Supply Chains: Impact of Tariffs

Introduction

Recently, the value of trade between the USA and China has increased ominously. China is now the principal exporter of commodities to the United States and is considered by most to be the top destination for American goods and services. While this trade has advanced the American economy by lowering consumer expenses and increasing company profits, there are downsides (Ng, 2020). Although Americans profited from the boom in cheaper Chinese imports, import competition killed thousands of Americans in their jobs. The United States has long reproached China of pilfering information from American businesses or forcing them to provide it. The optimism hailed China’s entry into the International Trade Association two decades ago has vanished as Beijing has embraced state-led growth, investing money in certain areas to the detriment of American and other businesses (Ng, 2020). However, the investments made by Chinese firms have raised questions about national security.

American consumers have benefited from lower prices, while American companies have tremendously benefited from being close to China’s Market. According to a study by economists Jaravel Xavier and Erick Sager released in 2019 that looked at the period between 2000 and 2007, trade with China increased the annual spending power of the typical American household by $1,500 (Jaravel & Sager, 2019). China is the second-largest export market for the United States, behind only Mexico and Canada.

Chinese Manufacturers Exporting to the USA

Manufacturing firms in China have chosen other strategies to offset tariff rises in the United States. If an organization has solid relationships with its subcontractors, it should start renegotiating the terms as soon as feasible. Distributors and vendors ought to be willing to collaborate with their customers. Chinese producers may contemplate using that necessity as leverage in negotiations for lower pricing to maintain their clients (Baldwin, 2018). Many companies have taken this action to lower expenses across their distribution networks. They should also preference a long-term contract to save costs across their supply chain (Pettit, 2018). If they can provide critical goods at current market rates, they can mitigate the consequences of the tariff upsurge.

Increasing market pricing for commodities can assist manufacturers avoid excessive tariffs in the U.S. They should reevaluate their gaps and determine which costs may be internalized and mitigated to accomplish this. When making adjustments, it is necessary to recognize potential cost savings opportunities or the kind of cost modifications that their customers would tolerate. In order to effectively serve clients, communication is essential. Understanding what people are willing to put up with and being transparent about their rationale is crucial for retaining customers and employees. For instance, Walmart, the most prominent international retailer, forecasted higher tariffs on goods from China would raise consumer prices (Pettit, 2018). The company declared that it would attempt to import items from different countries and work with them to mitigate the impact of high tariffs.

Companies manufacturing in China and other countries have an advantage since moving to a manufacturing link outside China is more manageable. For many corporations, moving production to nations like Vietnam, Mexico, Cambodia, and India has already started (Luo, Guo, and Shi, 2018). Although there may be an obvious solution to the tariff increase, putting it into practice will be difficult. Most other countries do not possess the infrastructure, resources, or technical know-how that China does. Additionally, it might be challenging to transfer production quickly since firms need to make new contacts, haggle over costs, and ensure their organizations comply with safety regulations, among other things. The idea that so many companies are exploring outside of China creates a challenge for the competition.

Companies in China may have advantages or disadvantages due to altering their options. Companies may gain from finding new lucrative markets and paying less for shipping, among other things. If buyers in the Market accept higher customs taxes favorably, this might indirectly boost the company’s profit margins. Companies occasionally consult with customers while increasing product prices (Luo, Guo, and Shi, 2018). The business’s success depends on the factories and customers having positive relationships. The expense of changing institutional behavior is these approaches’ principal drawback. Market research requires significant financial investment when switching to a new market.

Transferring Production Overseas

Consumers in every industry have different interests in goods, foods, product/food grades, and maybe even sub-brands. Cultural meanings may also attach to forms, color schemes, and other distinctive characteristics. When deciding whether it is appropriate for a place or if it has to be upgraded for tremendous economic success, these ethnic considerations should be considered. For the South Asian Market, Fanta beverage, for instance, has an orange scent (Siregar and Suparno, 2021). The Coca-Cola Corporation, which manufactures Fanta, has modified the flavor for various locations to consider regional tastes and preferences. In Namibia, France, and Korea, Fanta is available in cherry, citrus, and floral flavors.

Another imperative consideration when determining which area or country to export to is locating the advantageous price for the goods in the destination country. It must be assertive while also being sensible. Distributors must consider both the firm’s demand and the price that customers are willing to pay. They must know that some additional fundamentals will influence product price, performance, and how well each unit sells. These include unloading and packing fees, market share, travel time, logistics, customs, and other unanticipated expenses (Siregar and Suparno, 2021). The price a rival exporter provides may also affect profitability. The prices will be advantageous to manufacturers since they will demonstrate how much merchandise they can send and how much income they can make from it. A costly item may become affordable because of high product quality, quick delivery, personalized packaging, and other benefits.

When selecting a country, trade restrictions are pretty significant. Exporters must thoroughly research the nation’s legal procedures, environmental and safety standards, and economic laws to ensure that the transaction does not jeopardize one’s company’s interests. Unparalleled political events and diverse ideologies may eventually harm a company in a particular nation (Siregar and Suparno, 2021). Another tactic to get around trade obstacles is to exclusively export to nations with whom China has global and bilateral trade agreements that offer regulatory exemptions and other circumstances for mutual advantage. To aid with internal shortages, several of these countries also offer subsidies on certain imports.

Shipping to a nearby market is possible depending on many elements, starting with how simple it is to deliver. A producer could occasionally discover that pursuing a far-off but more desirable market is more profitable. Due to proximity and similar cultural ties, exporting to Pakistan and Bangladesh may be straightforward for Indian manufacturers (Siregar and Suparno, 2021). Despite being more distant, the Chinese Market is nevertheless more appealing due to its size and possibilities.

Advantages of Sourcing Products from A US Supplier

Saving on costs is one of the main advantages of global marketplace sourcing. Several Foreign Service providers and businesses offer their goods at competitive prices in low-cost regions. Because production prices are often lower, companies may frequently buy items for less per unit. This can be an excellent strategy for firms with scarce resources to improve their bottom line. However, extra factors such as excessive international organization, telephone, transportation expenses, or customs duty could undermine potential cost savings (Ślepaczuk, Sakowski, and Zakrzewski, 2018). Foreign sources may be more profitable due to the typically lower unit rate.

Manufacturers who need to label their products as “Made in the USA” must adhere to specific requirements. Every country has its criteria, known as COO standards, although the U.S. has rigorous COO criteria (Ślepaczuk, Sakowski, and Zakrzewski, 2018). The FTC mandates that “all or practically all” of the goods must be manufactured in the United States for companies to advertise that their interests are made in America legitimately (Dyer, 2022). “All or practically all” indicates that the vast majority of the product’s constituent parts were produced in the U.S., and whatever originating from elsewhere is so minor or insignificant that it is irrelevant.

In 2021, difficulties in transporting cargo became commonplace for trading companies. Reduced lead periods and a better likelihood of in-stock goods are typically ensured when selecting a supplier who offers US-made goods (Siregar and Suparno, 2021). If all of the supplier’s items are imported, particularly in significant numbers, it can take days or weeks until they are once again available for purchase. If customers require their items sooner, accelerated delivery prices may be exorbitant in addition to the hefty foreign shipping fees. Their badly needed goods will arrive quicker and for less money when they order things made and shipped in the United States.

The last advantage of buying American-made goods is better product assistance and more direct interaction. Companies purchase packaging options to present their items in the greatest possible way. However, the consumer experience includes more than just packing the gods. They might therefore desire a simple, quick, and stress-free purchasing and question-answering experience. Institutions do not have to cope with linguistic hurdles or wait for answers because of time zone variations when suppliers offer products created in the USA (Loginova and Syam, 2019). Due to their presence in the local Market, observing what is successful and in demand, American producers can assist organizations in promptly responding to new market trends (Ślepaczuk, Sakowski, and Zakrzewski, 2018). Production methods can frequently be modified to match individualized product demands or fluctuating production numbers more quickly and easily.

Most effort is placed on innovation and skilled labor to increase reliability and effectiveness in U.S. production. U.S. employees are amongst the most prolific on the planet, partly because of the nation’s strict labor regulations, which appeal for a secure and excellent working environment, state-of-the-art job placement, and technological and financial expenditures (Ślepaczuk, Sakowski, and Zakrzewski, 2018). Manufacturing has made significant investments to ensure that its one-umpteenth cap is identical to its first. This precision is essential for individuals with machinery fill and a limited fluctuation tolerance. To ensure that their consumers do not encounter surprises, they may provide the reliability and quality of their production process.

Disadvantages of Sourcing Products from the U.S.

Although the idea of global procurement is no longer novel, some substantial practical problems must be resolved, especially for Chinese enterprises that are just getting started. Chinese companies are used to purchasing products domestically. Therefore they are unfamiliar with many of the processes involved in global purchasing, such as developing standards for the supplier selection process and controlling the global supply chain. Additionally, there is a critical shortage of individuals with relevant experience since global sourcing is still relatively new for Chinese businesses (You, Salmi, and Kauppi, 2018). Several international corporations have found that they must deal with issues like mobility, production-related science and technology and capacity constraints, and a lack of administrative systems.

It is challenging for traders to develop fast and robust trade relationships because of the great distances separating different nations. Rarely do buyers and sellers interact personally, and meetings between them are even more uncommon. The period between placing an order and receiving items from other nations is rather long. Long distance increases risk and raises shipping expenses, and consumes much time. Price listings and catalogs are created in foreign languages, which may confuse the companies (Cornell, 2022). International advertising and contacts are also required, which is very expensive. A trader must either speak a different language or hire someone who does if they want to buy or sell items abroad.

Every nation imposes customs levies on imported goods to safeguard its domestic businesses. Both exporters and buyers are subject to tariff limitations in different countries. They must adhere to customs procedures and customs rules (Armella, 2019). Foreign trade processes, policies, regulations, and laws vary from nation to nation and are frequently updated. Every government has its own money, and the macroeconomic variable is the price at which a currency can be swapped for another. Changes in the conversion rate increase risk in the business setting. Money transfers for transactions in international trade take a lot of time and money. There is a higher chance of bad debts because there is a long time lag between the delivery of products and payments.

Recommendations

Organizations must certify that the costs associated with the purchase process are acceptable and have no adverse effects on the company’s revenue. The most recent direct costs, levies, and taxes must be disclosed. They must also avoid wasting the money they save on shipping expenses by employing international purchasing. The secret to determining the cost of transportation is to assess the efficiency of the suppliers concerning the resources and procedures they employ (Armella, 2019). To better understand how frequently suppliers are communicated with, use this report. The company and the supplier can minimize potential complications throughout the collaboration process.

Conclusion

In conclusion, locating suppliers will initially be expensive but necessary to build a successful supply chain. The logistic chain is just starting as they select suppliers who can provide the high-quality products they want at a pricing point that suits the company. Everyone is familiar with what happens when a production chain malfunctions. It results in lost revenue, disgruntled clients, and reputational harm to a business. Spend some time during the purchasing process carefully vetting vendors. It will pay off in the long and maybe even in the short run.

References List

Armella, S. (2019). ‘WTO Agreement on Trade Facilitation (TFA): General Rules on Simplification, Harmonization, and Modernization of Administrative Procedures,’ Global Trade and Customs Journal, 14(6), pp.281-286.

Baldwin, E. (2018) ‘Manufacturers Should Consider Older Consumers’ Diverse Needs and Develop a Diverse Set of Walking Aids,’ International Journal of User-Driven Healthcare, 8(1), pp.46-54.

Cornell, C. (2022) ‘Foreign Languages for Everyone: How I Learned to Teach Second Languages to Students with Learning Disabilities,’ TESOL Journal, 13(2) pp 978‐1937

Dyer, C. (2022) ‘U.S. abortion law: Scientist says his work on fetal pain has been misrepresented,’ 56(5), pp. 12-25.

JacTravel, X. and Sager, E. (2019) ‘What are the Price Effects of Trade? Evidence from the U.S. and Implications for Quantitative Trade Models,’ Finance and Economics Discussion Series, 20(8), pp.1-110.

Loginova, O. and Syam, N. (2019) ‘Sourcing Co-Created Products: Should Your Suppliers Collaborate on Cost Reductions?,’ Review of Industrial Organization, 56(2), pp.329-355.

Luo, Y., Guo, F. and Shi, J. (2018) ‘Expansion and inequality of higher education in China: how likely would Chinese poor students get to success,’ Higher Education Research & Development, 37(5), pp.1015-1034.

Ng, Y. (2020) ‘Why Does the U.S. Face Greater Disadvantages in the Trade War with China? , ‘China & World Economy, 28(2), pp.113-122.

Siregar, M. and Suparno, S. (2021) ‘Selecting the Best Supplier in Procurement Section (Goods Spot Purchase) – Department SCM with Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) Method,’ IPTEK Journal of Proceedings Series, 0(6), pp.504–509.

Ślepaczuk, R., Sakowski, P. and Zakrzewski, G. ( 2018) ‘Investment Strategies that Beat the Market,’ What Can We Squeeze from the Market?, 14(4), pp.36-55.

You, W., Salmi, A. and Kauppi, K. (2018) ‘Integration of African firms into global value chains,’ Critical perspectives on international business, 14(23), pp.252-281.

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