16 Items About To Get Pricier Due to Tariffs

Gabrielle Reeder

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Tariffs are taxes placed on imported items, meaning the cost to transport foreign goods becomes pricier, so customers turn to domestic outputs to save money. President-elect Donald Trump announced he would impose heavy tariffs on many products, creating a harsh economic divide for all parties involved. His main concern, though, is China. He stated plans to unleash a 60%-100% tariff on imported Chinese goods in an effort to prevent illicit substances transferring between borders and to control who comes in and out of the U.S.

We’ve pored through lists of items projected to be affected by these sweeping tariffs. We’ve pinpointed the ones we believe will affect the economy the harshest. So, if you don’t want to pay double for an electronic item or board game come January 20, we suggest you scope out the extended Black Friday Deals. 

1. Laptops

Woman using computer to track expense
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Trump’s main target with tariffs is China, as he proposes to tax at least 60% on Chinese goods with a possible additional 10% on top of that 60%. Since China is the leading market producing beloved items like laptops, computer gurus and tech nerds will struggle (more than they do now) to dish out extra cash to pay for the necessary machine. With the expected tariff, a semi-affordable laptop will breach expensive territory if the tariffs pass. The electronic systems will jump 45% in price, adding $200-$350 per device, with the tariffs. 

2. Smartphones

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Itching for the newest iPhone? Eager to purchase the freshest Samsung for camera quality as clear as a raindrop? Currently, the market price for a new iPhone 16 is $799. On the Android side of the game, CNET’s editor’s choice for the best Samsung phone of 2024, the Galaxy S24, totals $800. If these tariffs pass, that tacks on an additional 60% to the phone manufacturers, adding a couple hundred dollars for the consumer. Thankfully, the tariff percentage does not translate directly to the price percent increase for the consumer, yet inflation will apply to the object. Like laptops, smartphones are projected to jolt 45% in price. 

3. Board Games

board games
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What’s your favorite tabletop game? Do you screech “Sorry!” when you triumph over your family members in the multicolored game, Sorry? Perhaps you release a yell of sheer joy when you correctly guess your opponent’s character in Guess Who. Well, most board games requiring two or more players will face impacts from the president-elect’s extravagant tariff plan. China is a huge manufacturer and exporter of board games that adorn tables and shelves at family game nights. According to Emarketer, board games will rise on a spectrum between 36.3% to 55.8%, transforming board game ownership into a hobby for the semi-elite.  

4. Dolls

Creepy doll
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Greta Gerwig’s smash 2023 hit Barbie spoke universal truths about feminism, freedom, free speech, and the joy of playing with the beloved Barbie Doll. Barbie’s evolution tried to boil down to an all-inclusive toy, appealing to every child (and adult). However, the price tag often warded off lower-income families. But of course, where there’s a name-brand item, there’s a generic version at half the price. Dolls, whether plastic, porcelain, fused together from a corn husk, or haunted, all serve as a universal toy. Most versions of these toys breathe under China’s manufacturing umbrella, once again finding itself at the hands of Trump’s extreme tariffs. 

The LA Times reported that Trump promised a 10% to 20% tariff on foreign country imports, targeting Chinese imports with an added 60% to 100% tariff. After the math, companies found the future price of dolls will surge 36% to 56%.

5. Clothes

Though Trump claims the prospective tariffs won’t harm the U.S. economy, almost every economist proves him wrong. A document prepared by the National Retail Federation compiled data showcasing a bar chart explaining what the economy with the current tariffs looks like vs. 10-20% import on goods from foreign countries and a scenario demonstrating the economy with the 60% to 100% tariff from Chinese goods. The first bar chart illustrates the current costs of clothing at a 14.7% rate. Scenario two pinpoints an increase of 37.5% in consumer price, while scenario three adds a 56% increase on clothing. As a country, these tariffs will cost the U.S. economy billions of dollars on apparel alone.

6. Shoes

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Eyeing a fresh new pair of lacey high-tops? Or are you set on the clean running shoe everyone on TikTok fawns over? What about the pointy-toed heels you know you’d look amazing in? The National Retail Federation pointed out the glaring discrepancies between current sneaker prices and the forecast for shoes in the new year. The document shows shoes undergo a current tariff percentage/ price point of 11.9%. When the analysts calculated the 10% tariff, they found the pricing to jump 18.1%, vs. the intense 60% to 100% tariff, which raised prices 28.8%.

7. Furniture

Savoring the price of that soft sofa? Select companies and business owners advise customers to rush to the store and stockpile items subjected to intense tariffs. Other advisors caution customers to wait to see if the policies take effect. However, if Trump’s tariffs were to settle into the economy, couches, tables, chairs, and beds would run customers high receipts. Factoring in the 10% tariff from countries like Canada and Mexico, furniture would increase 6.4%. From China, the price tag would soar 9.5%. 

8. Vacuum Cleaners

Vacuum
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Fancy a smooth, clean carpet delivered by none other than the pet’s worst enemy, the vacuum cleaner? China exports over $10 billion worth of vacuum cleaners each year, another item in Trump’s tariff trajectory. Vacuum brands with factories in China include family favorites like Dyson, Philips, and Shark. The motorized machines cost a couple hundred dollars each already, as they are efficient, costly household machines. The relentless tariffs will jet up the prices, driving the market up for U.S. vacuum brands.

9. Paper Products

Paper Towels
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Kids fold printer paper into airplanes, hoping to hit the back of their crush with their aircraft creation. Toddlers crumple and doodle on mounds of cardboard paper, creating what they believe to be dinosaurs, while their parents jot down important meeting notes and upcoming assignments. Where do we get all of these in-demand products from? China. Noticing a trend? China is the number one exporter of paper products, contributing to over $30 billion in paper product exports yearly.

10. Sunglasses

Traveler woman with sunglasses
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Have you ever heard the cliche saying, “My future’s so bright, I gotta wear shades?” The comical phrase takes on a darker meaning when considering the suggested upcoming tariffs. How can one wear a pair of slick sunblockers without the means to buy them? Similar to the brunt of items on this list, China is responsible for manufacturing most of sunglasses in the world. The Asian country pumps out brands like Ray-Bans and Oakley, leading the sunglass game with upscale shade production. In fact, China produces 80% of sunglasses each year. Consider your last pair of brand-name sunglasses. How much did they impact your wallet? Imagine how a 60% tax on the company would transfer to your luxury glasses payment plan. 

11. Lightbulbs

LED Lightbulb
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Let there be light! Lightbulbs produce light in dark settings, enhancing dim areas with a bright, shining glow by converting heated electricity into light. Light bulbs are as diverse as people, appearing in random, elaborate shapes and sizes fit for every imaginable lamp or light fixture. The kind of lightbulb determines the price. For example, a higher wattage light relays a higher price per bulb. With the 60% to 100% tariff tax, the wattage will bear a resemblance closer to the updated price. 

The great thing about light is the natural option aside from the glass bulb encasing. Solar power has risen in popularity over the last few years for a few reasons. 1. Who doesn’t want to help the environment, and 2. Who doesn’t want to save a few bucks while doing so? Solar energy uses the natural energy from the sun to send electricity through solar panels, translating into light or energy throughout a fixed location. 

12. Make-Up

Woman wearing makeup
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Consumers welcome options for their beautification process, as makeup originates in several countries. France leads the list as a top exporter of beauty brands, along with the U.S., Japan, Malaysia, and yes, China. Though France seems to slip the line of vision for the extreme tariffs, at the moment, it won’t come as a surprise if the president-elect decides to apply the 10% tariff to French exports, adding another country to his 10% BRIC tariff: Brazil, Russia, India, and Canada.

13. Luggage

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People pay X amount of money to own a temporary container that stores clothing during long hauls or vacations. The minute zip-up closets contain various pockets, each possessing a feature designated to hold a specific item. The idea of spending copious amounts of money on fancy luggage boggles me since travelers toss and tote their bags around with little regard for the suitcase's exterior. Bargain deals on luggage exist, although the deals still float around the $50 mark. At least for now. Luggage is another asset heavily exported by China (billions of dollars of suitcases each year), meaning high future tariffs.

14. Cars

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A trip to the car dealership presents customers with arrays of options spanning from electric cars to fuel-operated vehicles and eclectic mixes of both. China exports the highest number of cars each year despite outproducing the market need for vehicles. The country created a multitude of gasoline-operated and electric versions of cars, such as Dongfeng and BYD. The New York Times claimed that, regardless of China facing severe tariffs, little can stop the powerful industry from exporting vehicles. 

15. Gas 

Woman filling gas tank
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Prior to the anxiety of the election, the price of gas and groceries surrounded the political discussion. Trump supporters were relentless, airing their beliefs regarding Trump’s ability to lower gas prices if he were to win the race. Harris’ supporters assured them he would not be able to lower such a thing given his tariff pledges. The majority of gas imported into the U.S. stems from Canada, one of the countries targeted by Trump with heavy tariffs. Say his tariffs pass through Congress, and he applies a 10% tax on goods imported from Canada. The price of gas (heating, air conditioning, fuel, fire, and cooking) would harm everyone’s wallet. 

16. Groceries

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People who were overjoyed about the potential low cost of groceries didn’t quite think through the logistics of imports. Mexico and Canada are two contenders that export fruit, vegetables, snacks, alcohol, meat, grains, seeds, and anything else found on a grocery shelf. These two countries won’t face tariffs as harsh as those in China. Should Trump’s tariff plan be set into motion, he still plans to enforce a 10% tariff on goods from Mexico and Canada. Third-Way found that grocery prices sit 26% higher than pre-COVID, and with the tariff plan, family grocery runs will leap 3% each year

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