A new study finds that shoppers report making fewer purchases recently, or have switched brands because of higher prices.
While shoppers may be struggling to keep up with the on-and-off again tariff headlines, they are noticing the result: higher prices.
According to a survey of 1,000 U.S. adults in April conducted by ecommerce platform Vtex and market research firm Dynata, 81% of shopper have noticed price increases in household essentials in the past 12 months, 87% noticed in apparel and 86% noticed in electronics.
What’s more, 41% of shoppers said they’ve frequently adjusted their household shopping habits or discussed the price increases with others in the past six months, 38% have occasionally.
Not only are shoppers are noticing and talking about higher prices, but they are also adjusting their shopping habits.
In fact, 73% of shoppers say they have changed brands or made fewer purchases recently because of higher prices. More than a quarter of shoppers say they have stress around spending, leading them to make fewer purchases or change brands.
Shoppers don’t want hidden or surprise fees
Shoppers say clear pricing and no hidden fees is a top priority for them to make shopping feel easier for them, with 82% ranking it as very important and 16% as somewhat important.
When shoppers see an unexpected fee, such as tariffs, at checkout, shoppers say they:
- Continue, but feel frustrated — 34%
- Immediately abandon cart — 20%
- Accept them as standard now — 16%
- Wait to see if the brand offers a discount later — 16%
- Appreciate transparency if fees are labeled clearly, such as “tariff” — 14%
If a brand has increased its prices because of tariffs, Vtex co-founder and CEO Mariano Gomide de Faria recommends for merchants to be upfront with shoppers about their price changes. Shoppers dislike hidden fees, so introducing a fee on the shopping cart page will likely backfire, he said.
“A brief, upfront message explaining the factors behind the price change can go a long way in preserving consumer trust,” Gomide de Faria said. “Depending on your category, it may or may not make sense to cite tariffs as the reason for price changes, as the tariff landscape is changing by the week.”
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