NORWOOD, Mass. — Charlotte Walsh puts her shoe orders in a year in advance. What the owner of Charles River Running can’t do is lock in the price — thanks to tariffs.
“Most of the manufacturers are kind of trying to wait this out,” she said. “They’re holding back price information until, I think, they can figure out exactly which way it is going to go.”
In recent days, tariffs against China and other countries went down — at least temporarily. But that is small comfort even to the nation’s largest retailer. In its first quarter report to investors, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon warned that prices will likely be going up.
“We will do our best to keep our prices as low as possible,” he said. “But given the magnitude of the tariffs, even at the reduced levels announced this week, we aren’t able to absorb all the pressure, given the reality of narrow retail margins.”
Walsh knows all about narrow retail margins. It’s something small business owners live and die by, she said — and tariffs aren’t helping the former.
“We’ve had a couple of brands that have raised prices,” Walsh said. “Is $10 going to make or break your buying decision? It might for some people.”
Shoes — especially athletic shoes — are particularly sensitive to tariffs because most are manufactured in China and Southeast Asia.
“There are a lot of uncertainties, a lot of nervous companies,” said Jesper Ingevaldsson, who created a blog dedicated to footwear, shoegazingblog.com. He’s banking on shoe prices going up.
“If you need shoes, don’t wait,” he said. “Because most likely they will become more expensive, at least if things don’t change completely.”
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