Days of our Tariffs

Summary of Days of our Tariffs

by NPR

30m•November 19, 2025
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Overview of Days of Our Tariffs

This Planet Money episode (hosted by Kenny Malone) launches a mini-series—Days of Our Tariffs—focused on the recent wave of broad U.S. tariffs. Episode 1 ("The Tariff at the Door") uses a personal anecdote and expert analysis to answer the central question: are regular Americans feeling the tariff effects yet? Short answer: yes. The episode explains how tariffs are being passed to consumers, why some prices rise more than others, and what shoppers can do to avoid surprise charges.

Key points and main takeaways

  • Anecdote that motivates the episode:
    • Planet Money producer James Sneed bought a $60 collectible Arthur (D.W.) toy from a Canadian seller. When delivered, UPS demanded about $50 extra in tariffs and brokerage fees before handing it over.
    • Breakdown (approximate): $22.88 in tariffs (reflecting a 35% rate), ~$24 in UPS brokerage/partner government agency fees, plus extra charges if paying at the door. UPS also charges for customs paperwork and applies minimum/percentage fees.
  • Why surprise bills happen:
    • The U.S. removed the de minimis exemption (previously allowed shipments under $800 to enter without paying duties), so small-value international packages now face customs procedures.
    • Express couriers (UPS/FedEx/DHL) often act as “importer of record” and either front duties or manage customs clearance—then bill the buyer for duties plus brokerage fees.
    • Couriers may hold packages until fees are paid, return/abandon goods, or charge steep “at-door” processing fees.
  • Macro evidence on price effects (Harvard economist Alberto Cavallo):
    • He tracks ~350,000 online prices from big retailers and supermarkets.
    • Imported goods in those datasets are about 6% more expensive due to the current tariffs (above normal inflation trends).
    • Domestic goods are up ~3.5% attributable to tariffs—likely because domestic firms competing with imports raise prices when rivals bear higher costs.
    • Without tariffs, CPI inflation would be ~0.7 percentage points lower (about 2.2% vs. observed 2.9% in the episode’s analysis).
  • Distributional effects:
    • Cheaper/low-margin imported goods have seen proportionally larger price increases than premium brands (premiums can absorb costs longer).
    • Some products, like coffee, spiked more (coffee rose ~12% in the dataset) — the episode notes coffee was later exempted from tariffs.
  • Political and legal context:
    • Broad tariffs have triggered international retaliation, suspended trade talks (e.g., with Canada) and generated legal challenges.
    • A Supreme Court case is pending over the executive branch’s authority to impose sweeping tariffs—12 states and several companies are contesting the administration’s approach.

Notable quotes & moments

  • “The days of our tariffs” — the host frames the tariff story as a soap-opera–like national drama.
  • Justice Sonia Sotomayor (cited in summary): skepticism that tariffs are a purely presidential power; “tariffs are not taxes, but that's exactly what they are.”
  • Alberto Cavallo: “We’re getting about a 6% increase in the price of imported goods” (in the tracked retail data).

Practical tips for shoppers (what to do to avoid surprises)

  • Read seller shipping notes carefully (country of origin, “ships from” disclaimers).
  • Ask the seller how duties and taxes are handled—do they prepay/import-pay (DDP) or is the buyer responsible (DAP)?
  • Track the shipment online; carriers often give an option to pay duties/fees before delivery.
  • If buying from marketplaces (Shein, Temu, big retailers), expect duties to be baked into the upfront price more often than not.
  • If you see “ships from Canada/China/etc.” and the item is low-cost, anticipate brokerage fees and customs charges beyond the sticker price.
  • Contact the carrier directly if a courier shows up demanding payment—there might be an online payment option that lowers “at-door” fees.

Why this matters

  • Tariffs intended to protect domestic producers are raising prices for many consumers and lifting overall inflation modestly but noticeably.
  • The burden is uneven: low-priced items and low-margin sellers tend to pass costs to consumers more quickly; premium brands have more ability to absorb tariffs temporarily.
  • Legal and policy outcomes (Supreme Court, trade negotiations, tariff exemptions) will determine how persistent these price effects are.

Episode details / credits

  • Episode: Days of Our Tariffs — “The Tariff at the Door”
  • Host: Kenny Malone (Planet Money, NPR)
  • Producers & contributors: Willa Rubin (producer), Jess Jang (editor), Sierra Juarez (fact-checker), Vito Emanuel (research), Jimmy Keely & Maggie Luthar (engineers), Alex Goldmark (executive producer). Story includes reporting from Planet Money producer James Sneed and interviews with customs attorney Lenny Feldman and Harvard economist Alberto Cavallo.

Bottom line

Yes—tariffs are already translating into higher consumer prices for certain imported goods (about +6% in tracked retail items) and are indirectly lifting domestic prices too. The effect is uneven across products and depends on seller/carrier practices. Stay informed about shipping origin, carrier customs policies, and whether duties are prepaid to avoid surprise bills at your door.