The relentless imposition of tariffs, coupled with sporadic trade interventions, has engendered a palpable sense of unease amongst corporations worldwide. Consequently, several prominent retailers have already implemented price increases across the United States, or have issued warnings of impending inflationary adjustments.

In recent years, President Donald Trump imposed a series of novel import tariffs on almost all of America's trading partners, as well as on goods from a range of specific industries, prompting retaliatory tariffs from some targeted nations, most notably China; and while many of the most onerous tariffs have subsequently been suspended or reduced, a significant number of levies remain in place, continuing to weigh heavily on businesses.

This is due to the fact that companies purchasing products manufactured overseas must pay the imposed tariffs, leading to increased costs that are generally passed on to consumers. Trump posited that his new tariffs would repatriate manufacturing and capital to the United States; however, economists had already cautioned that such sweeping tariffs, given the reliance of many goods we consume on global supply chains, would precipitate price hikes across the board, from grocery stores to auto repair shops.

Numerous enterprises, alongside their clientele, are already contending with this reality, as evidenced by the following prominent retailers who have recently announced, or are anticipated to announce, price increases amidst the ongoing trade hostilities.

On Thursday, Walmart, the nation's largest retailer, became the latest corporation to announce it would be forced to raise prices, citing increased costs stemming from tariffs.

Despite Walmart's efforts to mitigate some tariff risks by sourcing two-thirds of its merchandise in the United States, the company has not been entirely shielded from their impact. According to company executives on Thursday, price increases had already begun to appear on Walmart's shelves by late April, with the rate of increase accelerating this month. However, a more substantial impact is anticipated in June and July, coinciding with the peak back-to-school shopping season.

公司首席财务官约翰·大卫·雷尼强调，许多必需品的价格正在上涨。例如，从哥斯达黎加进口的香蕉价格已经从每磅50美分上涨到54美分。他认为，沃尔玛目前售价350美元的中国制造汽车安全座椅可能还会再涨100美元。

雷尼在接受美联社采访时坦言：“我们天生就被设定为要维持低价，但我们所能承受的程度，或者说任何零售商所能承受的程度，都是有限度的。”

Earlier this month, Mattel, the manufacturer of Barbie dolls and Hot Wheels, indicated that it would also be compelled to implement price increases "where necessary" to mitigate the impact of tariff costs.

This toy manufacturer produces 40% of its goods in China and cautioned on May 5th about impending price increases – ahead of the 90-day reprieve during which the US and China tentatively agreed to roll back the majority of excessive tariffs – but tariffs on goods from the country remain elevated compared to levels preceding those imposed by the Trump administration last month.

During their most recent earnings call, Mattel announced intentions to shift production of approximately 500 product lines away from Chinese manufacturers to suppliers in other countries this year, a significant increase from the 280 transitions executed in the previous year; furthermore, for certain highly sought-after toy lines, the company indicated a strategy of engaging multiple manufacturing partners across diverse national locations.

As of early May, Microsoft has implemented a global price hike on its Xbox consoles and controllers; for instance, the Xbox Series S now retails in the US for $379.99, marking an $80 increase from its original launch price of $299.99 in 2020, while the higher-performance Xbox Series X will now be sold for $599.99, a $100 rise over its previous price point of $499.99.

In a May 1st update to Xbox support, Microsoft stated, "We understand that these changes are challenging." Rather than explicitly citing tariffs, the tech giant alluded to broader "market conditions and the rising cost of development."

Beyond the United States, Microsoft has also revealed adjusted Xbox pricing strategies for Europe, the UK, and Australia. The company indicated that all other countries will also receive updates pertinent to their specific locales. Furthermore, Microsoft anticipates a price increase for select first-party titles during the upcoming holiday season, with prices potentially reaching $79.99.

Last month, e-commerce behemoths Temu and Shein independently issued remarkably similar announcements regarding price adjustments, both citing "recent shifts in global trade regulations and tariffs" as the impetus.

Beginning in late April, consumers noticed price increases across a range of goods, particularly ahead of the May 2nd expiration of the de minimis rule – a tax exemption on low-value Chinese imports that online retailers have exploited for years. While the U.S.-China agreement reached this week has offered some respite, these products still face tariffs; for example, low-value packages from China delivered via the United States Postal Service are now subject to a 54% tariff, down from 120%.

Even before this grace period, Temu appeared to have already ceased direct shipments from China, leveraging its existing American inventory; the PDD Holdings-owned retailer continues to promote a plethora of items from "local" warehouses, touting that American consumers will incur "no import fees." Concurrently, Shein, headquartered in Singapore, currently displays a banner on its checkout page stating: "Tariffs are included in the price you pay. You’ll never have to pay extra at delivery."

Citing escalating tariffs, tool manufacturer Stanley Black & Decker stated they implemented price adjustments in April and anticipate a further round of increases during the July-September quarter.

In a statement released last month, Chief Executive Officer Donald Allen, Jr. asserted, "We are expediting recalibrations to our supply chain and exhaustively evaluating all available avenues as we endeavor to mitigate the repercussions of tariffs on end-users, whilst concurrently safeguarding our commercial interests."

Executives at Procter & Gamble – the consumer goods behemoth behind household names like Crest, Tide, and Charmin – have also indicated the increasing likelihood of passing on elevated costs to consumers. Last month, P&G stated its intention to mitigate tariff-related expenses wherever feasible, including through adjustments to its procurement strategies aimed at circumventing tariffs. However, the company conceded that consumers could begin to see price increases as early as July.