"This is not a drill—it's a pre-tariff sale!" reads a Facebook post from U.S. online furniture retailer Finally Home Furnishings. The company warned, "Once tariffs take effect, the prices you see now could double," urging customers to take advantage of current prices.

Sidney Arnold, the company's CEO, clarified a common misconception: "There's a belief that exporting countries bear the cost of tariffs, but that's not true." He emphasized that the additional costs would ultimately be passed on to consumers.

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal on the 29th (local time), other businesses selling outdoor gear, beauty products, and more are employing similar marketing strategies, encouraging consumers to buy before prices rise under tariffs proposed by President-elect Donald Trump.

Earlier this month, the National Retail Federation (NRF) released an analysis showing that tariffs on items like clothing, toys, furniture, appliances, footwear, and travel goods could lead to price increases of at least double-digit percentages.

Currently, most of these products have single-digit or low double-digit tariff rates. However, with general tariffs rising to 10-20% and Chinese imports facing rates of 60-100%, the average tariff could exceed 50%. Trump previously announced plans to impose additional tariffs on China—10% more—on his first day in office and apply 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada.

While the exact impact of the tariffs on prices remains uncertain, businesses are concerned about reduced consumer spending.

Best Buy has warned of declining demand for electronics, while major retailers like Kohl's and Target have reported reduced clothing sales in recent quarters.

Smaller businesses are particularly worried about inflation prompting shoppers to cut spending and become more selective about purchases. Beauty brand Jolly Steen urged customers in an email campaign to "lock in current prices" before tariffs raise costs. The company highlighted that the price of its flagship product, a faucet with an integrated filter, could rise by 25%.

Sporting goods retailer Tarpten promoted its Black Friday sale on Facebook, advertising some tents at up to 35% off and calling it "the best discount we can offer until this time next year—potentially much longer due to looming tariffs."

Joe Onorato, president of custom fishing rod manufacturer J&J Sports Service, which sources materials from Asian suppliers, also took to Facebook on November 11, urging customers to "buy now... tariffs are no joke." He warned that this might be the last sale the company can sustain for some time.

Anthony Ruiz, an online artist selling custom-designed stickers, plans to stockpile inventory by ordering additional supplies from his Chinese manufacturers before January to avoid price hikes. According to The Wall Street Journal, some TikTok influencers have jumped on the tariff buzz, urging followers to bulk-buy their favorite products now.

Efforts to stockpile Chinese-made goods ahead of "Trump Tariffs" have led to a surge in international cargo flights departing from China, Bloomberg reported.

Data cited by Bloomberg from China's Ministry of Transport showed that international cargo flights to and from China reached 3,485 last week, the highest level since March 2023, when China lifted its COVID-19 border restrictions.