EFFIE BATEMAN | Lifestyle | Contact
In some much needed good news, it can be confirmed that Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs might finally put a stop to unboxing videos, as US influencers will no longer be able to afford to purchase bags of useless crap from Shein and Temu.
These videos, which feature dystopian levels of overconsumption, involve Tik Tok and YouTube creators purchasing bags of cheap clothes to ‘try on’ and talk about, which is apparently entertaining for some reason.
But now with Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs, US consumers are expected to feel the pinch and potentially pay standard retail prices for poorly made clothing.
These tariffs are set to affect up to 150 countries, including Australia and New Zealand, which have both been hit with a 10% tariff. Russia was notably exempt from these tariffs, despite doing more trade with the US than with countries like Mauritius or Brunei, which made the list.
The largest tariffs have been saved for China, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Cambodia which range from 34% to a staggering 49% – which is set to massively impact the clothing industry, and fashion influencers who don’t have a high enough following to get free stuff sent to them.
In addition to the looming Tik Tok ban, which is still in negotiations, it’s unsure where influencers will turn to if China refuses to be sold to a US buyer.
More to come.
