6 Things You Might Not Be Able To Buy at Dollar Tree Under Trump’s Tariffs
Written by
Chris Adam
Edited by
Jenna Klaverweiden
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If you were upset when Dollar Tree raised some of its prices and no longer offered just about everything for $1, you may want to prepare yourself for some more potential bad news. The chain has started hinting that it may raise more prices and stop selling some items if President-elect Donald Trump’s tariff plans become reality.
Read on for more details about the impacts of Trump’s tariff plans on this retailer as well as an expert opinion on what items could be impacted.
Also see three major retailers that will raise prices immediately under Trump.
Tariffs Could Impact Dollar Tree
Dollar Tree raised base prices to $1.25 in 2021 after decades of selling items for $1. Now more changes may be in store, as there have been threats from Trump to impose 25% tariffs on products from Mexico and Canada plus an additional 10% tariffs on items from China.
Tariffs, which were talked about a great deal during the presidential campaign, are placed on imported goods in an effort to protect domestic manufacturers. Companies have to pay the taxes on products that they import and typically pass those costs on to consumers, per CNN.
As reported by CNN, Dollar Tree said in an earnings call that it may have to change some products, adjust sizes or stop selling some products due to Trump’s tariff plans.
Just how many products from Dollar Tree may be impacted? That remains to be seen, but an estimated 40% of the discount retailer’s sales rely on imported goods from China, according to an analysis from KeyBanc Capital Markets.
That means some of your favorite products at Dollar Tree could be affected, either by price hikes or by being eliminated from the store.
Household Goods, Decorations and Toys
You may be wondering what specific things you might not be able to buy at Dollar Tree under the tariff plan. Per CNN, the retailer did not say what products it might stop selling or increase prices on.
According to Andrew Lokenauth, money expert and owner of Fluent in Finance, there are a few popular items at Dollar Tree that could be removed from shelves due to pricing pressure. Lokenauth pointed to six types of products.
“Those include artificial Christmas trees and decorations from overseas suppliers and basic household goods with international supply chains,” Lokenauth said. “Some kitchenware, storage containers and children’s toys might also be impacted.”
Best Products To Buy
All this talk about items at dollar stores may have you thinking about which products are the best to buy at these discount retailers. After all, many shoppers like to use Dollar Tree to find products that are cheaper so they can stretch their budgets during times of higher prices at grocery stores and restaurants.
According to Kiplinger, one of the best things to buy at a place like Dollar Tree is greeting cards. You can find some cards from quality brands for probably a lot less than you would pay at other retailers.
Speaking of lower prices, you may know that buying food items at Dollar Tree can help keep your budget in check. Specifically, you may find good candy and cold or frozen food selections. If you do buy these items at Dollar Tree, the good news is that they may be less impacted by the tariffs than some household goods or kids’ toys.
Editor’s note on political coverage: GOBankingRates is nonpartisan and strives to cover all aspects of the economy objectively and present balanced reports on politically focused finance stories. You can find more coverage of this topic on GOBankingRates.com.
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