No Time to Waste–Use this 90-Day Strategy to Save Your Supply Chain

Hey there,

This week’s Unboxed Weekly is all about timing—because in supply chain, the most meaningful changes often start with short windows of opportunity.

In case you missed it:
📉 US tariffs on Chinese goods have dropped from 145% to 30%
🗓️ But only for 90 days

This isn’t a fix. It’s a timeout.

Markets may be celebrating, but if you’re in operations or product, you know better than to let your guard down. These next 90 days are your chance to build resilience, protect your margins, and prepare for what happens after the relief ends.

🚀 The 90-Day Roadmap to Supply Chain Optimization
What to do now, what to plan next, and what to lock in before it’s too late.

We’ve broken it down into 3 clear phases—designed to create compounding wins, not just short-term relief.

✅ Days 1–30: Recalculate and Renegotiate

🔹 Re-run your landed cost calculations
🔹 Reopen supplier conversations
🔹 Lock in short-term POs smartly
🔹 Audit your freight strategy

🧰 Tools we use:

• Editable Landed Cost Calculator 

• Negotiation Talk Tracks

🔄 Days 31–60: Diversify and Test

🔹 Sample from at least 2 non-China suppliers
🔹 Pilot new freight routes
🔹 Simplify packaging & fulfillment
🔹 Revisit MOQs and batch strategies

🧰 Tools we use:

• Supplier Vetting & Sampling Tracker

• Global Sourcing Guide

• Packaging and 3PL savings guide

🔒 Days 61–90: Lock in Long-Term Leverage

🔹 Finalize backup suppliers
🔹 Secure pricing agreements
🔹 Document your playbook
🔹 Run the tariff Simulation again

🧰 Tools we use:

• Tariff Simulation Worksheet

🧠 The Bigger Picture

This isn’t just about reacting to tariffs. It’s about taking control.
A 90-day pause can become the spark that improves your entire supply chain—if you act with intention.

Here’s what we’ve seen:

• 💰 5-20% saved per unit
  

• ⏱️ Lead times reduced by up to 20%
  

• 📦 Inventory turns that actually work for the business (not against it)
  

• 🔐 Multi-supplier flexibility that makes you negotiation-proof

Small wins stack up. But only if you start now.

📚 Tariff Truth: What’s Really Changing?

Let’s clear things up:

✅ What dropped?
The only reduction was on the reciprocal tariffs—the politically charged penalties both countries imposed during the trade war. These were temporarily lowered for 90 days (U.S. from 145% → 30%, China from 125% → 10%).

🚫 What’s still in place?

1. Section 301 Tariffs — the main duty increase on thousands of Chinese goods due to IP and trade violations.
   

2. Ad Valorem Base Tariffs — the original import duties based on HTS codes.
   

3. Section 232 Tariffs — tariffs targeting steel, aluminum, and other goods.

📦 Also still in effect: the removal of the de minimis exemption, which means goods under $800 still don’t get through duty-free.

Bottom line? The 30% tariff rate is temporary. Section 301 and other tariffs haven’t gone anywhere.

This is not a policy shift—it’s a window. Use it wisely.

📩 Need Help Building Your 90-Day Plan?

We’re helping brands do this live—one product, one strategy at a time.
Just hit reply and we’ll send:
✅ Editable templates
✅ A free walkthrough of your product’s landed cost
✅ A roadmap you can implement with your team this week

Let’s use this window to your advantage.

All the best,
Lara

P.S. You don’t need to overhaul everything to make this count. You just need to move—intentionally, and now.