AmiSight 3/13: Trying to Determine the Impact of Tariffs on Consumers of Both Everyday and Niche Products

President Trump’s tariffs remain to be a moving target, both in timing and likelihood on how they will affect prices of certain products.

Factors such as currency changes, the availability of alternatives, and the pricing strategies of producers and importers affect “pass-through” or how much of a tariff reaches the consumer.

To get a clearer picture, the Wall Street Journal asked Moody’s, an economic-research firm, to model how various tariffs would affect prices of a range of household goods from different countries. The Journal then applied those effects to typical prices found online.

The results varied based on factors such as if imported or domestic alternatives are unavailable, or if the affected product commands a significant premium. For example, even if tariffs raise the price of the latest iPhone, Apple fans would probably still buy it.

Tariffs could also impact prices of American-made products as manufacturers and dealers may see a chance to increase profits while gaining market share as products of imported prices increase.