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Six months into tariffs, businesses have no idea how to price anything

(www.wsj.com)
462 points JumpCrisscross | 2 comments | 30 Aug 25 20:56 UTC | HN request time: 0.403s | source
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johnnienaked ◴[31 Aug 25 02:18 UTC] No.45079760[source]▶
Haven't tariffs been paused since they've been announced?
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estearum ◴[31 Aug 25 02:35 UTC] No.45079846[source]▶
Some of them yes, some of them no. There are now several thousand different "tax brackets" for imported items and the apparent rates on them fluctuate by the day.
replies(1): >>45079957 #
Gigachad ◴[31 Aug 25 02:58 UTC] No.45079957[source]▶
Most global post offices are just suspending packages to the US because they don’t know what the price is or how to pay it.
replies(2): >>45080412 #>>45080552 #
1. johnnienaked ◴[31 Aug 25 04:37 UTC] No.45080412[source]▶
Makes it hard to believe the administration's claims of hundreds of billions in revenue
replies(1): >>45080892 #
2. georgeecollins ◴[31 Aug 25 06:38 UTC] No.45080892[source]▶
The best data I could find* was that tariffs Jan - Jun raised 93b in revenue (or 180b / year if it were constant- unlikely but who knows). For comparison, the 2025 deficit is $1865b, so tariffs could take a bite out of the deficit, but never come close to balancing the budget.

The most positive argument I have heard is that it would be a small consumption tax that is regressive. Small because the US doesn't really import that much compared to most global economies. It's just things we fixate on like cars or steel, which actually aren't that economically important anymore. Maybe strategically? I feel like people are trying to make economic sense of an emotional / populist policy.

* https://www.piie.com/research/piie-charts/2025/trumps-tariff...