Walmart makes major patriotic move ahead of tariffs
The retail superstore is working to help US consumers and businesses ahead of price hikes.
These days, it seems like retailers get thrown a new curveball every year.
Some might even say they face new obstacles on a more frequent, almost quarterly, basis.
Related: Walmart adds genius new bakery products to take on Costco
Way back in the distant memory that is 2020, retailers had to grapple with changing consumer habits thanks to Covid.
With many brick-and-mortar retailers closed around the country, most customers switched to shopping online for everything from sneakers to sofas.
In the years that followed, interest rates shot up. This made it much more expensive to borrow money — something almost every business must do in order to grow.
Shortly after that, retail theft was on the rise. Retailers were then forced to grapple with inventory shrink, or the industry term for a loss of goods due to theft and other non-purchase-related losses.
And now in 2025, retailers are bracing for the latest round of challenges, which include tariffs and higher costs associated with imported goods. Image source: Tim Boyle/Getty Images
Retailers brace for tariffs
Tariffs might be getting a lot of attention in the news, but the concept is nothing new.
Tariffs, or the duties companies pay to import non-domestic goods, are intended to protect businesses that produce goods in their home country.
The idea is older than the U.S. itself, and it makes enough sense on paper.
In practice, however, many of the largest multinational corporations are interconnected across the world, and they rely on trade across borders for a seamless (and cheap) customer experience.
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- Sam’s Club making major change to rival Costco
Naturally, then, most of America's top retailers are watching President Trump's ongoing tariff wars with gritted teeth and clenched fists.
He has proposed the following tariffs on some of the largest U.S. trade partners:
- China: 145%
- European Union: 10%
- Japan: 10%
- Vietnam: 10%
- South Korea: 10%
- India: 10%
- Taiwan: 10%
Walmart makes a tariff-friendly move
America's largest retailer, Walmart (WMT) , has a complicated relationship with tariffs.
On the one hand, the Arkansas-based corporation has a substantial amount of sway when it comes to dealing with its vendors and sellers.
Many producers, particularly those based in China, depend on Walmart's business. If Walmart pulls out of a partnership with them, they risk losing a lot of their profit.
Related: Home Depot makes drastic budget-friendly move to take on Lowe's
So while Walmart can renegotiate rates and prices to protect its low prices, it's also been working to please smaller, domestic partners in the meantime.
It recently launched its Grow with US program, which emphasizes the importance of small U.S. businesses and provides mentorship and partnership opportunities to get discovered for successful placement in stores.
Walmart will also host an Open Call event for small and medium-sized businesses to pitch their products in the hopes of getting picked up by Walmart — a potentially huge opportunity.
In addition, it will offer small businesses access to financing to help supercharge their operations. Qualifying small businesses can apply for financial backing and assistance via Walmart’s Early Payment Program and Bridge Marketplace.
