Heading into the holidays, retailers are nervous. Tariffs, port shifts, and tighter inventory strategies are pushing brands to order earlier, stock cautiously, and scramble to move product once it hits US shelves. For radio, that volatility is an opportunity.
According to the Wells Fargo 2025 Supply Chain Report, imports from foreign suppliers jumped 13% through April as companies front-loaded orders before tariffs took effect. But after the April 3 tariff announcement, imports slowed, narrowing the US trade deficit in June. That slowdown has forced retailers to be selective, front-loading shipments of high-demand categories like toys and apparel while holding back on lower-margin goods.
For broadcasters, the implications are clear: advertising spend is going to mirror supply chain timing. With two-thirds of U.S. shoppers planning to start holiday shopping earlier this year, retailers will lean into campaigns sooner in Q4, and radio has the flexibility to meet that demand in ways other channels cannot.
The Wells Fargo report highlights three categories where radio sellers should sharpen their pitches:
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Apparel: Consumers may “trade down” from premium to affordable brands. That’s a local advertiser’s sweet spot, and radio can highlight value alternatives.
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Tech: Smaller orders mean sellers will need to move inventory quickly when it arrives. Radio’s ability to turn creative fast and drive urgency campaigns makes it essential.
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Auto: Manufacturers are shifting more production to U.S. plants to offset tariffs. Local dealers now have a powerful local-first story radio is uniquely positioned to tell.
And if proof of radio’s sales impact is needed, Amazon Prime Day just delivered it. Adobe Analytics reported $23.8 billion in U.S. sales during the four-day event, and new Quantilope data shows AM/FM listeners led the charge.
Those findings add to nearly a decade of Cumulus Media/Westwood One Audio Active Group research tying AM/FM exposure to Amazon’s biggest sales events.
Radio’s edge is speed and flexibility. While retailers wrestle with tariffs, shifting inventory, and cautious ordering, radio can flip a campaign live in hours, target local markets, and adapt creative in real time. As Prime Day proved and the Wells Fargo report underscores, when timing is everything, radio remains the partner retailers can’t afford to overlook.
