ering attention for how it is responding to tariffs is the sexual wellness brand Dame.  Dame is placing what it dubs a “Trump tariff surcharge” of $5 on all of its vibrators, which the sexual wellness brand imports from China. In addition to a small icon resembling a certain president’s familiar updo at the bottom of its shopping tab, Dame has added an explanation of the surcharge on its website: “Due to the latest round of tariffs affecting goods made in China (and other countries), our cost to make products just went up. A lot. Like many other companies, we’re adding a $5 surcharge to help cover these increased costs,” the brand stated. “We’ve held off as long as we could, seriously, Alex [Dame’s brand founder] has been losing sleep over this, but this fee helps us avoid raising the price of every item on our site. We wanted to be transparent with you, rather than quietly inflating prices.” Meanwhile, other brand founders, like Unbound Babes’ Polly Rodriguez and Dieux’s Charlotte Palermino, are approaching consumers with genuine and data-driven explanations about their brand’s pricing adjustments.  In an Instagram post published on April 6, Palermino, the co-founder and chief brand officer of the skincare brand Dieux, provided an in-depth breakdown of why and how tariffs will affect the pricing of consumer product goods, especially those within the beauty industry.  Similarly, Unbound Babe’s Rodriguez has released an in-depth editorial explanation via its website and newsletter on the realities of what a large tariff on Chinese-imported goods will do to product pricing.  In an article titled, “How Will Trump’s Tariffs Affect the Cost of my Sex Toys?”, Rodriguez explained why the majority of the world’s sex toys, approximately 70 to 80 per cent, are produced in China and what the reality of dealing with an overnight cost increase of 145 per cent will do to the brand’s pricing measures.  To further illustrate her point, Rodriguez provided several easy-to-read infographics breaking down Unbound Babes’ cost distribution costs pre-tariffs (February 2025) and post-tariffs (April 2025).  “To raise prices on our customers, after we’ve all already endured so much inflation, feels equally cruel. But as a business, we don’t really have a choice. How much our prices increase, unfortunately, is incredibly complicated and depends on several factors,” the founder stated. Rodriguez disclosed that the existing inventory will not incur tariffs, but that tens of thousands of incoming units will be, and that the brand does not have all the answers yet to determine the ultimate price of these stock-keeping units. Nonetheless, Rodriguez was able to convey steps the brand would take as the full impact of the tariffs on Unbound Babes products come to life. These include strategies such as efficient communication with the brand’s community, lobbying for tariff relief and doing everything in its power to limit the impact to pricing.  As Rodriguez commented, “Unbound was built on the belief that sexual wellness products should be accessible for all, and we have always defined that as being well below $100. It is still our goal to maintain that threshold.” PR experts advise brands to proceed with clarity and authenticity  Regardless of what methods a retailer uses to communicate tariff-related shifts, be it a cheeky infographic on a checkout page, a social media post, or a detailed newsletter, public relations experts advise approaching customers with total clarity and honesty.  “Tariffs may be geopolitical, but price changes are deeply personal, especially to customers,” Bethany Paris Ramsay, the founder of beauty marketing and communications firm Honey B, noted.   “When communicating price adjustments, clarity is essential, but so is tone. Avoid corporate-speak or overly technical language.” Instead, the Honey B founder commented that retailers should speak with warmth and intention.  “Let your audience know why you’ve made the change, what values you’re protecting, and how you’re continuing to put them first. Framing it as an act of stewardship (of your supply chain, your team, your materials) keeps the message grounded and human,” Ramsay emphasized.  She added, “If your brand allows for humor, it can go a really long way. Your audience deserves both honesty and consistency from you during this bizarre time to be alive. Keep your message thoughtful, purposeful, and clear and you’ll have higher odds of actually resonating.”  Nic Bryant, the co-founder of public relations agency Lunch & Co, added that retailers should not shy away from having tough conversations with their customers, considering the broader economic landscape. “Sometimes brands are afraid of bringing up bad news and turning off consumers, so they stay quiet. The reality is consumers are already thinking about tariffs, so bringing it up early isn’t going to be rubbing salt in the wound, it will be a show of transparency that is going to be appreciated,” Bryant remarked. “Authenticity and content that gives consumers a sneak peek into the work and humans behind the brand has been trending for a while, and now is a good time as ever to lean into this.”  Bryant advised retailers to focus on crafting messages with empathy rather than blame and to share updates without getting political unless it aligns with the brand’s identity. “Tune in and practice some social listening here. You should already know enough about your consumer to know how to tailor your tone, but if you’re unsure, keep it neutral and sincere. This can be a moment to build loyalty as consumers don’t forget how brands made them feel when the world was uncertain and heavy,” Bryant concluded.