The ‘Stealth Tax’ Eroding Your Wallet

Americans are seeing their prices rise at the checkout this year—a form of “stealth tax” that is eroding their wallets and reshaping how they shop.

According to a recent survey by e-commerce marketing platform Omnisend, Americans are now spending $12.2 billion more per month since the introduction of President Donald Trump’s tariffs this year, averaging $47 more per person. Notably, 14.7 percent of respondents reported that their monthly expenses had risen by $100 or more.

Why It Matters

Economists have forecast that the higher import taxes arising from Trump’s attempt to rebalance global trade will increase costs for U.S. businesses reliant on foreign goods or components, and that these costs will eventually be passed along to the American consumer.

These effects have yet to significantly influence consumer spending or inflation data, a fact the administration has cited in defending the measures along with the billions of dollars of revenue the tariffs have accrued.

But with Trump’s recent reintroduction of reciprocal tariffs and even more sectoral duties in the works, consumers could soon start feeling these when paying for goods.

What To Know

Omnisend conducted a nationally representative survey of 1,200 American adults to understand how tariffs had affected their budgets and shopping behaviors.

In addition to the reported price increases, 66 percent of respondents said they had noticed price hikes since the imposition of tariffs this year. Thirty-four percent said they had observed these on Amazon, while 30 percent and 27 percent reported them on Temu and at Walmart, respectively.

Marty Bauer, an e-commerce expert at Omnisend, acknowledged that surveys do not “capture every dollar of tariff impact” as these rely on respondents’ perceptions and memories of price increases. However, he said these still serve as a measure of price impacts, one which precedes official data and government-conducted measurements, and that responses regarding behavioral shifts give a valuable glimpse into how households are adapting.

About 68 percent of respondents said they had begun shifting away from Chinese platforms such as Temu, Shein and AliExpress. As well as the higher rates on Chinese imports—currently capped at 30 percent thanks to the temporary tariff truce between Washington and Beijing—these platforms are also set to struggle from Trump ending the “de minimis” tariff exemption on goods valued under $800.

“These tariffs are functioning like a stealth tax, reallocating billions in spending and reshaping consumer behavior in real time,” Omnisend wrote in its analysis.

However, it added that the increase to monthly spending could derive from “budget-driven necessity” but also serve as a “patriotic flex” given that some Americans appear willing to pay more for products carrying the “made in America” label.

According to the survey, 43 percent were willing to pay more for domestically sourced goods, up from 40 percent in the first quarter of the year. Meanwhile, an unchanged 32 percent were not willing to do so, while 24 percent were undecided, down from 27 percent.

The price impacts appear to be weighing on the overall popularity of the trade policies. Between the first and third quarters of 2025, the share of those supporting tariffs fell to 28 percent from 34 percent, while the number in opposition rose to 49 percent from 42 percent.

What People Are Saying

Marty Bauer, Omnisend’s e-commerce expert, told Newsweek: “The pressure from tariffs builds in layers. First it shows up in the fastest moving goods, things like small online orders, household basics—then it spreads to bigger purchases as new shipments arrive. That’s why the changes will be gradual, not a single spike. Over the next few months, especially from back-to-school through early holiday shopping, we’ll likely see more creative ways for retailers to manage sticker shock by bundling items, adjusting sizes, or tightening return policies to offset higher import and freight costs without constantly changing the shelf price.”

What Happens Next

Trump has reinstated the “reciprocal tariffs” announced in early April after two successive pauses. These adjusted duties came into effect on August 7. Certain other tariffs, including an additional 25 percent duty on Indian exports, are set to take effect in the coming weeks.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told Fox Business on Thursday that the 90-day tariff truce between China and the U.S. was likely to be extended beyond the August 12 deadline.