What History Can Teach Us About How to Handle Tariffs with Packaging and Direct Mail

Written by Marc Mascara | May 20, 2025 12:00:00 AM

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The printing industry has been eagerly seeking tariff information as of late, and it’s now approaching levels of significant frustration and agitation. With so many unresolved questions around supply increases, equipment pricing, and spare parts availability, it’s no wonder that OEM vendors, converters, and print service providers (PSPs) alike are experiencing considerable concern.

It is crucial for our industry to learn from past experiences, particularly from the COVID-19 timeframe. Some might argue that COVID-19 was an entirely different situation unrelated to the current tariff challenges, but I contend that they share similarities—particularly in the packaging and direct mail sectors. During the pandemic, the industry struggled with reduced lead times, labor shortages, and increased capacity demands to meet rapid delivery expectations from clients and brands. As we get closer to the seasonal turnover period in the retail industry, print suppliers will face heightened pressures to produce necessary printed materials so they can keep shelves stocked with critical marketing messages and products. Since they are at variable stages of the supply chain, PSPs will be significantly impacted as retailers and suppliers navigate product decisions including availability and demand for the upcoming holiday season.

What We’re Looking At

Our industry faces two imminent scenarios:

Rapidly changing marketing campaigns to address tariffs
Seasonal turnover print requirements and timing

During the pandemic, the print sector responded by quickly delivering new packaging and direct mail campaigns that emphasized safety. The current tariff situation is similar, with today’s direct mail campaigns now communicating pre-tariff pricing, employee pricing, and no-tariff pricing—all of which require immediate printing.

This is just the beginning. Delivery time constraints for holiday packaging and displays will place further pressures on printing and delivery times. Following pandemic-related supply chain disruptions, many sectors have reverted to just-in-time (JIT) inventory strategies to reduce costs and working capital.

While concerns about increases in ink, paper, and supplies will persist, it’s important to be prepared for imminent reductions in turnaround and lead times. Despite these challenges, there are positives for the print industry:

New marketing campaigns targeting tariff and non-tariff pricing will boost print orders for direct mail, signage, and labels/packaging
Local and regional businesses will require rush orders with personalized short-run digital print
Packaging converters’ print production will overflow to PSPs, who will need to manage rapid turnaround times with limited digital print to complement full analog production

We will see increased margins associated with statements of work that deliver on tight deadlines.

Keypoint Intelligence Opinion

Ultimately, the coming months will test how well PSPs have adapted post-COVID in retooling their organizations, understanding their true capacity, and optimizing excess capabilities. Mitigating risks related to tariffs and trade restrictions is crucial. The best scenario is to allow your team to be proactive, not reactive. You can adjust pricing, negotiate terms, or reallocate inventory before production and delivery times go sideways. Those businesses that have already done their due diligence will have less need to feel frustrated or agitated about the changes that are surely coming.

Print, print, print!

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