The Indicator | May 2nd, 2025

Small-ticket items shipped to the United States from China will no longer be exempt from tariffs starting on Friday. The move is expected to send ripples through the economy as American consumers, who have gotten used to buying cheap products made in China, suddenly find those products much pricier. The fallout is also expected to extend to independent online vendors who have based their businesses on the ability to cheaply import Chinese-made goods. (NY Times) 

Amazon is bringing back its annual sales event, Prime Day, in July but consumer demand for the popular sale event could be dampened by the possibility of tariffs increasing the cost of goods. Some Amazon sellers have already begun pulling out of Prime Day due to pressure from tariffs, while others are reducing the amount of discounted merchandise they’ll put on sale. (Tech Crunch)

Some major retailers like Walmart, Lowe’s, and Wayfair are holding deals or promotional events earlier than usual this spring. It’s hard to tell whether or not the threat of tariffs played a role in the timing of these spring events. Still these sales hold significance as some of the last shopping events before the 90-day pause on steeper tariffs scheduled to end in early July. After that, retailers may have to raise prices and could see a drop in demand. (Modern Retail) 

Saks Fifth Avenue has launched a multi-brand luxury storefront on Amazon Fashion. The new shopping section is called Luxury Stores at Amazon. It features a selection of merchandise curated by Saks Fifth Avenue, including women’s and men’s ready-to-wear, beauty, shoes, handbags and accessories.The launch is accompanied by specially designed digital displays inspired by the windows of the Saks Fifth Avenue New York flagship. (Retail Dive) 

Ulta Beauty hosted the first ever experiential beauty event in Texas inviting 1,500 consumers and nearly 200 brands. Ulta Beauty World featured activations from brands that spanned hair, makeup, brow and skincare services, claw games to win products and photo opportunities. It also came with a country-western twist that complemented the retailer’s recent sponsorship of Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour (and its exclusive on her hair line Cécred). (Business of Fashion) 

Dôen and Gap are teaming up for a second time following the success of the brands’ collaboration last year, which went viral on TikTok and sold out within a matter of days. This year’s collection will focus on “California vintage-inspired classics,” and include some customer favorites from 2024, as well as some new additions, including several menswear pieces. This marks Dôen’s first foray into menswear. (Fast Company)