With a new round of tariff hikes looming, American shoppers are suddenly paying much closer attention to where their online purchases come from. U.S. trade data show why: imports of goods and services soared $17.8 billion (+4.4%) to a record $419 billion in March 2025 as buyers scrambled to beat anticipated price increases.
For brands that actually manufacture at home, this “buy‑before‑it‑gets‑costlier” moment is a rare spotlight. Signaling domestic origins clearly—both in search keywords and in listing visuals—has become an urgent competitive move while imported products grow pricier.
Searches for U.S.‑Made Goods Go Through the Roof
E‑commerce analytics firms report a 220 percent year‑over‑year jump in searches containing “made in USA products only.” Similar phrases are exploding too:
- “Made in America products only” → +130%
- “American flag made in America” → +250%
Amazon‑seller consultancies see a five‑fold rise in total search volume for “made in USA” terms versus last year. So far, however, that curiosity has produced more clicks than revenue: conversion data still favor lower‑priced imports.
How Sellers Are Capitalizing
Brands that once ignored “Made in USA” keywords as low‑volume or low‑intent are suddenly bidding on them. Listing images now feature patriotic badges or U.S.‑flag stamps in the very first or second slot.
- “Cell Phone Seat” has refreshed its hero shot with a “no tariffs applied” burst and added “Made in America” to its titles.
- “Vyper Industrial” credits a modest uptick in sales to emphasizing local production.
- Others experiment with exclusionary phrasing—“Not Made in China”—to distance themselves from items facing tariffs as high as 145 percent.
Behind the scenes, Amazon agencies are revamping keyword strategies, rewriting bullets, and upgrading creative to make American provenance impossible to miss.
The Stubborn Reality of Price Sensitivity
Shoppers on Amazon remain laser‑focused on price. Market‑intelligence firms estimates Amazon’s average price advantage at 14 percent versus competing retailers, a gap buyers notice.
A recent field test underscores that point. Plumbing‑fixture startup Afina offered two nearly identical shower heads: a $129 Asia‑made model and a $239 U.S.‑made version. Over several days and identical advertising, no customer bought the U.S.‑made option. Fewer than 1 percent even added it to their carts, while 3,500 chose the cheaper import.
Founder Ramon van Meer calls it proof that patriotic intentions vanish when premiums exceed consumer comfort: “Idealism doesn’t always survive contact with a price tag.”
Amazon Stays Mum—Others Move Faster
Amazon has surveyed some sellers about tariff effects but has not rolled out a dedicated “Made in USA” badge. CEO Andy Jassy told CNBC the company’s main focus is still keeping prices low via inventory moves and supplier negotiations.
By contrast:
- Etsy is hand‑curating collections of locally produced goods.
- Shopify has introduced origin‑label filters and automated duty‑handling tools to surface domestic items more clearly.
Decoding “Made in USA” Labels—It’s Complicated
Even when shoppers want to buy American, figuring out what counts is tricky. Under Federal Trade Commission rules, a product must be “all or virtually all” made domestically to wear the label—assembly, major materials, and costs need to originate in the U.S. But “virtually all” leaves wiggle room; a beer capped with Spanish cork still qualified in a 1908 Supreme Court case.
Key label types:
| Claim | What It Means |
| Made in USA | Nearly every component and all significant processing are domestic. |
| Assembled in USA | Final, substantial assembly occurs in the U.S. but parts may be imported. |
| Made in USA from Imported Parts | Core components come from abroad; final processing is domestic. |
Food rules diverge further: beef and pork, for instance, lost mandatory origin labels after a 2015 WTO ruling. Small imports (under $2,500) can skip country‑of‑origin disclosures entirely under the USMCA trade pact.
Outlook: Seize the Attention, Temper the Expectations
Search data prove Americans are at least looking for domestic alternatives as tariffs bite. Yet experiments like Afina’s warn that many will still click “Add to Cart” on the lower price. Brands manufacturing in the States should spotlight their origin loudly—keywords, imagery, A+ content—while keeping prices as competitive as possible.
Tariff‑driven curiosity may be fleeting, but it offers a timely chance for U.S. producers to win new eyes, gather fresh data, and refine a value proposition that goes beyond patriotic appeal alone.
