Furniture Sellers Could Face Additional White House Tariffs

America’s furniture sellers could soon face additional tariffs on imports.

Last week, President Donald Trump announced on social media that the government was probing furniture imports to the U.S., an investigation set to wrap up within 50 days. Tariffs could come “at a rate yet to be determined,” the president added.

As the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported Monday (Aug. 25), that investigation is not new, but is part of a larger examination of timber and lumber-related products that include furniture.

Some industry groups anticipate learning the results of that investigation this week, though no recommendations have been issued by the Commerce secretary. These groups said it is not clear if Trump’s post meant that the investigation will go on for longer than expected.

“This is all speculation until we actually release paper breaking down what’s being tariffed and to what extent,” a spokesman for the Commerce Department told the WSJ.

According to the report, the news hurt the stock prices of companies like Restoration Hardware and Wayfair. Wayfair has said that tariffs haven’t greatly impacted its prices. That’s because it does not own most of the inventory sold on its websites, and thus isn’t responsible for importing that furniture or setting prices.

However, around 70% of household furniture sold in the U.S. in 2020 was imported, the WSJ added, with furniture from places like Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia increasingly making up a larger share of imports.

Furniture imports from those countries jumped to $15.4 billion last year, compared to $4.6 billion in 2014, while furniture from China declined, the report said, citing Census Bureau data.

In other tariff related news, PYMNTS wrote this week about how these levies are impacting small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs). As the tariffs reshape the cost structure of imported goods, many analysts have assumed the smallest firms would hardest hit.

However, the latest data suggests that’s not the case. In the second quarter of 2025, confidence among SMBs not only remained steady but reached record highs, per PYMNTS Intelligence research. According to those findings, 82% of SMBs said they expect to survive at least two more years.

“That’s the highest level of optimism since the survey began in 2022, and it arrived in the face of escalating tariffs and high operating costs. But SMBs aren’t just surviving; they’re growing more confident about the future,” PYMNTS wrote. “This psychological shift matters. Optimistic business owners are more likely to invest in hiring, training and marketing, all of which drive performance. They’re also more inclined to take calculated risks, such as entering new markets or testing new products.”

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