As many brands face tariff-induced cost increases, customers are being hit with price increases. One company is taking a chance by dropping its prices.

Tariffs

‘Let’s skip the corporate-speak’: How brands are perfecting the art of the ‘tariff email’

April 28, 2025

In emails to customers, brands from Set Active to Béis are getting candid about the effects of tariffs. From using clear language to using humor, here's how executives decide what to write.

Menswear brand Mack Weldon puts a price lock on underwear to drive sales amid tariff uncertainty

April 25, 2025

Mack Weldon is calling on shoppers to "recession-proof your underwear drawer," and is putting a price lock on underwear until July 4. During a time mired by economic uncertainty, Mack Weldon sees providing certainty to customers as a way to stand out.

Other news to know

  • The White House called a reported Amazon plan to display tariff costs next to product prices on its site “hostile and political,” though an Amazon spokesperson later told CNBC it was only considering this for its budget-focused Amazon Haul section. The spokesperson followed up again saying the plan was “never approved” and is “not going to happen.”
  • OpenAI is adding new shopping features to ChatGPT including personalized recommendations, visual product details and pricing comparisons.
  • Novo Nordisk is working with telehealth platforms Hims & Hers, Ro and LifeMD to sell weight-loss drug Wegovy.
145%
President Trump's current tariff rate for China
Top Stories Apr 30

Shein’s impressions on Google Shopping ads in the U.S. have now dwindled to zero

April 30, 2025

Shein has pulled its Google Shopping ads shortly after hiking prices due to tariffs, new data from Tinuiti reveals.

The saga of one footwear company shows how hard it is to move manufacturing when ‘every brand is scrambling’

April 30, 2025

For nearly three months, Kuru Footwear has been hard at work trying to find a workaround to soaring U.S. tariffs on foreign imports. It's relying on a "hybrid approach," its CEO, Bret Rasmussen, told Modern Retail — one that involves bringing "as many goods as possible" into U.S. warehouses, raising prices and revisiting its sourcing abroad.

Brands Briefing: Startups grapple with whether to move up sales or postpone them amid tariff uncertainty

April 29, 2025

Brands are awaiting more clarity on how tariffs will impact their future pricing strategy. In the meantime, they're trying to figure out what to do about planned seasonal sales like Memorial Day and Mother's Day.

Temu’s ‘import surcharges’ fuel outrage, leaving it more susceptible to tariff backlash than Shein

April 29, 2025

The days of $2 gadgets and $5 dresses are ending at Temu and Shein. On Reddit, Temu shoppers are vocal and expressing their outrage over heightened "import surcharges," with some vowing never to shop from the app again.

Tariffs

‘Let’s skip the corporate-speak’: How brands are perfecting the art of the ‘tariff email’

April 28, 2025

In emails to customers, brands from Set Active to Béis are getting candid about the effects of tariffs. From using clear language to using humor, here’s how executives decide what to write.

Menswear brand Mack Weldon puts a price lock on underwear to drive sales amid tariff uncertainty

April 25, 2025

Mack Weldon is calling on shoppers to “recession-proof your underwear drawer,” and is putting a price lock on underwear until July 4. During a time mired by economic uncertainty, Mack Weldon sees providing certainty to customers as a way to stand out.

Retailers could be in for a rough summer

April 24, 2025

Shoppers are starting to move up purchases in anticipation of further price hikes from tariffs. Shopping activity may fall off by the summer as a result.

Podcasts

Limited Series
The Modern Retail Vanguard

In our annual series, the Modern Retail Vanguard, we’re highlighting 15 people who exemplify the skills needed to succeed in today’s retail environment across three categories: operations, marketing and technology. These are the people who, behind the scenes, helped companies grow amid an uncertain retail environment.

Technology

Marketplace Briefing: Amazon’s Buy With Prime ambitions go global with Shopline deal

April 24, 2025

Amazon is doubling down on off-site checkout, bringing its signature Prime benefits to more direct-to-consumer brands through international platforms like Shopline.

Pink phone screen with a "buy now pay later" mobile banner on a dark navy blue background.

Chase, PayPal and more are racing to get BNPL options in front of more customers

April 09, 2025

Chase is boosting its BNPL options available at checkout as such services continue to grow in popularity with budget-conscious consumers.

How scenario planning accounts for economic uncertainty

March 19, 2025

Bradley Keefer, CRO, Keen Decision Systems The current economic outlook is uncertain, with consumer confidence declining, egg prices climbing and new tariffs in place. Meanwhile, supply chain disruptions caused by understaffing and trade war implications pose broader risks to the global economy. With so much turmoil, long-term marketing budgets pose a challenge for retailers. To […]

Marketing

Why Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty is betting on Substack as brands embrace long-form content

April 28, 2025

Selena Gomez-founded Rare Beauty has become the latest company to join Substack’s growing roster of branded newsletters, using the platform to peel back the curtain on product development, team culture and behind-the-scenes stories. 

American Eagle debuts a new affiliate program as it looks to ‘the next phase’ in social shopping

April 23, 2025

American Eagle Outfitters is rolling out its own affiliate program to boost sales and connect with brand fans. Its chief marketing officer told Modern Retail how the program works and why it’s an opportunity to scale.

Screenshots of brands' Substack newsletters.

Brands Briefing: What brands should know before jumping into Substack

April 22, 2025

Rare Beauty is the latest to launch a Substack as more brands look for ways to organically reach people outside of Instagram and TikTok. But brands should be mindful before jumping into the platform.

Operations

Branch Basics makes mass retail debut at Target with lower prices, marketing blitz

April 29, 2025

Branch Basics, the $150 million natural cleaning brand, is making its mass retail debut at Target with a new lineup of ready-to-use products.

Big Lots storefront with a sign that reads "under new management"

New owner reveals plan to revive Big Lots with less furniture, more apparel

April 25, 2025

The new company operating Big Lots stores post-bankruptcy plans to divert from choices made by the chain’s previous management. Instead, the company plans to scale back the furniture selection and lean into low-priced, name-brand apparel while maintaining the brand’s identity.

How AI-powered customer service preserves the human touch

March 10, 2025

Jennifer Baker, senior director of demand generation, Gladly Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming customer service. By the end of this year, 80% of customer service and support operations will apply some form of generative AI to improve efficiency, enhance customer interactions and drive upsell opportunities. While AI presents immense potential, its success depends on thoughtful […]

Coyuchi shows why it’s so hard to source organic, U.S. cotton

April 24, 2025

As tariffs disrupt textile supply chains, the U.S. cotton industry is unlikely to be able to support new manufacturing capacities. Coyuchi’s director of sourcing and sustainability spoke about why it’s so hard for brands to source U.S. cotton.