100% Tariff Shock: Implications and Recommended Response for Microbrand Watch Companies

The November 1, 2025 imposition of an additional 100% ad-valorem tariff on imports from China, announced today (October 10, 2025) by President Donald J. Trump, fundamentally changes the economic baseline for microbrand watch companies that rely on Chinese manufacturing and supply chains. This is not a transient pricing blip; it is a severe disruption that will immediately double certain landed costs, magnify logistics and financing stress, and force the industry into a stark strategic choice between raising prices and risking demand loss, absorbing crippling margin compression, or rebuilding supply chains under heavy time and capital pressure. Companies that move quickly with disciplined triage, fortified liquidity and a staged China+ diversification plan can preserve optionality and market position; firms that treat this as temporary noise will face margin erosion, customer attrition and likely consolidation.