The scale of resumed orders remains unclear
Orders from Costco, Sam's Club, and others have not yet resumed
Major U.S. retailers Walmart and Target have reportedly resumed some orders for Chinese-made goods, after having suspended them for several weeks due to the U.S.-China tariff war.
On April 29 (local time), CNN reported, citing statements from factory officials in China who supply products to U.S. retailers, that "Walmart and Target have recently partially resumed orders that had been suspended several weeks ago due to uncertainty over tariffs."
The scale of the resumed orders remains unclear. A factory owner operating a toy car plant in Anhui Province, China, told CNN that "Walmart resumed orders last week after President Donald Trump hinted at the possibility of lowering tariffs."
He said, "There is not much inventory at U.S. stores, and we are also watching to see how the situation develops. Our products have low added value, so if the tariff rate drops to around 30%, it will be easier for consumers to purchase them."
He also added that most U.S. clients have demanded discounts this year, leaving him with no choice but to agree. He explained that customers usually place advance orders at this time of year, and that toys are produced and shipped in large quantities from May to October in preparation for the year-end peak season.
On April 21, CEOs of U.S. retailers such as Walmart, Target, and Home Depot met with President Trump and expressed concerns that "if the tariff war continues, store shelves will be empty," warning that supply chain disruptions would become apparent within two weeks. There were also predictions that consumer goods such as toys and low-priced clothing would be hit first.
A representative of a company producing swimming products in eastern Zhejiang Province, China, also stated that Target, which had not placed any orders for two weeks, resumed orders on April 28. He said, "In two months, store shelves in the U.S. will be empty," and added that he refused requests for discounts.
Orders from other clients, such as Costco and Sam's Club, have reportedly not yet resumed.
CNN interpreted the retailers' moves to partially resume transactions as an attempt to secure inventory in advance, out of concern that the tariff war may disrupt supply chains. The network noted that this issue is critical not only for U.S. retailers but also for the survival of thousands of factories in China that supply these products.
Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao also reported on April 26, citing ceramic manufacturers attending a trade fair, that Walmart had resumed some orders with certain Chinese companies. One company stated, "Orders have partially resumed."
The South China Morning Post (SCMP) also reported the previous day that Walmart had requested Chinese suppliers, whose orders had been canceled or put on hold due to U.S. tariff policies, to resume shipments.
Michael Hart, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in China, said that the resumption of orders was not surprising, though he did not mention Walmart by name. He explained, "Companies in China are discussing with the government which items and products should be placed on the tariff exemption list," adding, "This is especially true for products considered important to the country or those that no one else can supply."
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