Inaugural Media Roundtable: Vendormint, TariffNinja, and New Nexus Group Experts Warn of Retail Disruption Amid Supreme Court Review of Trump-Era Tariffs

During a timely Media Roundtable hosted by Vendormint and moderated by acclaimed Legal Practitioner and regular FOX Television Commentator Katie Zacharia, leading voices in retail, trade finance, and supply chain management warned of mounting uncertainty for U.S. brands and importers in the wake of seismically-shifting tariff policies and trade agreements.

In uniform, the panelists outlined a new commercial reality: one wherein tariffs are here to stay, regardless of the upcoming ruling of the Supreme Court in reviewing whether President Trump had authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose the sweeping tariffs today continuing to make headline news around the world.

Dallas Counts, COO of Vendormint, noted that tariffs have become a core operational variable, layered on top of escalating costs from omnichannel retailing, e-commerce, data purchases, and new fining structures from major retailers.

He emphasized that surprise cost swings are “the #1 thing retailers hate,” making tariff visibility essential.

Fellow panelist Dan Sanker, CEO of TariffNinja, stressed that what was once a back-office compliance matter is now a “make or break” financial factor. With duty rates at historic highs, misclassification or missed drawback cannot be absorbed, he contended - and while AI cannot replace human judgment, he said it is uniquely powerful for modeling tariff scenarios at scale.

He added that “We’re not just talking bookkeeping - real dollars, real risk. Brands that treat this like a tax return are going to lose out.”

And panelist Luke Briggs, CEO of New Nexus Group, would go on to note that tariff volatility strains P&L planning for small- and mid-size suppliers, influencing forecasting, promotions, negotiations, and long-term competitiveness - especially as the long-term winners will be those who choose the right sourcing geography as costs continue to shift.

The panelists underscored that tariffs can however be strategically navigated and engineered, not merely endured. Some companies treat the moment as an opportunity to gain market share; others risk overpaying or facing audits.

“Without scenario planning - as in, ‘what if the tariff goes from 3% to 100%?’ - brands remain exposed to swings that directly hit margins,” Zacharia would note.

The Supreme Court is now weighing whether President Trump lacked IEEPA authority to impose the tariffs. A federal appeals court struck down broad IEEPA-based duties in August 2025 in a 7-4 decision, though the ruling is stayed pending appeal.

As of late summer 2025, U.S. Customs had collected more than $70 billion in challenged tariffs. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned that if overturned, the U.S. may need to refund “about half” of the collected duties.

Some legal experts estimate total exposure could reach $750 billion to $1 trillion, though procedural hurdles may limit payouts. Refunds would go to importers of record, not necessarily retailers or consumers.

But brands and importers must act now, the panelists contended; the window to prepare for potential refunds or restructuring may be narrow.

Companies should accordingly build cross-functional teams spanning customs, compliance, finance, and sales to model multiple outcomes.

Technologies - from TariffNinja’s classification and drawback engines, New Nexus Group’s ability to operationalize consumer brands in complex big-box retail environments, to Vendormint’s invoice and PO optimizations — these resources are becoming increasingly essential to addressing rapid policy shifts and protecting margins.

“If you can’t figure out how to offset these costs, you’re left choosing between raising your prices, cutting promotions, or simply shrinking your margins - none of which is sustainable,” Counts concluded.

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Samuel Amsterdam

Public Relations & Communications

Vendormint

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