이창무 회장, 각 지역 소매업체 업주들에 호소
불과 1~2년 전과 비교할 때, 대부분 도,소매업체들이 매출이 급감(최소 20%에서 최대 40%까지)하면서, 폐업하거나 구조조정, 재정 적자에 시달리고 있습니다.” 이 창무 회장은 “지금 우리업계가 비상상황”이라며 뷰티서플라이업계 전체 차원에서 이 상황을 타계하기 위한 노력을 기울여야 한다고 강조한다.
그 주요 원인 중 하나가 중국의 Temu, Shein, AliExpress의 급속한 성장이다. 2022년 Temu의 등장은 기존의 AliExpress와 비교할 수 없을 정도로 미국을 비롯한 전 세계 소비 시장에 큰 충격을 주었다. 이로 인해 지난 2023년 Temu의 미국 시장 매출은 약 $15 Billion 에서 2024년은 약 $54 – $70 Billion달러에 육박하는 수준으로 성장했다. Temu의 제품들은 Hair, Beauty, General Merchandise 등으로 우리 뷰티서플라이 업계가 특히 위기에 직면하게 된 주된 요인으로 작용하고 있다.”
트럼프 행정부가 출발하면서 TEMU 등의 업체에도 10% 관세 부과 정책을 발표하지 않았나?
중국에서 미국으로 들어오는 개인 수하물의 경우 10% 관세 부과 정책을 발표했었다. 그런 발표로 잠시나마 희망의 빛을 보았는데, 불과 24시간 만에 미국 우정국(USPS)이 관세부과 시스템에 대한 준비가 안되었다는 이유로 철회되고 말았다. 따라서 Temu, Shein, AliExpress 등의 업체들은 또 다시 관세인상의 영향을 전혀 받지 않고 예전처럼 무관세로 장사를 할 수 있게 되었다. ($800 이하 상품 수입시 관세를 납부하지 않아도 되는 De Minimis(소액수입관세 면제)정책을 교묘하게 이용하고 있음)
우리의 헤어 수입도매업체의 경우는 어떤가?
우리가 중국에서 인모제품을 10만불어치를 수입하면 10%인 1만불을 관세로 지불하고, SYNTHETIC 제품의 경우 기존 7.5%에 10% 추가된 17.5%를 지불한다. 샴푸 등 미용용품은 기존 25% 에 10% 추가된 35%에 달하는 관세를 지불해야 한다. 이런 상황에서 우리가 중국 인터넷 업체들과 어떻게 경쟁할 수 있겠는가?
어떤 방법으로 해결할 수 있을까?
중국 인터넷 업체에게도 10%를 즉시 부과하든지, 아니면 우리도 무관세로 수입을 할 수 있도록 정부 당국에 강력히 요청해야 한다. 우리의 입장과 요구사항을 특히 각 지역 상.하원의원들에게 알려야 한다. 나는 현재 뉴욕·뉴저지 상원 의원 및 Grace Meng, 뉴욕 연방 하원 의원 Young Kim 캘리포니아 연방 하원 의원 등의 협조를 얻기 위해 노력중이다. 여러분께도 부탁 드린다. 여러분이 거주하는 지역의 상원/하원 의원들에게 우리의 사정을 설명하고 협조를 요청하는 서신을 보내달라는 것이다. 특히 NFBS, 미래연합, 그리고 각 지역 소매업체협회의 리더들 여러분들이 나서주기 바란다.
첨부 : <Reference Letter> :
아래 샘플서신을 카피하여 지역 상.하의원들에게 보내실 수 있습니다.
Dear Honorable Officials
President Trump’s recent announcement of an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods has put another burden on our shoulders, but it also gives us some hope. Our strongest competitors, internet sellers like Temu, Shine, Aliexpress, and others, have been taking advantage of the De Minimis, which exempts imports of goods valued at $800 or less from paying customs duties, to harass our business, and we thought that if they were now paying the 10% tariff, we could compete with them, even if we were burdened with the additional 10% tariff.
However, one day after the policy was announced, the USPS system was not ready, so the tariffs on TEMU and others were rescinded, so TEMU and others can continue to sell their products duty-free for the time being, but we are now forced to pay another 10% tariff and compete with them, which is a huge shock.
As you may know, Chinese internet shopping companies such as TEMU, SHEIN, and ALI-EXPRESS are shaking the business foundation of local retailers and wholesalers, as well as large retailers such as WALMART and TARGET, which have supported the U.S. economy for decades, and TEMU in particular is disrupting the existing retail market by offering products through the internet at less than half of the normal consumer selling price. As a result, local retailers, who are the grassroots of the local economy, as well as wholesalers who import and supply products to retailers, are worried about their survival.
In particular, wholesalers are importing products at a publicly disclosed high cost, while Temu is using the De Minimis to avoid tariffs and sell products to consumers at exorbitant prices to increase its share of the US domestic market. In this situation, the added 10% tariff has made the economic burden on U.S. companies like us more difficult, while TEMU and others are virtually exempt from the 10% tariff, further widening the gap in price competitiveness.
If U.S. companies import $1 million worth of human hair products from China, they will pay $1 million in tariffs; synthetic hair products will pay a 17.5% tariff on top of the existing 7.5%; and beauty products such as sampoo will pay a 35% tariff on top of the existing 25%, while Chinese internet companies continue to dump products into the U.S. market with zero tariffs, driving U.S. retailers out of business. The 10% additional tariff is a double and triple whammy for U.S. companies like ours, who are already losing consumer customers to outrageous price dumping. If left unchecked, small businesses like ours, which are the backbone of the U.S. economy, will go out of business and collapse, which will cause significant damage to the U.S. economy, including as follow;
First, the unemployment rate will increase due to the bankruptcy of domestic wholesale and retail stores.
There are millions of wholesale and retail businesses in the general industry (clothing, shoes, wigs, household goods, beauty products such as sampoo) that are threatened by Chinese internet platforms such as Tmall. Considering the employment they generate, it is estimated to be at least 2-3 people per store for retailers and 30-100+ people per company for wholesalers, and tens of millions of people in total. However, if these retailers go out of business, it will have a significant negative effect on the US economy due to the number of jobs lost. When it comes to the effect of creating employment, it should also be considered that the existing traditional industries are no less than the BIG TECH industry.
Secondly, there is a decrease in tax revenue and outflow of US national wealth due to company bankruptcy.
For wholesalers like us, we have been paying corporate taxes, state taxes, and other taxes for more than 20-30 years, as well as donating to social organizations and contributing to the community. In the case of retailers, they play a large role in the local economy by paying business income taxes, and contribute to the increase of U.S. tax revenue by paying personal income taxes through employees hired by retailers. If these retailers go out of business due to TEMU, it will not only reduce tax revenue, but also cause a structural crisis in the U.S. economy.
Third, the collapse of the domestic traditional retail market and the increasing dependence of the U.S. on Chinese companies could lead to the collapse of the foundation of the U.S. economy.
If the U.S. distribution structure is replaced by Chinese internet companies such as TEMU due to the bankruptcy of retailers, the impact will be felt by large retailers such as WALMART and TARGET, which will not be immune from this negative impact, and the U.S. distribution market will become dependent on Chinese internet companies, and even the independence of the U.S. economy may be undermined.
This is why we are asking that the 10% additional tariff be at least as effective as ours. We believe it is only fair to impose the same tariffs on Chinese internet companies like TEMU as we do.
Compared to just a year or two ago, most cities and retailers are facing a sharp decline in sales (from at least 20% to as much as 40%), going out of business, restructuring, or running into financial deficits.” “Our industry is in an emergency,” says Changmu Lee, who emphasizes that the entire beauty supply industry must make efforts to turn the situation around. One of the main reasons is the rapid growth of Temu, Shein, and AliExpress in China. The emergence of Temu in 2022 was incomparable to AliExpress and sent shockwaves through consumer markets around the world, including the United States. As a result, Temu’s US market sales have grown from approximately $1.5 billion in 2023 to nearly $5.4 – $7 billion in 2024. Temu’s products are a major contributor to the crisis in our beauty supply industry, especially in hair, beauty, and general merchandise.”
Temu’s CEO, TEMU, on the Trump administration’s announcement of 10% tariffs on companies like TEMU.
The Trump administration announced a 10% tariff on personal luggage coming into the U.S. from China. The announcement gave us a glimmer of hope, but within 24 hours, it was rescinded because the US Postal Service (USPS) was not ready for the tariff system. This meant that companies like Temu, Shein, AliExpress, and others were not affected by another tariff hike and could continue to do business as usual. (They are taking advantage of the De Minimis policy, which exempts imports of goods valued at $800 or less from paying customs duties.
What about us hair import wholesalers?
If we import 100,000 USD worth of human hair products from China, we will pay 10,000 USD as customs duty, which is 10%, and for SYNTHETIC products, we will pay 17.5%, which is 10% more than the existing 7.5%. Beauty products such as sampoo will have to pay a 35% tariff, which is 10% more than the existing 25%. How can we compete with Chinese internet companies in this situation?
What can we do about it?
We should strongly request the government to either immediately impose 10% on Chinese internet companies or allow us to import duty-free. We need to make our position and demands known, especially to our local senators and representatives. I am currently working to get the cooperation of New York-New Jersey Senators and Grace Meng, New York Congresswoman Young Kim, California Congresswoman, and others. I’m asking you to do the same. We are asking you to write a letter (example attached with e-magazine of Beauty Times) to your Senators and Representatives, explaining our situation and strongly requesting their support. We especially need leaders from the NFBS, Future Alliance, and local retail associations to get involved.
e.g. NY: Chuck Schumer or Kirsten Gillibrand, NJ: Andy Kim or Cory Booker GA: Jon Ossoff or Raphael Warnock, TX: Ted Cruz or John Cornyn
