Thousands of popular businesses across the United States are seeking tariff refunds amounting to billions of dollars from the Trump administration. However, only a select few have indicated plans to directly refund these amounts to their customers.
This week, the federal government launched a tariff refund portal, following a February Supreme Court ruling that invalidated a significant portion of the former president’s trade initiatives. Unfortunately, individual consumers are not eligible to utilize this portal, even as tariffs are projected to impose a burden of $1,000 on the average American household by 2025.
While companies could potentially pass these savings onto consumers, few have committed to doing so. Within hours of the portal’s introduction, Money reached out to 19 companies regarding plans to offer rebates or credits to their clientele.
Currently, the main firms that have confirmed intentions to refund tariff payments are from the shipping and logistics sector: FedEx, UPS, and DHL. These companies state that refunds will be issued when they receive funds back from the government, specifically for duties paid on shipments for which they acted as importers of record.
The silence from most other brands amid the refund process underscores a prevailing belief that these tariffs will predominantly benefit the companies themselves.
A few exceptions have emerged. On a March 5 earnings call, Costco CEO Ron Vachris mentioned that the company plans to lower prices as a means of passing along tariff refunds. Similarly, Home Depot stated it would act as an “advocate for value” on behalf of its customers during the refund process, but neither has promised direct refunds.
This lack of immediate compensation has led multiple groups to file class-action lawsuits, seeking direct payments from companies that stand to gain refunds. The recent Supreme Court decision struck down tariffs implemented under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), and a trade court subsequently mandated that U.S. Customs and Border Protection establish a tariff refund system. Currently, the refund portal is in “Phase 1,” processing only certain unliquidated or recently liquidated entries, with “liquidation” referring to the final assessment of duties owed on an import.
The Trump administration has until June 7 to challenge the judge’s ruling on tariff refunds. According to the government’s timeline, it is possible that refunds may not occur until June or July, allowing time for a potential appeal before any funds are dispensed.
In a CNBC interview on Tuesday, former President Donald Trump expressed dissatisfaction with the Supreme Court’s decision, claiming it obligates the government to return $160 billion in previously collected tariff revenues. He lamented that if the court had added a simple sentence affirming retention of those funds, there would have been no need for refunds.
As companies pursue substantial tariff refunds, the following outlines their public responses regarding whether they will share these funds with customers:
Adidas
Adidas, the renowned German sportswear brand, raised the price of popular items like the Samba shoes from $90 to $100 last year due to tariffs. The company has not announced intentions to share any tariff refunds with customers, nor has it responded to inquiries from Money.
Amazon
Amazon did not participate in legal actions against the Trump administration over tariffs and its position on pursuing refunds remains unclear. The company has not responded to request for comments from Money.
During an interview, Trump remarked on reports suggesting that Amazon and Apple may be hesitant to seek refunds due to concerns over offending him. He responded positively, indicating that he would remember such actions.
Apple
Apple has incurred over $3 billion in tariffs since the implementation of the president’s policies. The tech giant has not indicated any plans to pursue tariff refunds and did not respond to Money’s request for comment.
Analysts suggest that these tariffs have contributed to price increases for Apple products, such as the iPhone 17 Pro, though the company has not publicly connected price hikes to the tariffs.
Best Buy
Best Buy’s CEO, Corie Barry, stated in a March earnings call that the Supreme Court ruling has led to a reduced effective tariff rate for their products. However, the company has not yet disclosed plans for refunding its customers and did not respond to Money’s inquiries.
Costco
Costco’s CEO, Ron Vachris, noted that any tariff refunds would be reflected in the company’s pricing structure. He stated that details about the refund process and the timing remain uncertain, but emphasized their commitment to delivering value to members.
Dell
Dell has not communicated any plans regarding sharing tariff refunds with its customers, nor has it responded to requests from Money.
DHL
DHL Express spokesperson Pamela Rai stated that the company will support customers in filing for eligible claims and refunds. This includes automatic filing for refunds related to shipments where DHL acted as the Importer of Record.
FedEx
FedEx has confirmed that it will issue refunds for tariffs paid in circumstances where it acted as the customs broker. According to an FAQ, refunds will be processed once FedEx begins receiving refunds from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Gap
Gap, affected by increased IEEPA tariffs, is estimated to be eligible for about $400 million in refunds, as noted in a report by Citi analysts, but the company has not responded to Money’s request for comment.
Home Depot
Home Depot may be eligible for roughly $540 million in tariff refunds, according to Citi’s estimates. A spokesperson mentioned that decisions regarding any potential refunds and their implications for customers remain uncertain.
IKEA
IKEA has previously indicated that tariffs would lead to price increases but has not confirmed plans for pursuing refunds. The company has not responded to Money’s inquiry regarding this matter.
Levi Strauss
Levi Strauss reportedly anticipates around $80 million in tariff refunds but has not provided information regarding its plans for this money.
Lowe’s
Lowe’s CEO Marvin Ellison mentioned in February that potential court interventions by the administration could complicate the refund process moving forward. The company has not responded to Money’s request for comment.
Macy’s
Citi estimates Macy’s potential tariff refunds at approximately $320 million. The company has not publicly commented on its plans regarding these refunds.
Nike
Nike executives previously warned that the company was facing tariff impacts exceeding $1 billion annually but has not responded to requests for information about customer refunds.
Procter & Gamble (P&G)
P&G faced substantial tariff costs before the Supreme Court ruling but has not signaled plans to refund consumers. The company did not respond to Money’s inquiries.
Target
According to Citi, Target’s tariff refunds could exceed $2 billion. However, the retailer has not clarified whether any portion of these refunds will return to customers.
UPS
UPS, similar to DHL and FedEx, affirmed its commitment to assisting customers in obtaining refunds for certain shipments where the company was the importer of record.
Walmart
Walmart may be eligible for over $10 billion in tariff refunds, as estimated by Citi. Walmart executives have indicated that the company absorbed many tariff costs to prevent customer price increases, but no comment regarding potential refunds has been made in response to Money’s inquiry.