Why American Ecommerce Sellers Are Caught in the Crossfire

How Chinese Sellers Are Sidestepping 145% Tariffs (While US Sellers Get Crushed)

When the US imposed a staggering 145% tariff on imports from China, many Amazon sellers initially thought this would level the playing field, but the opposite happened.

Chinese competitors are using sophisticated tactics to completely circumvent these tariffs, while US sellers are getting crushed by the additional costs. In this video, I break down the exact methods Chinese sellers are using to sidestep these massive tariffs, why US sellers can't do the same without risking federal prison time, and what you need to do to survive as an e-commerce seller in 2025 if you manufacture in China.

Timestamps:
0:00 - Introduction
0:31 - Impact on US Amazon Sellers
2:08 - Tactic #1: Manipulating Invoice Values
3:33 - Tactic #2: Country of Origin Relabeling
4:18 - Tactic #3: Marketplace Policy Violations
5:34 - Survival Strategies for US Sellers
6:19 - Short-Term Solutions: Pricing & Advertising
7:26 - Long-Term Strategic Planning

Key Points:
THE TARIFF REALITY:
→ 145% tariffs on Chinese imports are devastating US Amazon sellers
→ Seven and eight-figure sellers are being forced to shut down
→ Chinese competitors continue to thrive using legal loopholes
→ The playing field is far from level

3 TACTICS CHINESE SELLERS USE:

Invoice Value Manipulation
→ Declaring $10,000 shipments as $2,000 on customs forms
→ Paying $2,900 in tariffs instead of $14,500
→ Worst consequence: Opening a new LLC if caught
→ US sellers face federal prison time for the same action

Country Relabeling
→ Shipping products to Hong Kong, Vietnam, or Singapore first
→ Relabeling as manufactured in those countries
→ Completely avoiding Chinese tariffs
→ Much harder to detect and prosecute overseas

Marketplace Policy Violations
→ Advertising "Made in USA" while listing "Made in China"
→ Using fake reviews and black hat SEO tactics
→ US sellers risk losing entire businesses built over years

SURVIVAL STRATEGIES FOR US SELLERS:
Short-Term Tactics:
→ Ruthlessly audit your SKU portfolio
→ Kill unprofitable products affected by tariffs
→ Raise prices where conversion rates allow
→ Scale back advertising to maintain margins

Long-Term Strategy:
→ Stop competing on price, start competing on brand power
→ Focus on product excellence and customer service
→ Build off-Amazon marketing and content strategies
→ Create sustainable moats that demand premium pricing

Notable Quotes:
"We can't win a race to the bottom on pricing, but we can win by creating sustainable and trusted brands that demand premium pricing."

"The sellers who survive this tariff situation are going to be those that adapt in the short term tactically and in the long term strategically."

FREE RESOURCES:

Check out our FREE PPC Course: https://www.ppcfarm.com/free-amazon-p...

Grab our FREE 45-step guide to being retail ready on Amazon: https://www.ppcfarm.com/page/success-...

Dealing With Tight Budgets? Get our Gold Mining Strategy here: https://www.ppcfarm.com/page/our-gold...

Get tons of useful Amazon updates via our blog: https://www.ppcfarm.com/blog

Who are we? PPC Farm is an Amazon PPC Agency. That's all we do and we're really freaking good at it. As an 8-figure Amazon seller ourselves, we know what it takes to be successful on Amazon. The info I share about Amazon is from the trenches. The real deal.

Don't believe me? Put us to the test! Let us do a free audit for you. Just fill out the form below to get started.
https://www.ppcfarm.com/contact-us

Follow me (Top Amazon Voice):

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/carly-mcmillen
Instagram:   / theppcfarm  
Facebook:   / theppcfarmaz  

Read Our Reviews:

Clutch: https://clutch.co/profile/ppc-farm
Trust Pilot: https://www.trustpilot.com/review/ppc...
Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/AeEKGPG2kF1Uw...