By LINCOLN MYERS
Tiger Media Network
In today’s global economy, tariffs and trade restrictions are shaking up how companies market and move their products. These changes don’t just affect corporations, they also influence prices on everyday items and force companies to rethink how they operate.
Ron Christian, assistant professor of marketing at Fort Hays State University, says the first place marketers often feel the pressure is in pricing.
“One adjustment marketers may make involves pricing,” Christian said. “Since the tariffs add another element to the cost of getting the product or service to the customer, profit margins would decrease unless pricing is increased.”
He added that some brands will reduce the size of products while increasing prices to offset costs. Others might try to change where they get their materials or products from entirely.
“All options result in higher costs for the brands, so ultimately, consumers will feel the cost of the tariff, since brands will find ways to pass the cost to them,” he said.
Tariffs can also influence how consumers behave in different countries.
“One of the strongest responses came from both politicians and consumers in Canada,” Christian said. “As a response to the U.S. raising tariffs for Canadian goods entering the U.S., Canadian provinces pulled U.S.-made alcohol from its retailers. Consumers in Canada also boycotted U.S. products.”
At Fort Hays State University, students are feeling the effects in small but noticeable ways. Matthew Figger, a nursing student at FHSU, says his budget has shifted.
“I’ve been able to increase it a little bit and get a little more stuff or a little bit nicer stuff like I used to,” Figger said.
But he’s also noticed shortages and rising prices on certain products, most noticeably in his favorite brand of ice cream.
“I went to the store yesterday and they’ve been plumbed out for like the last two weeks,” he said. “I feel like prices are a little bit more expensive than I’m used to.”
Figger said it’s hard to tell whether these changes are tied to trade policies, but he believes the effects of tariffs are just getting started.
“I think we’re definitely going to see the effect of that. And we have already,” he said. “It will be kind of a hardship for a little while.”
Michael Gallagher, an entrepreneurship and business management major at FHSU, says he hasn’t noticed many changes in everyday prices, mostly due to using a campus meal plan and not driving much. But as the owner of Apatheia Athletics, a gym clothing brand that produces apparel overseas, he has experienced real effects.
“I have noticed increased prices for production, which has made me have to adjust my own prices,” Gallagher said.
He pointed to clothing production in China and tariffs related to Canadian imports as recent challenges.
“Production and clothing is going out specifically in China from what I have seen,” he said. “Also Canada’s tariffs make it more expensive for jewelry stores to get their diamonds in.”
While Gallagher isn’t overly concerned in the long term, he acknowledges the short-term effects on small businesses.
“I think it’s something that will be very temporary, something they’re going to be trying to fix,” he said. “But for the meantime, it can make things more difficult for small business owners and people who really require some things that are tariffed.”
Christian agrees that companies are still largely reacting to trade changes, but those short-term reactions are becoming a long-term strategy.
“For example, Kroger is diversifying its supplier base for fresh products with a goal of maintaining low prices for the consumer,” he said. “Costco seems to have an advantage for this strategy due to its flexibility with merchandise. Interestingly, Honda and Hyundai have decided to produce more vehicles in the U.S., so we might see brands ramp up manufacturing here.”
How companies are responding to Trump’s tariffs – Reuters, March 2025
With shifting costs, evolving strategies, and international tension, businesses are adapting in real time. But it’s clear: marketing decisions and global supply chain choices are no longer just about sales, they’re about survival.
“Businesses can’t control tariffs,” Christian said, “but they can control how they respond.”