Have you ever experienced that rollercoaster feeling when you've just adapted to one set of rules, only to face sudden new changes before catching your breath? For cross-border e-commerce sellers, the trade policies of the Trump era have resembled unpredictable weather patterns—constantly shifting between sunshine and storms. On October 10, 2025, another seismic announcement rocked the industry: President Trump declared via social media his plan to impose 100% new tariffs on all Chinese goods entering the United States, effective November 1, 2025.
This is no idle threat. If implemented, this "Trump Tariff Policy" would raise the average U.S. tariff on Chinese goods from approximately 57% to over 150%. Just two months earlier in August, both nations had reached an agreement during the Stockholm trade talks to temporarily suspend certain tariffs, offering market participants a brief respite. This abrupt "tariff storm" has now cast a dark cloud over cross-border e-commerce merchants.
Sudden Shift After Brief Detente: Trade Relations Face New Uncertainty
The August Stockholm talks between China and the U.S. had shown signs of relative detente. Both parties agreed to suspend 24% of tariffs for 90 days starting August 12 while maintaining a 10% baseline tariff. This mutual gesture of goodwill aimed to provide businesses with transitional relief. However, the new tariff announcement abruptly shatters this fragile equilibrium, plunging Sino-American trade relations back into uncertainty.
The 100% Tariff Challenge for Cross-Border E-Commerce
The most striking aspect of this policy is the proposed 100% tariff rate—dramatically higher than the 10% baseline maintained in August's agreement. For cross-border sellers dependent on China-U.S. trade, this represents a severe blow that will directly impact supply chain costs and market strategies.
How should cross-border e-commerce businesses respond to this sudden development?
Risk Management Strategies: Diversification, Optimization and Control
Facing potential tariff changes, cross-border sellers should adopt pragmatic countermeasures summarized as: diversification, optimization, and control.
- Diversification: Don't put all eggs in one basket
Given U.S. market volatility, sellers should actively develop diversified markets to reduce single-market dependence. Emerging markets in Europe and Southeast Asia present viable alternatives. Expanding sales channels geographically helps distribute risk.
- Optimization: Streamlining supply chains to reduce costs
Optimizing supply chain architecture proves critical. Sellers can mitigate tariff risks through improved inventory management and logistics optimization—such as establishing overseas warehouses or partnering with local logistics providers to reduce transit times and costs.
- Control: Precision management to enhance efficiency
Strengthening cost control and operational efficiency remains paramount. Sellers must scrutinize every operational aspect—from product design optimization to reduce manufacturing costs, to refining marketing strategies for better conversion rates, and enhancing team management for greater productivity.
ERP Systems: Digital Assistants for Cross-Border Commerce
Professional ERP systems provide crucial support for managing multi-platform, multi-market operations. These systems enable unified order processing across platforms, real-time inventory tracking across warehouses, and comprehensive analysis of advertising performance and profitability. Such tools help sellers navigate complex operational environments more efficiently while reducing management costs.
Amidst the uncertainty created by potential tariff changes, cross-border sellers must maintain vigilance regarding policy developments while proactively implementing strategic responses. Through market diversification and specialized digital tools, businesses can strengthen their resilience and achieve more stable growth. In times of turbulence, thorough preparation remains the key to identifying opportunities amidst challenges.