More than 3 in 4 store managers report more empty shelves since tariffs hit

More than 3 out of 4 store managers (76%) report they have seen more out-of-stocks or empty shelves since President Trump started rolling out his tariffs in April, according to a new survey by GreyOrange.

Half of those store managers say that HQ has informed them tariffs will drive prices up at their stores, while 47% say their leadership has told them to expect delays or reduced inventory, and 26% have been told to reduce their workforces or cut hours.

The report “reveals how tariffs and a rocky economy translate to empty shelves, frustrated customers, and overburdened staff,” states its introduction. “The data underscores how inventory issues, exacerbated by tariffs and economic uncertainty, ripple outward to shape customer experience, daily store operations, and sales.”

Just over half (51%) of store managers report they’ve reduced their workforce in the last six months, and that may be taking a toll on the shopper experience. Among tasks that have been delayed or skipped because of staff shortages, 47% said that’s the case with restocking shelves, 37% said that’s the case with cleaning and organizing, and 34% said so with assisting customers.

The survey was conducted by Censuswide and polled 500 middle and senior managers in the US in the latter half of July.

The scales will drop from nobody’s eyes when we remind you that surveys, even when their methodology and results are sound, often illuminate a problem for which the brand that conducts the survey is selling a solution. To wit: GreyOrange’s software manages in-store and warehouse inventory as well as workforces.

Executives from retailers including Walmart, The Home Depot, and Best Buy have said that tariffs have either resulted in them raising prices or made it a likelihood.