How are tariffs, shopping trends, and app fee changes affecting sellers in 2026?
Research question: In 2026, how are tariffs, consumer spending trends, and platform fee changes affecting sales volume and profit margins for sellers?
The records only partly answer this question and do not measure how 2026 tariffs, consumer spending, or platform fees are affecting seller sales volume or profit margins. The 2026 tariff notices cover steel, aluminum, and copper duties 6, a Taiwan agreement removing certain aircraft-component tariffs 1, and a 100 percent tariff on certain patented pharmaceuticals, while generic pharmaceuticals are not subject to Section 232 tariffs 32. Commenters on Brazil tariffs warned of higher costs for consumers and higher home prices from stone products, and footwear tariffs could harm small retailers, but these are commenters' views rather than measured outcomes 121715. The only seller-level evidence on margins and volume is from 2025: SunOpta's adjusted gross margin fell partly due to pass-through tariff pricing while its fruit snack volume rose 1820, and Revolve expected cost of sales to rise because of tariffs 28. The newest fact is dated September 29, 2026, the effective date of the pharmaceutical tariff for companies not in Annex III 3, roughly a month before October 2026, and no facts address platform fee changes.
Sources
"In addition, the MOU states that the United States will remove derivative Section 232 steel, aluminum, and copper tariffs from aircraft components that are products of Taiwan."Implementing Certain Tariff-Related Elements of a Trade and Security Agreement Between the American Institute in Taiwan and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (Commerce Department, International Trade Administration, 2026-05-28)
"The Presidential Proclamation imposes duties only on imported goods that are aluminum, steel, or copper articles or their derivatives."Notice of Technical Corrections to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States for Duties Imposed by Presidential Proclamation 11021 (Commerce Department, Industry and Security Bureau, 2026-04-29)
"Proclamation 11020 imposed a 100 percent ad valorem tariff on certain imports of patented pharmaceuticals and associated pharmaceutical ingredients, effective September 29, 2026, for companies not listed in Annex III to Proclamation 11020."Procedures To Apply for Company-Specific Onshoring Agreements To Obtain Tariff Adjustments for Pharmaceuticals and Pharmaceutical Ingredients Under Proclamation 11020 (Commerce Department, Industry and Security Bureau, 2026-05-13)
"applying tariffs of 25 percent on all goods of Brazil, with exemptions for certain goods"Notice of Action: Brazil's Acts, Policies, and Practices Related to Digital Trade and Electronic Payment Services; Unfair, Preferential Tariffs; Anti-Corruption Enforcement; Intellectual Property Protection; Ethanol Market Access; and Illegal Deforestation (Trade Representative, Office of United States, 2026-07-20)
"The MOU also provides that the United States will no longer apply derivative Section 232 steel, aluminum, and copper tariffs to aircraft components that are products of Taiwan."Implementing Certain Tariff-Related Elements of a Trade and Security Agreement Between the American Institute in Taiwan and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (Commerce Department, International Trade Administration, 2026-05-28)
"On April 2, 2026, the President issued the Presidential Proclamation ``Strengthening Actions Taken to Adjust Imports of Aluminum, Steel, and Copper into the United States''"Notice of Technical Corrections to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States for Duties Imposed by Presidential Proclamation 11021 (Commerce Department, Industry and Security Bureau, 2026-04-29)
"Companies that enter into such agreements are eligible for a reduced Section 232 duty rate for imports of their pharmaceutical products and associated ingredients."Procedures To Apply for Company-Specific Onshoring Agreements To Obtain Tariff Adjustments for Pharmaceuticals and Pharmaceutical Ingredients Under Proclamation 11020 (Commerce Department, Industry and Security Bureau, 2026-05-13)
"the President directed imposition of a 25 percent tariff on all goods of Brazil, with exemptions for certain goods"Notice of Action: Brazil's Acts, Policies, and Practices Related to Digital Trade and Electronic Payment Services; Unfair, Preferential Tariffs; Anti-Corruption Enforcement; Intellectual Property Protection; Ethanol Market Access; and Illegal Deforestation (Trade Representative, Office of United States, 2026-07-20)
"or such products with a Column 1 Duty Rate that is less than 15 percent, the sum of the Column 1 Duty Rate and the additional ad valorem tariff under Section 232 shall be 15 percent."Implementing Certain Tariff-Related Elements of a Trade and Security Agreement Between the American Institute in Taiwan and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (Commerce Department, International Trade Administration, 2026-05-28)
"These technical corrections and clarification are effective with respect to certain products that are entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on April 6, 2026."Notice of Technical Corrections to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States for Duties Imposed by Presidential Proclamation 11021 (Commerce Department, Industry and Security Bureau, 2026-04-29)
"At this time, Section 232 tariffs do not apply to generic pharmaceutical products and associated ingredients."Procedures To Apply for Company-Specific Onshoring Agreements To Obtain Tariff Adjustments for Pharmaceuticals and Pharmaceutical Ingredients Under Proclamation 11020 (Commerce Department, Industry and Security Bureau, 2026-05-13)
"suggested that application of tariffs on certain products from Brazil could increase costs for U.S. consumers or manufacturers"Notice of Action: Brazil's Acts, Policies, and Practices Related to Digital Trade and Electronic Payment Services; Unfair, Preferential Tariffs; Anti-Corruption Enforcement; Intellectual Property Protection; Ethanol Market Access; and Illegal Deforestation (Trade Representative, Office of United States, 2026-07-20)
"The modifications to the HTSUS set forth in the Annex to this Notice are effective with respect to goods entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. eastern time on May 1, 2026."Implementing Certain Tariff-Related Elements of a Trade and Security Agreement Between the American Institute in Taiwan and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (Commerce Department, International Trade Administration, 2026-05-28)
"BIS needs time to get onshoring agreements in place before September 29, 2026, when the Section 232 tariffs for most companies will become effective."Procedures To Apply for Company-Specific Onshoring Agreements To Obtain Tariff Adjustments for Pharmaceuticals and Pharmaceutical Ingredients Under Proclamation 11020 (Commerce Department, Industry and Security Bureau, 2026-05-13)
"Regarding footwear, commenters suggested tariffs could have an adverse impact on American retailers, particularly small retailers."Notice of Action: Brazil's Acts, Policies, and Practices Related to Digital Trade and Electronic Payment Services; Unfair, Preferential Tariffs; Anti-Corruption Enforcement; Intellectual Property Protection; Ethanol Market Access; and Illegal Deforestation (Trade Representative, Office of United States, 2026-07-20)
"To the extent that implementation of this notice requires a refund of duties collected, refunds shall be processed pursuant to applicable law and the standard procedures of CBP for such refunds."Implementing Certain Tariff-Related Elements of a Trade and Security Agreement Between the American Institute in Taiwan and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (Commerce Department, International Trade Administration, 2026-05-28)
"Comments related to stone products noted that tariffs could be passed along in increased home prices."Notice of Action: Brazil's Acts, Policies, and Practices Related to Digital Trade and Electronic Payment Services; Unfair, Preferential Tariffs; Anti-Corruption Enforcement; Intellectual Property Protection; Ethanol Market Access; and Illegal Deforestation (Trade Representative, Office of United States, 2026-07-20)
"the dilutive effect of pass-through tariff pricing"10-Q SunOpta Inc. (STKL) (CIK 0000351834) 2025-11-05
"On April 9, 2025, China has responded by hiking its levies on U.S. imports to 84% from 34%."10-Q GigaCloud Technology Inc (GCT) (CIK 0001857816) 2025-05-12
"Higher sales of fruit snacks driven by volume growth, together with incremental pass-through pricing adjustments for tariff costs"10-Q SunOpta Inc. (STKL) (CIK 0000351834) 2025-11-05
"The number of active 3P sellers in the GigaCloud Marketplace increased to 1,154 in the 12 months ended March 31, 2025 from 865 in the 12 months ended March 31, 2024, representing an increase of 33.4% period-over-period."10-Q GigaCloud Technology Inc (GCT) (CIK 0001857816) 2025-05-12
"Sales volume increases for beverages and broths, partially offset by lower pass-through pricing for certain raw material cost savings"10-Q SunOpta Inc. (STKL) (CIK 0000351834) 2025-11-05
"ased to $1,416.7 million in the 12 months ended March 31, 2025 from $907.7 million in the 12 months ended March 31, 2024, representing a growth of 56.1% period-over-period, primarily due to the continued increase in the numbers of sellers and buyers transacting in our marketplace"10-Q GigaCloud Technology Inc (GCT) (CIK 0001857816) 2025-05-12
"Effective August 1, 2025, the tariff rate on those goods from Canada was increased to 35%."10-Q SunOpta Inc. (STKL) (CIK 0000351834) 2025-11-05
"Regarding Product Sales to B, as expenses charged by these websites are not in exchange for a distinct good or service, the payments to these websites are not recognized as expenses but netted against revenues."10-Q GigaCloud Technology Inc (GCT) (CIK 0001857816) 2025-05-12
"As of May 6, 2025, the U.S. government had imposed incremental tariffs of 145% on goods imported from China, from which we source a significant portion"10-Q Revolve Group, Inc. (RVLV) (CIK 0001746618) 2025-05-06
"Tariff-rate quota or TRQ means a quota that permits a specified quantity of imported merchandise to be entered at a reduced rate of duty during the quota period."Dairy Tariff-Rate Quota Import Licensing Program (Agriculture Department, Foreign Agricultural Service, 2026-03-09)
"In the near-term, we expect cost of sales as a percentage of net sales to increase as a result of increased tariffs, particularly on products with a China origin."10-Q Revolve Group, Inc. (RVLV) (CIK 0001746618) 2025-05-06
"Proclamation 11020 imposed a 100 percent ad valorem tariff on certain imports of patented pharmaceuticals and associated pharmaceutical ingredients, effective July 31, 2026 for the companies listed in Annex III of Proclamation 11020, and September 29, 2026 for all other companies."Guidance and Procedures for Implementing Tariff Adjustments for Specialty Pharmaceuticals and Associated Pharmaceutical Ingredients and Technical Corrections to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States for Duties Imposed Under Proclamation 11020 (Commerce Department, Industry and Security Bureau, 2026-09-23)
"To avoid ineligibility due to the 85 percent rule, licensees may surrender up to 100 percent of the license, but must import 85 percent of any quantity not surrendered."Dairy Tariff-Rate Quota Import Licensing Program (Agriculture Department, Foreign Agricultural Service, 2026-03-09)
"In the near-term, we may experience shifts in merchandise mix as a result of changes in customer demand driven by the effects of tariffs, as well as a decrease in the contribution of owned brand products and certain third-party branded products that face greater direct exposure to the impact of heightened tariffs. Shifts in merchandise mix could adversely impact our overall gross margin."10-Q Revolve Group, Inc. (RVLV) (CIK 0001746618) 2025-05-06
"At this time, Section 232 Pharmaceutical Tariffs do not apply to generic pharmaceutical products and associated ingredients."Guidance and Procedures for Implementing Tariff Adjustments for Specialty Pharmaceuticals and Associated Pharmaceutical Ingredients and Technical Corrections to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States for Duties Imposed Under Proclamation 11020 (Commerce Department, Industry and Security Bureau, 2026-09-23)
"Average order value decreased in the three months ended March 31, 2025, relative to the same period in 2024, primarily due to a lower percentage of sales at full price."10-Q Revolve Group, Inc. (RVLV) (CIK 0001746618) 2025-05-06
"Different rates apply to patented pharmaceutical products and associated ingredients from certain jurisdictions and from companies with Commerce-approved onshoring agreements"Guidance and Procedures for Implementing Tariff Adjustments for Specialty Pharmaceuticals and Associated Pharmaceutical Ingredients and Technical Corrections to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States for Duties Imposed Under Proclamation 11020 (Commerce Department, Industry and Security Bureau, 2026-09-23)
"The increase in cost of sales as a percentage of net sales was primarily due to a lower percentage of full price sales and deeper markdowns on markdown sales, partially offset by a lower mix of third-party brand sales."10-Q Revolve Group, Inc. (RVLV) (CIK 0001746618) 2025-05-06
"creates uncertainty for companies' understanding of their tariff liability and could also cause supply chain disruptions."Guidance and Procedures for Implementing Tariff Adjustments for Specialty Pharmaceuticals and Associated Pharmaceutical Ingredients and Technical Corrections to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States for Duties Imposed Under Proclamation 11020 (Commerce Department, Industry and Security Bureau, 2026-09-23)
Ask your own question