关税重压之下，美国商家今年“黑五”打不起折了

Core Insights - The discounts during this year's Black Friday shopping season are expected to be significantly lower than in previous years due to tariff pressures and ongoing inflation impacting retailers' profit margins [1][2] - Retailers are facing a difficult choice between protecting profits and attracting price-sensitive customers amid declining disposable income [1][2] Group 1: Impact of Tariffs and Inflation - Tariff policies from the Trump administration have led to increased costs for many companies, from small sellers on Amazon to well-known brands, forcing them to reduce discount offerings [1] - Upstream Brands reported that the cost of a copper herb stripper has risen from under $20 last year to about $30 this year due to metal tariffs, making discounts financially unfeasible [1] - Therabody has raised product prices by 5% to 7% due to tariffs, indicating an inability to offer significant discounts as in previous years [1] Group 2: Consumer Spending Trends - GlobalData's Neil Saunders noted that retailers are in a dilemma, wanting to protect profits while knowing consumers expect discounts in a competitive environment [2] - A PricewaterhouseCoopers survey predicts a 5% decline in average consumer spending during this holiday season [2] - The University of Michigan's consumer confidence index has reached near historical lows, reflecting a challenging environment for retailers [2] Group 3: Brand Strategies - Some brands, including Coach and Nike, are proactively reducing discounts to maintain their premium brand image, which adds to the challenges for consumers seeking significant savings [2] - Coach's CEO Todd Kahn emphasized the company's strategy to avoid deep discounts to ensure products are perceived as worth full price, a strategy also adopted by Nike and Levi Strauss & Co. [2]