Tariff BS costing us money.

I bought a new car battery this week. I bought the same exact battery back in December. The new battery this week was $74 more than the one I bought just a few months ago. When I asked the guy at the parts store why the price went up so much he told me it was because of the tariffs. When I pointed out that the battery had a 1/25 sticker on it, well before tariffs were implemented he had nothing to say other than the computer tells the price. Do you think corporate America is taking advantage of the tariff issue?

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FreddieUK · 70-79, M

Why would corporate America be less greedy than corporate anywhere else?

Heartlander · 80-89, M

@FreddieUK This is looking like classic supply an demand that will lead to lower prices.

Retailers rush to fill their warehouses because of tariff fears, manufacturers and distributors can't keep up with the (retailers) demand, so (1) manufacturers increase their wholesale prices and (2) retailers put out multiple purchase orders and for more than they really need.

At some point supply catches up with inflated demand and retailers' warehouses are stacked to the ceiling. And the only way to clear out that inventory is by selling to retail customers at discount prices.

I think it was planned that way.

Sevendays · M

@Heartlander except, with batteries, they don’t go bad on the shelf for years. The stores put a quick charge on them and put a new date sticker on them.

Sevendays · M

@Heartlander update: I just looked up that battery brand. It is produced in the USA

NerdyPotato · M

@Sevendays but are the resources mined in the USA as well? If those are imported, the manufacturer still has to pay tariffs.

Sevendays · M

@NerdyPotato I’ll look that up.

Heartlander · 80-89, M

@Sevendays Interesting ... products made in the US will see elbow room for a price increase if their foreign competition raises their prices :)

In a previous life I spent a few years working back room for a fairly large electronics distributor and retailer, also for a few years for an IBM value added dealer. I think I'm starting t see familiar patterns with this tariff thing :)