New report reveals 34% of shoppers delay purchases while 20% seek 'Made in USA' products.
A new report suggests that the Trump administration's tariff policies are weighing on e-commerce as consumers have reconsidered how they go about making purchases.
A report by AlixPartners found that tariffs are influencing consumers who are trying to time their online shopping purchases to avoid the impact of tariffs, with a similar number of shoppers moving up and delaying purchases.
AlixPartners' report found that 34% of consumers surveyed delayed purchases until they have more certainty about the costs of tariffs, whereas 28% made purchases earlier than planned in the last six months to avoid those costs.
Another 22% of respondents said they've reduced or delayed purchases that are shipped directly from overseas as a result of tariffs. By contrast, 20% said they've increased online purchases that ship from overseas to avoid tariff-related costs.
"What's more significant than those specific percentages is that tariffs are making a visible impact on what and when consumers buy," AlixPartners wrote in the report.
One of the goals the Trump administration has stated for its tariff policies is to make more products in the U.S. through increased domestic manufacturing. The study found that the tariffs have had some impact on consumers' preferences for U.S.-made goods thus far.