For SMB importers, volatile markets can make big moves – like shifting sourcing or signing on with new suppliers – feel like a smart way to gain stability. But if conditions change, those long-term commitments can quickly become costly detours.
We spoke with Amit Chen, CEO of Unicargo, about why flexibility is key right now. When tariffs change overnight and deadlines keep shifting, he says the importers that adapt fastest are usually the ones that haven’t tied themselves to decisions they can’t undo.
When tariffs keep you guessing
Tariff extensions and rolling deadlines create a stop-start rhythm in global trade. In theory, a pause in tariffs should be a relief. In reality, it can leave shippers in limbo, uncertain whether to push ahead or wait.
Large enterprises can respond to this uncertainty by front-loading inventory, chartering aircraft, or making large-volume commitments at short notice. SMBs rarely have that cushion, so Chen’s advice is to stay light: avoid long-term commitments and be ready to shift quickly when the next change comes.
He’s seen this stop-start pattern before. In 2018, when the U.S. imposed a 25% tariff on imports from China, businesses braced for long-term disruption. But the market adjusted faster than many expected.
“I think, long-term, the economy never stops,” Chen says. “Businesses will adjust, people will continue to buy, companies will continue to sell.”
The takeaway: in a market that can change direction quickly, flexibility is an advantage, especially for SMBs that need to react in real time.
Follow the leaders – but stay light
When bigger players in the market shift sourcing or open new supplier relationships, SMBs can follow, but only if they’ve left themselves room to maneuver.
“The best thing you should do is follow the lead of enterprises,” Chen says. “Make sure you don’t make long-term commitments. Don’t sign contracts two years ahead, or close a two-year deal at a warehouse. Don’t take any drastic decisions now that have a long-term effect.”
In practice, this means:
- Avoid long-term commitments that lock you into one route, supplier, or facility
- Keep purchase orders small enough to adjust quickly if conditions change
- Test alternative suppliers or shipping lanes in low volumes before scaling up
Larger companies often test new markets first. If they move sourcing from one country to another, SMBs that haven’t tied themselves down can take advantage of the same opportunities without bearing the risk of being first.
When the market is unpredictable, don’t stop moving
One of the biggest dangers in a volatile market is going into a holding pattern, waiting for the “perfect” time to act. That time rarely arrives.
“You cannot beat the system,” Chen says. “You cannot predict what’s going to happen. Just continue – even if it means short-term, you need to maybe eat some of your profits. Just continue selling – don’t stop.”
Which isn’t easy when uncertainty is high and margins are tight. But consistency – keeping goods moving, staying in front of customers – can help your business weather the storm and be ready to accelerate when the market turns.
Use partners for creative options
Many businesses understandably turn to their logistics partners mainly for price quotes, especially when costs are top of mind. But Chen encourages seeing them as collaborators in solving challenges, not just vendors.
“When you’re facing challenges, don’t just ask for a price for a solution,” he says. “Contact your freight forwarder. Contact your customers broker. Share your challenge. Share your concern.”
By opening the conversation, SMBs can uncover options they might not have considered, such as bonded warehousing to defer duties, routing shipments through neighboring countries where it’s legal and compliant to do so, or switching between different shipping modes depending on urgency.
Your next move in an uncertain market
In volatile times, restraint is strategy. Keep commitments short-term, follow the lead of larger enterprises when they open viable opportunities, and keep moving forward even when the path isn’t perfectly clear.
Long-term plans will always have their place – just not when the ground beneath you is still shifting.
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