Shoppers Are Hunting for Deals and Ditching Brands as Tariffs Bite

Here’s what you’ll learn when you read this article:

• How shifting consumer behavior around tariffs, inflation, and digital tools is creating new opportunities for marketers to capture value-conscious shoppers

• Why Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X each require distinct communication and promotional strategies based on their shopping habits and deal-seeking behaviors

• How transparency, personalized messaging, and visible savings are becoming essential levers for brand trust, loyalty, and market share growth in 2025

Economic pressures are rewriting the rules of retail, according to new findings from Wunderkind’s August 2025 “U.S. Tariffs: Consumer Impact” survey. The report paints a stark picture for marketers as shoppers are cutting back, prioritizing value, switching brands and expecting transparent communication in return.

Fifty-eight percent of U.S. consumers now say they feel cautious, pessimistic or even panicked about the economy. In response, 35% are seeking deals more often, 31% are cutting non-essential purchases, and another 31% are shopping less overall. “Consumers are navigating a new cost-of-living reality, and they’re demanding that brands meet them with clarity and compassion,” said the report’s authors.

For marketers and communicators, this shift signals a need to recalibrate both tone and strategy. Women are leading the cutback trends and deal-hunting behaviors, while Gen Z is most willing to switch brands and scrutinize product sourcing. Meanwhile, Gen X has become the most aggressive online price-comparer, with 49% visiting multiple sites for deals, and Millennials lead in coupon app usage.

Wunderkind notes that transparency has become a loyalty trigger. A majority of shoppers (57%) say they are more likely to remain loyal to brands that clearly communicate price changes and offer updates on availability. Among Millennials and Gen Z, that number jumps even higher, underscoring an opportunity for brand communicators to turn economic stress into a retention play.

Tariffs are a major driver behind these shifts. One-third of all consumers reported becoming more price-conscious after the Aug. 1 tariff deadline, with the biggest reaction seen among Gen X (44%) and women (37%). At the same time, only 14% of consumers fully support tariffs, and half of all respondents believe they, not brands or governments, are bearing the financial burden.

Against this backdrop, marketers are being called to do more than promote discounts. “There’s a wide-open lane for challenger brands to win market share,” according to Wunderkind, “if they combine visible savings, clear sourcing and targeted outreach to deal-seeking segments.”

Online, consumers are getting more sophisticated. Gen Z shoppers are turning to social media groups, Millennials to coupon apps, and a growing number of all age groups are using browser extensions, email signups and even shopping cart “abandonment” strategies to trigger follow-up offers. Nearly one-third of shoppers say they now leave items in carts on purpose, hoping to score a better deal.

And while nearly one in five consumers remain unaffected by the economic shifts, the overwhelming majority are either reducing spend, reprioritizing needs or waiting out volatile prices. Only 3% of shoppers reported seeing lower prices in the back-to-school category, a striking figure as brands gear up for holiday planning.

For marketers, the lesson is clear: value must be visible, not implied. “Transparent communication and empathy aren’t soft skills right now, they’re growth levers,” the report concludes. With consumer trust and attention under pressure, brands that lead with clarity, consistency and concrete benefits are positioned to win.