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De Nike a Apple: ¿Qué marcas estadounidenses podrían ser las más afectadas por los aranceles de Trump y qué está en juego?

Alexandra Blake
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Alexandra Blake
10 minutes read
Blog
Diciembre 24, 2025

From Nike to Apple: Which US Brands Could Be Hit Hardest by Trump Tariffs and What’s at Stake

Recommendation: Diversify supply lines; cannot rely on a single origin for sportswear; for footwear, instead, move a meaningful share of sourcing toward american hubs; accelerate domestic garment production to cushion increased costs. Investors should target a roughly 20–25% shift toward mixed-origin runs; this reduces their exposure; the path minimizes importer risk. Their supply chain remains mostly chinese-origin, so implement staged transitions while preserving current supply continuity.

Context: Economists warn that policy shifts introduced higher import costs would affect margins across goods; for garments, landed costs might rise 4–12%; footwear might face increasing cost pressures of 6–14%; increased cost is absorbed by consumers where supply reallocation lags; however, brands with diversified hubs can cruise through volatility; vice versa, those relying on a single source face bigger pull on margins.

Impact varies by category: american athletic wear; garment lines rely heavily on imports from chinese-origin suppliers; footwear depends on near-shore and asian hubs; import cost pressures translate into price moves that investors monitor; for lines with diversified sources, the impact is least; consumer response remains mixed because discretionary nature of purchases.

Action plan: accelerate nearshoring toward american suppliers; expand hubs for garment; footwear operations; increasing automation to lift output per hour; lock price-protected contracts with key vendors; build flexible inventory models to absorb shocks; keep investor communications transparent to manage expectations; this is only a risk hedge.

Case in point: even apple devices rely on complex supply networks; a spike in costs across chinese supply would ripple into components and services; the broader picture shows risk across consumer goods lines, not solely apparel; such cross-category exposure justifies a cautious stance for investors seeking defensible return streams.

Tariff Risk Landscape for Nike, Gap, and Apple: What’s at Stake and How Brands Can Respond

Recommendation: shift 20–30% of production away from high-risk routes to nearshore or domestic facilities for high-volume, best-selling lines; build buffer stock at regional hubs; reprice selectively to maintain margins when duties bite; implement flexible contract terms with suppliers to share levy exposure.

The risk matrix is heavily weighted toward levy-induced margin pressure; foreign channels show increased exposure; kernan cited a professor-led brief, noting retaliatory measures could be imposed; there, irish partners face border frictions, while australian routes report longer transit times; example data indicate shipments traveled slower through key hubs, signaling increased risk for e-commerce timelines.

Key stakes include billions in landed costs, pressure on best-selling lines, and the risk that little price relief appears in the short term; impositions of a levy raise import costs for items shipped from foreign suppliers, potentially nudging shoppers toward alternatives or lower-margin channels.

Response playbook: build regional capacities; establish multiple supplier bases within North America & EU; embed levy-sharing clauses; switch to faster carriers for priority shipments; boost e-commerce optimization to shrink cross-border costs; this approach does not rely on a single-region supply chain, preserving resilience.

Strategic communication: maintain respectful dialogue with border authorities, irish trade partners, and australian distributors; These steps were designed to minimize disruption; the tone matters for acceptance of measures; credible disclosures about pricing shifts can mitigate fears among retailers & consumers.

Monitoring framework: a live dashboard tracks tariff proxy metrics by region; levy incidence; border delays; shipped volumes; example data show costs rising in several markets, while indicators such as order-cycle times point to urgent inventory decisions; probability estimates from cited researchers suggest a non-trivial chance of further measures, requiring agile planning; diamonds-grade data quality helps, indicating precise levers to adjust pricing & sourcing, navigate global trade.

Identify high-exposure SKUs and tariff rates by product category

Recommendation: target top-exposure SKUs first; pricing aligned with proposed duty levels; build hedges; move quickly; protect margins; this approach keeps shoppers satisfied, plus retailers competitive.

Apparel, footwear, accessories: duty range 15%–30% by subcategory; exposure remains highest; best-selling items such as sneakers, jackets, performance gear rely on chinese sources; price sensitivity among shoppers yields margin pressure; morning notes from analysts show share weakness when duties rise; domestic partners, investors, retailers monitor response; kernan highlights potential pricing discipline.

Electronics, toys, consumer hardware: duty range 10%–25%; exposure moderate to high; best-selling electronics accessories rely heavily on chinese manufacturers; taiwan components face targeted duties; morning briefings from analysts point to pricing pressure; david notes in morning briefings; to compete, firms implement pricing measures that transfer a portion of cost to consumers.

Jewelry, diamonds, artificial stones: duty range 0%–8%; exposure varies; diamonds, artificial stones carry high value per unit; shoppers react to price moves; this segment shows little tolerance for cost spikes; analysts note investor sentiment toward inflation risk; donald policy signals could push costs higher; norwegian sourcing options offer diversification; taiwan shipments remain targeted risk; pricing must reflect risk while preserving best-selling margins; kernan highlights a potential pricing headwind.

Operational actions: opens new sourcing channels with chinese, taiwan, norwegian partners; diversify to reduce exposure; pricing governance head reviews proposed moves; requests from retailers require rapid response; they’ve asked for cost visibility; morning investor briefings reveal stock movements; analysts raise questions from stakeholders; target is to limit losses while preserving best-selling volumes.

Assess potential price pass-through and impact on consumer demand

Recommendation: baseline pass-through around 40% for most imported goods; 50–60% for discretionary items with visible price tags; treat electronics including macs as price-sensitive; implement a price-tracking schedule across shelves to absorb costs during escalation periods.

Quantitative framework: three scenarios; baseline pass-through 40%; moderate escalation 50%; severe escalation 60%. For americas retailers handling imported goods from china; transmission lag 2–6 weeks; price changes appear on shelves within one cycle; product mix includes jordan lines, scotch labels; singapore sources show similar pattern.

Demand impacts: price increases yield elasticity between -0.4 and -0.9; a 5–10% rise reduces unit volumes roughly 3–8% in baseline; slower growth across nations; luxury lines may see smaller declines due to brand loyalty; a ripple travels through supply chains.

Action plan: appoint a chief finance officer owner; map duty costs by supplier country; translate duty into wholesale price changes; alert teams via email; track april shipments; consider singapore as alternate origin; adjust procurement to reduce risk; review baseline costs monthly; align with logistics teams to keep supply stable.

Map sourcing options: shifting from China to Vietnam, Mexico, or the US

Recommendation: diversify sourcing down the supply chain; reallocate a portion of best-selling lines to Vietnam; allocate a separate tranche to Mexico; retain a lean US domestic capability to reduce exposure here. A dedicated head of sourcing will oversee the pilot. This approach targets likely savings in landed prices; preserves high margins; supports overnight replenishment planning.

Vietnam yields scalable mass production for textiles; footwear; mid-cost electronics with rising capacity. Mexico serves nearshore markets for NA marketplace; US lines provide total control for premium products or sensitive SKUs. Expect prices to trend lower in landed costs for volume runs in Vietnam; shipments shipped to US ports typically 18–28 days; Mexico routes shorten inland transit to 3–5 days; domestic lines shrink cycle times by 1–2 weeks relative to offshore options.

Economist signals indicate increased price volatility across regions; facebook chatter from chief supplier networks indicates capacity constraints; monitor exposure; talk with suppliers to ensure constructive commitments; invest in dual sourcing; will improve resilience.

País Landed cost per unit (range) Lead time (weeks) Time to US (days) Trade exposure Best-fit for
Vietnam $0.90–$2.50 6–8 18–28 moderado best-selling basics; textiles; mid-cost electronics
México $1.20–$3.00 3–5 3–5 low (NAFTA/USMCA) nearshore NA-market lines; high-turnover SKUs
Estados Unidos $2.50–$6.00 4–6 1–2 bajo premium items; high-control, sensitive SKUs

Here, the aim is to reduce total landed costs while maintaining service levels across the worlds of retail marketplace.

Evaluate brand risk and marketing implications under tariff headlines

Recommendation: shift sourcing away from high‑risk corridors; establish two hubs in the Americas; locate a complementary hub in Europe to shorten the window for price updates; negotiate multi‑year terms with suppliers; explore local assembly options. This potentially protects american margins, reducing exposure to added costs; noting that risk exists in china where policy signals shift quickly.

Risks exist in china where policy signals shift quickly; electronics lines rely on chips from china; supply chains span continents; inflation pressures bite pricing; economist notes that visibility remains elevated. apple devices, jewellery, food segments absorb cost shifts; british retail chains face shelf-price decisions in the coming week; noting little margin pressure remains.

Marketing implications: emphasize reliability, value, availability; direct-to-consumer pushes via click-through campaigns require rapid price updates; digital window dashboards enable near real-time offers; american consumers respond to rotations in product mix; leader donald speaking headlines may sway mood; chief economist notes a potential lag in price adaptation.

Operational steps: map exposure by category; identify top suppliers; broaden british supply links; secure price protections via contracts; monitor shelves; adjust promotions weekly during peak week; note added costs; track sourcing efficiency; value shifts; noting that trade barriers persist.

Monitor policy triggers and set actions for production, pricing, and inventory

Adopt a triad playbook: shift production, revise pricing, rebalance inventory when policy signals cross thresholds. Use a quarterly dashboard to translate signals into concrete moves across these domains.

Policy triggers to watch

  • Proposed duty measures announced; negotiations ongoing; potential restrictions affecting taiwan inputs; chinese suppliers; currency moves push input costs higher in dollars.
  • Currency volatility: USD strength against peers; price of key inputs rises in dollars; monitor through-year fluctuations.
  • Demand shifts during peak periods; consumer demand for sports; jeans; supply risk rises in garment category; monitor macro signals.
  • Trade horizon: proposed levies; year-over-year change; Britain sourcing impact; taiwan exposure; consider potential open policies.
  • Credit conditions tighten; suppliers require stronger terms; monitor payment risk.

Production actions

  • Diversify supplier base beyond chinese mills; near-shore options in Britain, Europe; revalidate contracts; secure supplier credit lines; build safety stock buffer.
  • Shift production mix toward higher-margin, less input-sensitive categories; monitor garment, jeans, sports lines; reallocate capacity; open additional shift capacity.
  • Adjust lead times; reschedule line runs; pre-commit capacity with critical vendors; set minimum reserve capacity at the head of supply chain.
  • Open to alternative input sourcing; monitor cost pass-through for high-risk SKUs; maintain baseline inventory allowances.

Pricing actions

  • Implement price differentiation by channel; enact cost pass-through for high-exposure items; preserve price integrity for essential categories like jeans; sports gear.
  • Apply currency hedging; price exported volumes in dollars; implement temporary promotions to smooth demand shifts.
  • Track demand elasticity; adjust promotions for slow-moving stock; set price protection for key accounts.

Inventory actions

Inventory actions

  • Rebalance mix toward high-velocity SKUs; accelerate buys for risk-prone items; decouple low-risk lines; shorten supply cycles; adjust reorder points; implement cross-docking where possible.
  • Open new channels; use dropship; push open-to-buy forecasts; monitor days of stock; maintain target inventory turns.

Key metrics and governance

  • Duty exposure by SKU; forecast impact per 1% duty change; currency exposure; days of inventory on hand; inventory turnover; fill rate; backorder levels.
  • Analysts at Goldman note baseline cost uplift for garment categories; higher risk for high-volume SKUs.
  • Coca-cola style consumer backdrop offers context for demand shifts; fuel price trends influence transportation costs across routes.

The head of supply chain should lead this framework; a diet of diversified inputs opens risk-reduction avenues; these measures remain almost ready for implementation.