A small business owner says they were forced to consider bankruptcy after recent U.S. tariffs on imports from China and India made their company financially unsustainable.
Tariff Hikes Hit Small Businesses Hard
“We rely on something that can only be purchased from China or India, both of which countries have insane tariffs,” wrote the original poster. “The only American version is 9.4x more. They are lazy, slow and make a sh*t product.”
According to the post, the business had been doing well until April 2. But when new blanket tariffs later took effect, the cost of importing key materials skyrocketed. The owner said they raised prices in an effort to stay afloat, but sales dropped and every transaction now results in a loss.
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“I'm losing money on every sale,” they said. “I can name off the top of my head six other business owners who are also struggling — and in some cases laying off 10 to 20 American employees as their business collapses.”
The business owner expressed outrage that such a sweeping trade policy could be implemented by a single individual without congressional oversight. “One man completely eviscerates my business, and thousands of others, into bankruptcy overnight,” they wrote.
‘I Thought Republicans Were Free Market?’
The business owner, who cited Ronald Reagan‘s pro-trade philosophy, also criticized the Republican Party. “Republicans used to be against tariffs! Remember Reagan’s famous speech comparing tariffs to communism??? What the f*** even is the modern-day GOP?” they wrote, adding, “I thought Republicans were free market?”
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The frustration wasn't limited to one person. Dozens of small business owners commented with similar stories: skyrocketing input costs, cancelled contracts, and looming bankruptcies. “I've so far paid 185,000 over and above what I would have paid if these rogue tariffs were not in place. By the end of the year, it'll be 600,000,” said another business owner.
Several commenters echoed the sentiment that the policy disproportionately hurts small businesses, while large corporations either absorb the costs or receive exemptions. “Everything Trump does is designed to f*** small business and promote large mega corporations that don’t compete,” the original poster added in a follow-up comment.
Legal challenges are in progress. A federal court and an appellate court have ruled parts of Trump's tariffs unlawful, but the Supreme Court is expected to weigh in. However, some commenters were not optimistic: “Even if the Supreme Court also finds these tariffs unconstitutional, it is unlikely they will go away,” one wrote.
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Backlash In The Comment Section
Some Reddit users pushed back, suggesting OP should have diversified their supply chain or adapted their business model. But the owner didn't accept the blame. “I failed because one man doubled the price I have to pay for the materials that go into my product, on a whim, because [he] likes it?”
Others suggested a career pivot. “Just go to trade school and learn how to fix pipes,” one user wrote. OP's response: “No thanks. I’d rather not be a plumber. I’d rather run my own business which I’ve been doing successfully for half a decade.”
The overall tone in the thread was one of frustration, hopelessness, and anger. Many called on others to vote against candidates supporting blanket tariffs and to speak out about how these policies are impacting their lives.
“I wish more people understood the reality for small businesses,” said another small business owner. “This is all too real of a nightmare.”
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