The Pain Didn’t End with IEEPA—Tariffs Are Still Holding Small Businesses Back

For a California-based wine importer, the financial strain of tariffs didn’t stop with IEEPA—it continues today, driven by ongoing uncertainty and shifting tariff policies. As they explain:

“The tariff on my last two shipments of 2025 had unexpectedly increased from 10% to 15% between the time that I had confirmed the orders with my suppliers and when the shipments cleared customs. As a result, I have delayed ordering other needed products because I am afraid I won't have the cash on hand to pay a constantly changing tariff rate or be able to charge what I need to recoup the costs. So there have been no good options as to how to move my business forward.

I paid $18,905.85 in IEEPA tariffs in 2025. That was money that had been earmarked for hiring a second W-2 salesperson which I had to table when tariffs were first announced. My first shipment of 2026 is expected to clear customs in April and assuming the tariff will be between 10%–15%, I will owe approximately $15,000–$22,400 in tariffs.”

This is what the “after” of IEEPA looks like for small businesses.

Even as legal challenges move forward and policies evolve, the cost burden hasn’t disappeared—it has simply shifted. Businesses are still facing tariffs under new authorities, including Section 122, often with the same high costs that made IEEPA so damaging.

For importers, timing is everything. Orders are placed months in advance, based on known costs and narrow margins. But when tariff rates change between purchase and arrival, businesses are left absorbing costs they never agreed to. In this case, a 5% increase—seemingly minor—translated into thousands of dollars in unexpected costs. And critically, those costs couldn’t be passed on.

Instead, they came at the expense of growth. Nearly $19,000 in tariffs—money that had been set aside to hire a second employee—was redirected to cover government-imposed costs. Now, with another shipment on the way, the business is bracing for up to $22,400 more in tariffs.

The question is no longer just how much tariffs cost—but how long businesses can continue operating under that uncertainty.

If your business has been impacted by tariffs, join others speaking out. Sign the We Pay the Tariffs letter today and help us push for real relief.