Well, it’s official. Washington has dusted off the tariff playbook again. Under President Trump’s new wave of import duties, exporters to the USA are finding themselves facing not just the usual customs hurdles, but a much higher bill at the border.
Cue groans from boardrooms across Europe.
For many exporters, the USA has always been the glittering prize: a huge, wealthy consumer base with a taste for just about everything. But when those prize sales come with hefty tariffs attached, margins shrink faster than your confidence when faced with a 400-page customs form.
Why tariffs matter (and hurt)
A few percentage points here or there may not sound like much, but tariffs stack up. That 10% duty can wipe out your competitive edge, especially if your rivals are producing domestically or sourcing through trade agreements that you don’t qualify for.
It’s not just the money. Higher tariffs also mean more complex paperwork, compliance checks, and the kind of uncertainty that makes CFOs twitchy. No wonder so many exporters are now asking: ‘If not the USA, then where?’.
Look East: The Asian opportunity
The answer may well lie to the east. While the USA builds tariff walls, Asia is busy building trade bridges. Many countries in the region are lowering barriers, signing free trade agreements, and actively wooing overseas suppliers.
Consider this:
- ASEAN (think Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia) has over 650 million consumers and is increasingly the factory — and the shopping mall — of the world.
- Japan and South Korea are high-value markets, hungry for quality imported goods, often with fewer tariff headaches than the USA.
- India is opening up like never before, with a vast and growing middle class eager to spend on everything from snacks to software.
- China may be trickier geopolitically, but opportunities remain enormous if approached strategically.
In many of these markets, tariff regimes are not only lower but also more predictable than the USA’s shifting landscape. Add in faster growth rates and rising consumer demand, and suddenly the “risk” of Asia looks more like an opportunity.
Don’t go it alone
Of course, entering Asia isn’t as simple as shipping a container and hoping for the best. Each market has its own quirks: regulatory hurdles, business etiquette, and distribution channels that can be a labyrinth for newcomers.
That’s why having people on the ground makes all the difference. At Go Exporting, we have consultants across the region — from Delhi to Tokyo, Bangkok to Seoul — who know the markets inside out. They can help you:
- Identify the most attractive countries for your sector.
- Understand local compliance and consumer expectations.
- Find reliable distributors, partners, and customers.
- Build a market entry strategy that avoids costly missteps.
The smart move
So yes, US tariffs may sting. But they might just be the nudge exporters need to diversify and explore markets where growth is faster, red tape is thinner, and customers are waiting.
After all, when one door slams shut (with a loud Trumpian bang), it’s usually because another — perhaps in Asia — is swinging wide open.
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