# Are we (in the US) going to end up with empty shelves and much higher prices in May? What should we do to prepare **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [April 26, 2025, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-in-the-us-going-to-end-up-with-empty-shelves-and-much-higher-prices-in-may-what-should-we-do-to-prepare/1017518 "2025-04-26T01:37:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2025, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-in-the-us-going-to-end-up-with-empty-shelves-and-much-higher-prices-in-may-what-should-we-do-to-prepare/1017518/41 "2025-04-30T12:02:11Z")
From an article on the slowdown in west coast ports: > [@](#): > > Seroka said he thinks U.S. retailers have about five to seven weeks before the impact of the curtailed shipments begins to bite, partly because companies stocked up ahead of Trump’s tariff announcements. > > “I don’t see a complete emptiness on store shelves or online when we’re buying. But if you’re out looking for a blue shirt, you might find 11 purple ones and one blue in a size that’s not yours. So we’ll start seeing less choice on those shelves simply because we’re not getting the variety of goods coming in here based on the additional costs in place. And for that one blue shirt that’s still left, you’ll see a price hike,” Seroka said. > **[Port of Los Angeles says shipping volume will plummet 35% next week as China...](https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2025/04/29/port-of-los-angeles-sees-shipping-volume-down-35percent-next-week-as-tariffs-bite.html)** > > Shipments from China to the U.S. west coast appear poised to drop sharply in May. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2025, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-in-the-us-going-to-end-up-with-empty-shelves-and-much-higher-prices-in-may-what-should-we-do-to-prepare/1017518/42 "2025-05-01T00:59:41Z")
In fact the GDP went down for the first quarter because imports are counted as a negative, and there were a ton of imports as companies tried to stock up. The crash in imports should come soon. ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2025, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-in-the-us-going-to-end-up-with-empty-shelves-and-much-higher-prices-in-may-what-should-we-do-to-prepare/1017518/43 "2025-05-01T01:59:26Z")
We won’t get any sympathy from Trump over empty shelves. His attitude? Suck it up America. You don’t need all that stuff you buy from China anyway. > **[Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com)](https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3lo2dloetgk2l)** > > Trump on China: "They made a trillion dollars with Biden selling us stuff. Much of it we don't need. Somebody said, 'oh, the shelves are gonna be open.' Well, maybe the children will have two dolls instead of 30 dolls, and maybe the two dolls will... ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2025, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-in-the-us-going-to-end-up-with-empty-shelves-and-much-higher-prices-in-may-what-should-we-do-to-prepare/1017518/44 "2025-05-01T02:32:56Z")
Yes, one of his toadies made that clear two months ago: The American dream is not about having a nice lifestyle by buying cheap goods. The American Dream is being rich enough that you can buy expensive goods. > **[Treasury Secretary Bessent says the American dream is not about 'access to...](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/06/treasury-secretary-bessent-says-the-american-dream-is-not-about-access-to-cheap-goods.html)** > > Bessent on Thursday offered a full-throated defense of the White House's position on tariffs. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2025, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-in-the-us-going-to-end-up-with-empty-shelves-and-much-higher-prices-in-may-what-should-we-do-to-prepare/1017518/45 "2025-05-01T03:43:47Z")
Yet it is the Democrats that are the rich elite and are out of touch with the middle class and below. The Republicans that are led by multi billionaires are the ones that know the pains of the lower classes. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2025, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-in-the-us-going-to-end-up-with-empty-shelves-and-much-higher-prices-in-may-what-should-we-do-to-prepare/1017518/46 "2025-05-01T04:33:43Z")
We made a pretty big Costco run today with an emphasis on things that are hard to substitute for–toilet paper, laundry soap, dishwasher detergent, freezer bags, and baking soda. Our previous visit included Advil, toothpaste, olive oil, rice, V8, nuts, canned beans, and batteries. Except for one prescription, I have around a year’s supply of my medications, and of that one I have a one-month buffer. We’re growing a little vegetable garden, and as the farmer’s market has ripe produce, I’ll be dehydrating vegetables, fruits, and herbs. We always had earthquake supplies, then COVID showed us where we might anticipate shortages. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2025, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-in-the-us-going-to-end-up-with-empty-shelves-and-much-higher-prices-in-may-what-should-we-do-to-prepare/1017518/47 "2025-05-01T05:11:56Z")
For the last month, I’ve been stocking up on things. I started with clothing: chinos and dress shirts for work, socks, etc. Then I made several runs to Costco and BJs to stock up on imported staples like olive oil and coffee. My biggest purchase was an induction range to replace my 20-year old gas range that I bought a few days ago. I was originally planning to do it sometime later this year because of concerns about indoor air quality, but the threat of the Trump tariffs on price and availability made me pull the trigger now. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2025, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-in-the-us-going-to-end-up-with-empty-shelves-and-much-higher-prices-in-may-what-should-we-do-to-prepare/1017518/48 "2025-05-01T15:30:30Z")
I hate to agree with Bessent in any way, but Americans really do buy way too much cheap crap they don’t need and that either never gets used or falls apart quickly. I realize that trying to buy quality (not a synonym for expensive) can still run into the Boots theory where people don’t have the money and buy cheap and crappy because they have to. And of course Trump’s tariff stupidity is in no way an actual solution. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2025, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-in-the-us-going-to-end-up-with-empty-shelves-and-much-higher-prices-in-may-what-should-we-do-to-prepare/1017518/49 "2025-05-01T15:32:18Z")
Besides, it’s not as if there are high-quality American-made alternatives to products made cheaply and inexpensively in China or elsewhere. Even the expensive stuff is also made overseas. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2025, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-in-the-us-going-to-end-up-with-empty-shelves-and-much-higher-prices-in-may-what-should-we-do-to-prepare/1017518/50 "2025-05-01T20:44:48Z")
> [@wguy123](#): > > Yet it is the Democrats that are the rich elite and are out of touch with the middle class and below. The Republicans that are led by multi billionaires are the ones that know the pains of the lower classes. neither of these points are true. Of the top 20 richest congress members, 15 are Republicans. Kevin Hern is worth $361Million. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has a net worth of _MINUS_ $8K. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2025, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-in-the-us-going-to-end-up-with-empty-shelves-and-much-higher-prices-in-may-what-should-we-do-to-prepare/1017518/51 "2025-05-01T20:58:02Z")
I was hoping it was extremely obvious the first sentence was parroting the right’s talking points, but I guess it wasn’t. What I wrote is what the right routinely says. The first part of the second sentence is true, while obviously the second is making fun of republicans being there for the working class. I’ll try to be explicit in the future and add a lot of /s tags. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2025, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-in-the-us-going-to-end-up-with-empty-shelves-and-much-higher-prices-in-may-what-should-we-do-to-prepare/1017518/52 "2025-05-01T22:00:57Z")
Are you arguing that Ocasio-Cortez’s net worth is average or typical for a Democrat, for Democratic congressperson, or what? Because bringing up an extreme example to disprove a generality is poor methodology. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2025, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-in-the-us-going-to-end-up-with-empty-shelves-and-much-higher-prices-in-may-what-should-we-do-to-prepare/1017518/53 "2025-05-01T23:37:41Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > Are you arguing that Ocasio-Cortez’s net worth is average or typical for a Democrat, for Democratic congressperson, or what? Nope, but she is a leading congresswoman for the Democrats. And my point about the richest still stands. ---
**Author:** ![vbob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vbob/32/4439_2.png) [@vbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vbob)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2025, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-in-the-us-going-to-end-up-with-empty-shelves-and-much-higher-prices-in-may-what-should-we-do-to-prepare/1017518/54 "2025-05-01T23:54:03Z")
> [@robby](#): > > For the last month, I’ve been stocking up on things. I have ongoing renovation projects using materials mostly from a VERY nearby Home Depot - so I’d been buying what I needed day to day. I’ve just realized that the vinyl fence panels I’ll want another dozen to match later this summer, and the engineered stair treads I’ll also want to match for the back stairs are all made in China - at worst they’ll be much more expensive, but more worrisome to me is that they will simply no longer be available, and any locally sourced substitute won’t be a good match. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-in-the-us-going-to-end-up-with-empty-shelves-and-much-higher-prices-in-may-what-should-we-do-to-prepare/1017518/55 "2025-05-02T00:09:51Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > And my point about the richest still stands. Which was my point. Plus, you skipped over the billionaires in the executive branch. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-in-the-us-going-to-end-up-with-empty-shelves-and-much-higher-prices-in-may-what-should-we-do-to-prepare/1017518/56 "2025-05-02T00:34:19Z")
> [@wguy123](#): > > Which was my point. Your point was not at all obvious. Sorry. Maybe some emoticons next time. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-in-the-us-going-to-end-up-with-empty-shelves-and-much-higher-prices-in-may-what-should-we-do-to-prepare/1017518/57 "2025-05-02T01:25:56Z")
I said I would add a ton of /s tags next time. But it was a direct reply to the post above which I had hoped would be a big hint. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-in-the-us-going-to-end-up-with-empty-shelves-and-much-higher-prices-in-may-what-should-we-do-to-prepare/1017518/58 "2025-05-02T05:47:18Z")
> [@wguy123](#): > > Yet it is the Democrats that are the rich elite and are out of touch with the middle class and below. The Republicans that are led by multi billionaires are the ones that know the pains of the lower classes. The only thing misleading is the phrase ‘are the ones that know the pains of the lower classes’. They don’t know those pains from experience but they know how to exploit them. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-in-the-us-going-to-end-up-with-empty-shelves-and-much-higher-prices-in-may-what-should-we-do-to-prepare/1017518/59 "2025-05-02T11:32:21Z")
> [@wguy123](#): > > I said I would add a ton of /s tags next time. But it was a direct reply to the post above which I had hoped would be a big hint. Your sarcasm was completely obvious to me. Don’t fret. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-in-the-us-going-to-end-up-with-empty-shelves-and-much-higher-prices-in-may-what-should-we-do-to-prepare/1017518/60 "2025-05-02T11:42:39Z")
It was patently obvious that you were being sarcastic. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-in-the-us-going-to-end-up-with-empty-shelves-and-much-higher-prices-in-may-what-should-we-do-to-prepare/1017518.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-in-the-us-going-to-end-up-with-empty-shelves-and-much-higher-prices-in-may-what-should-we-do-to-prepare/1017518.md?page=4)