Monday 1st September | Join Free
Hello, this is your Monday Beyond the Basket brief.
Big start to the week: tariffs potentially overturned in court, back-to-school shoppers showing sharper price sensitivity, imports now facing new duties, and peer reviews gaining more trust than influencers. Key shifts to keep in mind as Q4 planning ramps up. Let’s dive in 👇
In today’s beyond the basket:
⚖️ Court Strikes Down Trump’s Broad Tariffs
🎒 Back-to-School Signals Smarter, Earlier Shoppers
📦 Death of De Minimis Hits Brands Hard
🗣️ Shoppers Trust Shoppers Over Influencers
+plus four deep reads and a tool that could help you stay on top of shipping delays in Q4.
⚖️ Court Strikes Down Trump’s Broad Tariffs LINK
TL;DR: A federal appeals court ruled 7–4 that Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, sweeping duties of up to 50% on most trading partners, exceeded presidential authority under the 1977 IEEPA law.
Why It Matters: The decision undermines Trump’s go-it-alone tariff strategy, which generated $159B in revenue but rattled markets and raised consumer prices. If upheld, the ruling could force refunds of collected duties and weaken U.S. leverage in ongoing trade negotiations. Businesses importing from China, Mexico, Canada, and Europe face new uncertainty as the case heads to the Supreme Court.
Your Move: If you rely on imports, scenario-plan for tariff volatility, model costs with and without duties, diversify sourcing where possible, and prepare dual pricing/messaging strategies so you can pivot quickly. If tariffs remain struck down, consider leaning into “price stability” as a differentiator while competitors scramble to adjust.
🎒 Back-to-School Signals Smarter, Earlier Shoppers LINK
TL;DR: Recent National Retail Federation forecasts show U.S. back-to-school spending hitting $128B, with total spend rising but average per-family budgets declining.
Why It Matters: Inflation, tariffs, and economic uncertainty are reshaping consumer behavior. Shoppers are starting earlier (67% began in July, a record high), shifting toward discount, dollar, and secondhand retailers, and using Amazon not just to buy but to validate pricing. These patterns are likely to spill into holiday season, signaling a tougher promotional environment and longer campaign cycles.
Your Move: Plan Q4 now, lock in offers and pricing early, use tiered discounts to capture early demand, and keep value messaging sharp for price-checking shoppers. Reserve selective promos for late-season to stay competitive without margin drain.
📦 Death of De Minimis Hits Brands Hard LINK
TL;DR: As of Aug 29, the U.S. has eliminated the de minimis $800 exemption, meaning all imports now face duties, a shift that affects 92% of shipments.
Why It Matters: For giants like Shein and Temu, it cuts into the cheap import model. But the pain is sharper for small and mid-sized brands, now grappling with 50–70% cost increases, slowed prototyping, and new compliance burdens with 20,000+ tariff codes. What once enabled agility in product development now forces trade-offs in pricing, quality, and innovation. With Q4 looming, retailers face rising costs and risk of consumer sticker shock.
Your Move: Audit your import flows immediately, map which products are most exposed to new duties and model the impact on margins. Build pricing scenarios now to avoid sudden sticker shock later. Where possible, test nearshoring or supplier diversification to cut exposure, and lean on customs tech platforms or brokers to handle complex tariff codes and reduce compliance risk.
🗣️ Shoppers Trust Shoppers Over Influencers LINK
TL;DR: A new Akeneo report finds 65% of UK consumers rely on peer reviews for purchases vs. just 50% swayed by influencers.
Why It Matters: The influencer effect is slipping, while authentic user-generated content (UGC) and accurate product information are now the real trust signals. Negative reviews most often stem from mismatched product descriptions, 40% of shoppers returned items in 2025 for this reason. In sports gear, luxury goods, and homewares, peer voices carry the most weight.
Your Move: Go beyond just collecting reviews, actively showcase UGC across product pages, emails, and ads to build trust at every touchpoint. Audit product descriptions regularly to ensure accuracy, and close the loop by responding to feedback. This not only reduces costly returns but also strengthens brand credibility and community loyalty.
⚙️ Toolkit Pick
Alarms Global - Staying ahead of logistics disruptions is tough. Alarms Global offers a live map of global events that delay shipments, from port strikes to weather disruptions to upcoming holidays.
📚 The Reading List
Curated deep dives, longer reads and analysis shaping the future of retail and ecommerce.
Amazon bets big on Sweden
(6 min read) Read Here
Amazon is scaling Sweden from military hub to ecommerce powerhouse, signaling its next European growth frontier.
Agentic AI under pressure
(7 min read) Read Here
AI hype meets reality: pressure mounts on “agentic AI” tools to deliver unicorn-level business results.
Why $75k feels broke in 2025
(5 min read) Read Here
Inflation, housing, and debt reshape middle-class spending power — even a $75k salary struggles.
Creator economy vs. measurement gap
(6 min read) Read Here
Creators want recognition as a media channel, but lack of reliable measurement blocks serious ad budgets.
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