New U.S. trade deals and tariffs are still unsettling global supply chains as the 2025 holiday season gets underway, with so-called friendshoring (sourcing from “friendly” countries) and nearshoring in the Americas offering little relief, according to compliance software provider QIMA’s Q4 Barometer.
The report, which offers a data-driven snapshot of how brands are adapting in real time — diversifying suppliers, rebalancing risk, and navigating growing supply chain uncertainty — shows that U.S. procurement strategies are being stress-tested by shifting alliances and new trade barriers. “While Washington’s policies have dominated headlines, alliances forming between other major economies may prove more consequential for long-term trade stability,” the report’s authors warn.
The data gathered by QIMA shows a clear slowdown in U.S. overseas procurement from August onward. Further, after peaking in July (+22% YoY), inspection and audit activity — whereby importers vet their interactions with suppliers — fell sharply in August and September, signaling that friendshoring is proving tougher in practice than in theory.
While many have pivoted away from China and turned instead to countries in Southeast and South Asia, trade with these regions now face fresh headwinds, as transshipment tariffs and trade tensions with India threaten to disrupt diversification plans.
Meanwhile, U.S. nearshoring remains modest, the report concluded, with domestic and regional sourcing supplementing, not replacing, overseas production. Limited local capacity leaves brands with few scalable alternatives as we head into peak season, the authors said.