in his bank account.

It's money that he could be spending on all kinds of things to expand, hire, market. But now he wants that money to just kind of sit on the sidelines because he expects to pay big tariffs. And then the other answer is what Scott talked about. It's raising prices. Giant companies like Walmart are pressuring suppliers overseas to bear some of those tariff costs.

It's money that he could be spending on all kinds of things to expand, hire, market. But now he wants that money to just kind of sit on the sidelines because he expects to pay big tariffs. And then the other answer is what Scott talked about. It's raising prices. Giant companies like Walmart are pressuring suppliers overseas to bear some of those tariff costs.

It's money that he could be spending on all kinds of things to expand, hire, market. But now he wants that money to just kind of sit on the sidelines because he expects to pay big tariffs. And then the other answer is what Scott talked about. It's raising prices. Giant companies like Walmart are pressuring suppliers overseas to bear some of those tariff costs.

Well, small retailers, they don't have that kind of muscle. And if they pass the cost to consumers with higher prices, you know, how high can they really go before they start losing sales? Sarah Wells had a grim take.

Well, small retailers, they don't have that kind of muscle. And if they pass the cost to consumers with higher prices, you know, how high can they really go before they start losing sales? Sarah Wells had a grim take.

Well, small retailers, they don't have that kind of muscle. And if they pass the cost to consumers with higher prices, you know, how high can they really go before they start losing sales? Sarah Wells had a grim take.

And that's the worst case scenario that she thinks a lot of business owners will have to confront and will have to see.

And that's the worst case scenario that she thinks a lot of business owners will have to confront and will have to see.

And that's the worst case scenario that she thinks a lot of business owners will have to confront and will have to see.

There was a lot of discussion about this at the event that I attended. There was actually this moment when a moderator asked a panel of small business owners, including Wells, to raise their hands if they tried to find domestic manufacturers first. And all the hands went up. But the reality is for so many things, you know, clothes, shoes, toys, electronics, the U.S.

There was a lot of discussion about this at the event that I attended. There was actually this moment when a moderator asked a panel of small business owners, including Wells, to raise their hands if they tried to find domestic manufacturers first. And all the hands went up. But the reality is for so many things, you know, clothes, shoes, toys, electronics, the U.S.

There was a lot of discussion about this at the event that I attended. There was actually this moment when a moderator asked a panel of small business owners, including Wells, to raise their hands if they tried to find domestic manufacturers first. And all the hands went up. But the reality is for so many things, you know, clothes, shoes, toys, electronics, the U.S.

has not manufactured them at scale in ages or ever. And so, you know, one shopkeeper says she sells work boots. She has American-made boots. They are $400. Not everyone can afford that. So she also has imported ones that are half the price. Or I also talked to Danny Reynolds. He runs Stevenson's Clothing Boutique in Indiana. It sells also wedding gowns.

has not manufactured them at scale in ages or ever. And so, you know, one shopkeeper says she sells work boots. She has American-made boots. They are $400. Not everyone can afford that. So she also has imported ones that are half the price. Or I also talked to Danny Reynolds. He runs Stevenson's Clothing Boutique in Indiana. It sells also wedding gowns.

has not manufactured them at scale in ages or ever. And so, you know, one shopkeeper says she sells work boots. She has American-made boots. They are $400. Not everyone can afford that. So she also has imported ones that are half the price. Or I also talked to Danny Reynolds. He runs Stevenson's Clothing Boutique in Indiana. It sells also wedding gowns.

And he says he supports the president's mission to level the trade playing field. He would love to have more U.S.-made gowns. They are great quality, but they're three times as expensive. And all the big bridal gown makers, they're overseas.

And he says he supports the president's mission to level the trade playing field. He would love to have more U.S.-made gowns. They are great quality, but they're three times as expensive. And all the big bridal gown makers, they're overseas.

And he says he supports the president's mission to level the trade playing field. He would love to have more U.S.-made gowns. They are great quality, but they're three times as expensive. And all the big bridal gown makers, they're overseas.

He says business people love to negotiate their deals, make their own decisions, and, you know, live and die by them. And the sweeping tariffs take that ability out of their control.