What a Trump Presidency Means for Retail

Last night, Donald J. Trump was elected President-Elect of the United States. It means many changes are coming for the country, including to the economy (and retail industry). Forbes reports that while many changes are to come, market paralysis, higher costs and market inflation may be some direct effects of this election. Analysts believe the election will have an inflationary effect because labor costs will increase and, over time, so will the cost of imported products. However, companies that use technology to lower labor costs, like Amazon.com and Wal-Mart, will be in a better position than more labor-intensive retailers.

Total Retail's Take: So much is up in the air right now, I'm not really sure what the next steps for retailers will be with a Trump presidency. Crashing stock prices are an immediate concern, and could signal a negative turn for the economy. We'll have to wait until the election fog clears to truly see how retail sales have been impacted, especially during the very busy holiday season.