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by 6DM 486 days ago
If the companies are interested in protecting their margins, I think we will see prices higher than the % increase in tariffs e.g. many grocery stores have a 1 - 4% profit margin, so a 25% increase would mean they have to increase more than 25% because the overall profit margin will decrease. $1 with a 4% profit margin means it make 4 cents, but $1.25 with a 4% profit margin is 5 cents. So that means they'd have to raise it like 27%.
4 comments

The vast majority of products at grocery stores are not imported from overseas. And even when they are, the cost of the good is only a part of the total cost to the store. For example no tariff would change the price of intra-USA transport of imported goods (well besides oil…). Labor and real estate need to taken out as well.

Obviously if you increase a cost the price is going to go up, but it’s not anywhere near 27% for groceries specifically.

Now pure imports, like most of the crap on Amazon or Temu, is another story.

Have you looked at where your produce comes from?
You mean to tell me that Corn isn't grown in the US in the dead of winter?

I wonder if coffee will be the real thing that gets people upset.

It already underwent some recent shrink flation. I used to be able buy 12oz bags but they’re 10oz now, consumers are getting shafted regardless :D
coffee and chocolate
> I think we will see prices higher than the % increase in tariffs

Pretty much. Most consumers (and even a lot of purchasers) don't know about the individual tariff rates per good, so it's safe to assume that you can optimize pricing to maximize your margin where possible.

This was presumably true already, but it's certainly true that some price fixing can happen while the dust settles (if it ever will).
> some price fixing can happen

It happens a lot, but price fixing is a fairly slam dunk case for local DAs.

Beyond that, there's economies of scale that won't scale as far, based on lowered demand.
Of course we will....

Inflation -> Sorry, gotta raise prices -> Profits increased

Interest Rates -> Sorry, gotta lay everyone off -> Profits increased

Tariffs -> Sorry, gotta raise prices again -> .....