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IHA’s blog features informative posts written to keep the housewares industry educated and informed about key strategic issues and IHA member services.

Navigating SCOTUS and POTUS Tariff Legality

by Dave Akers, IHSA A federal appeals court ruling that said the President does not have authority to impose broad tariffs, has introduced significant uncertainty into the U.S. tariff landscape. "Inflation is the one form of taxation that can be imposed without legislation." – Milton Friedman Here's a breakdown of the current situation and its impact on the global…

U.S. Retail Intelligence – October

September 30 – Mastercard: Macroeconomic Factors Will Drive Holiday 2025 Spending Larger retailers that purchased and stocked holiday items in advance of tariff changes are likely to have a competitive advantage. From: HomePage News September 30 – Target, Netflix Partner on ‘Stranger Things’ Collection Spanning Halloween to New Year’s The product lineup includes…

The Government Shutdown and Federal Programs

by Craig Brightup, The Brightup Group — On Sept. 18, House Republicans passed a “clean” continuing resolution (CR) to keep the federal government funded at Fiscal Year 2025 levels from Sept. 30 – Nov. 21 in order to finish the 12 separate appropriations bills for FY26. On Sept. 19, the CR failed to get the votes needed in the Senate and a competing Democrat bill with some $1.5…

September Tariff Updates

by Craig Brightup, The Brightup Group — Tariff updates since IHA’s August Government Affairs blog include a court decision on IEEPA tariffs, more steel and aluminum tariff categories, steeper tariffs for products from India, an extended China tariff deadline, and progress for the U.S.–European Union (EU) trade deal. Legal Challenge to IEEPA Tariffs As explained in the…

U.S. Retail Intelligence – September

August 29 – Ollie’s Cites Q2 Housewares Gains as Tariffs Presented Opportunity Buys Year over year, comparable store sales increased 5%, driven by a transactions increase. From: HomePage News August 29 – Burlington Turned in Solid Q2 but Tariffs Weighed on Home Michael O’Sullivan, Burlington CEO, said in a conference call that tariffs impacted the company in the…

The Changing Tide of U.S. Port Fees on Chinese Vessels

by Dave Akers, IHSA The U.S. government is implementing new port fees on Chinese-built, owned, and operated vessels, a policy aimed at reducing U.S. reliance on Chinese maritime assets and stimulating the domestic shipbuilding industry. These fees, which are scheduled to begin on October 14, 2025, are creating a significant challenge for the entire supply chain. As a result,…

August Tariff Roundup

by Craig Brightup, The Brightup Group — On July 31, President Trump announced new reciprocal tariffs on some 70 countries effective on August 7. The following list (Annex 1) is linked to the Executive Order: The European Union and Vietnam On July 28, President Trump announced a trade deal with the European Union, which agreed to purchase $750 billion in U.S. energy…

Navigating the Tides: Understanding Ocean Container Costs and Future Outlook

by Craig Akers, IHSA For businesses reliant on global supply chains, understanding ocean container costs is vital. At International Housewares Shipper's Association (IHSA), we empower our members with insights into the multifaceted factors that drive these dynamic rates. It's far more than a flat fee; it's a blend of core charges and volatile surcharges influenced by global…

U.S. Retail Intelligence – August

July 28 – Altuzarra Collection Enlivens West Elm Kids Assortment The collection, part of the West Elm Kids lineup, includes layette and kids’ merchandise featuring Altuzarra’s own hand-drawn botanical illustrations on many items. From: HomePage News July 28 – Walmart Hires Instacart Exec to Drive AI, Tech Innovation Walmart has hired a new executive to help it…