🤩 🇨🇳 Side Hustles To Get Into In Sight of Tariffs

🇺🇸 Why Tariffs = New Opportunity

The U.S. just increased tariffs on billions of dollars worth of Chinese imports—from 25% up to 245% in some categories. That includes electric vehicles, batteries, steel, solar panels, semiconductors, wool sweaters, and more.

Here’s a guide that shows the tariff percentages by category

If your side hustle relies on products from China, it’s time to pivot—or risk watching your margins disappear.

But here’s the silver lining: tariffs shake the market. When prices go up, competition drops. That means new low-overhead, tariff-proof opportunities are ready for the taking.

Let’s get into them.

🧶 1. Sell Handmade or Local Artisan Products

What it is: Start an Etsy, TikTok Shop, or pop-up biz selling locally-made goods—think candles, soap, pottery, macrame, or woodworking.

🧰 What you need:

• Raw materials from U.S. suppliers

• A basic Shopify or Etsy store

• Tools + workspace (garage, kitchen, etc.)

• Good product photography (Canva mockups help!)

✅ Pros:

• Zero reliance on overseas shipping

• High perceived value = healthy profit margins

• You can charge more for “handmade in the USA”

❌ Cons:

• Time-intensive

• Harder to scale without help

💡 Why this works now: As tariffs raise the cost of mass-produced imports, people are turning back to handmade goods—especially if they’re branded right and visually appealing.

📦 2. Offer U.S.-Based Fulfillment for Small Brands

What it is: Many brands are ditching overseas fulfillment centers due to shipping delays and higher tariffs. If you’ve got space in your garage or storage unit, offer micro-fulfillment services to indie e-commerce sellers.

🧰 What you need:

• Basic packing materials

• Pirate Ship for discounted shipping labels

• A simple Airtable or Shopify integration to manage orders

✅ Pros:

• You charge a per-package fee, like a mini 3PL

• No inventory risk

• Great for those with extra space

❌ Cons:

• Manual labor required

• You’ll need reliable organization systems

💡 Why this works now: Brands are actively looking for U.S.-based alternatives to Chinese fulfillment centers—and they’ll pay for speed.

📚 3. Create and Sell Digital Products

What it is: Design and sell digital items like planners, templates, Canva bundles, printables, AI prompts, or Notion setups.

🧰 What you need:

• Canva or Notion

• An online storefront via Gumroad or Etsy

• A niche + great branding

✅ Pros:

• Zero inventory, no shipping, no tariffs

• Fully passive income after setup

• Viral potential on social media

❌ Cons:

• Very competitive

• Need strong marketing to stand out

💡 Why this works now: When physical product margins shrink, creators shift to digital. And there’s a growing appetite for productivity tools, especially among remote workers and entrepreneurs.

👕 4. Launch a U.S.-Based Print-on-Demand Brand

What it is: Sell custom T-shirts, hats, or tote bags using U.S. suppliers like Printful or Printify. No inventory needed—just upload designs.

🧰 What you need:

• Free accounts on Printful or Printify

• Canva or Illustrator for design

• A storefront via Etsy, Shopify, or TikTok Shop

✅ Pros:

• 100% U.S.-fulfilled = no tariff headaches

• Huge trend potential—ride memes, elections, or pop culture

• No upfront inventory costs

❌ Cons:

• Lower profit margins per item

• Must build an audience or run ads

💡 Why this works now: Chinese-made apparel costs are rising. U.S.-based POD allows you to stay nimble, drop new designs overnight, and avoid inventory risk.

🛠️ 5. Refurbish + Flip Goods from Local Marketplaces

What it is: Buy used or free items from Facebook Marketplace, garage sales, or Craigslist—then clean, repair, and flip for profit on eBay, OfferUp, or even TikTok.

🧰 What you need:

• Phone camera

• Basic cleaning or repair tools

• Access to local selling apps

✅ Pros:

• No overseas sourcing

• You can find high-profit flips for $0

• Learn what sells and scale up

❌ Cons:

• Time and transport effort

• Not truly passive

💡 Why this works now: As new imported goods get more expensive, secondhand becomes more attractive. Plus, it’s environmentally friendly—bonus points for the planet.

🧭 What If You Already Have a Business Affected by Tariffs?

Don’t panic—strategic businesses will adapt and thrive. Here’s how to navigate forward:

🧮 1. Recalculate Cost of Goods with Tariffs in Mind

If your COGs go up by 25–100%, consider if the price increase can be passed to customers. Remember, when everyone is raising prices, your margins don’t need to suffer—especially if you explain the “why” in a transparent way.

🇨🇦 2. Explore Lower-Tariff Markets Like Canada

Selling on Amazon.ca or through Etsy Global may make more sense short term if Chinese goods face lower tariffs elsewhere.

🌍 3. Diversify Manufacturing Regions

China’s no longer the only game in town. Explore production in countries like Vietnam, India, or Mexico, where lower or no tariffs may actually bring your total landed cost down, even if per-unit production is slightly higher.

Use tools like ImportYeti or Panjiva to find alternative factories by analyzing competitors’ sourcing.

💥 Final Word

Yes, tariffs complicate things. But they also force innovation. And when prices rise across the board, the hustlers who adapt early win big.

Whether it’s local fulfillment, digital-only businesses, or secondhand flipping, there’s plenty of opportunity to build something smart—and tariff-proof.

Know someone who’s hurting from tariffs and would benefit from this?