Recently, I worked with PeopleForBikes to draft a letter to Congress calling for:
- Tariff reform
- Reinstatement of the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP)
- A more permanent fix to the De Minimis threshold
I leaned heavily on what I learned through Outdoor Industry Association's policy webinars—especially how much impact small brand stories can have in Washington.
We sent the letter to our representatives across the three states where Akers Digital operates. Then we published the letter on our blog and shared it in our agency newsletter.
Shortly after sending the email to our newsletter, I got a one-line response from, oddly enough, another marketing agency:
This seems naive.
That response stuck with me—but not for the reasons they might think.
No, I don’t believe one agency can shift U.S. trade policy. But here’s what I do know: We work with outdoor brands across North America who are feeling the weight of these trade policies—from budget freezes to layoffs and, in some cases, complete shutdowns.
The outdoor industry represents 2.3% of U.S. GDP, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. This is not a niche market. And most of these companies? They're small, community-driven brands doing big things.
What can you do?
If you're part of this space—or simply care about the future of small businesses, I urge you to:
- Tell your story
- Reach out to your representatives
- Explain how trade policy is impacting your work, your team, and your community
Am I naive to think that alone we may not move the mountain, but together, we’re a force?
Tim Akers
Founder
Akers Digital
Read our letter to congress here —>
Dear Member of Congress,
I am reaching out today to urge you to advance three policies that are critical to Akers Digital and the broader US economy – creation of tariff exemptions, specifically for brands who produce the majority of their products within the USA, the retroactive extension of the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) and lowering / reforming the De Minimis threshold globally. These policies urgently need Congress’ attention this year and they both align closely with broader Congressional objectives around trade.
I am the founder of Akers Digital, an eCommerce consultancy started in 2015, employs professionals across Utah, Minnesota, and North Carolina, specializing in digital marketing for outdoor brands. We work closely with manufacturers and retailers whose operations are now severely affected by the current trade climate—especially by the loss of 301 tariff exclusions and the expiration of the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP). Two brands that accounted for future work —U.S.-based bicycle and component assemblers— are now pending closure due to unsustainable increases in the cost of materials from China and tariffs on aluminum and steel. In the camping hard goods category, a third brand is now also on the verge of closing its doors for similar reasons. Several other clients have implemented drastic cost-cutting measures: camping equipment brands have laid off nearly 40% of their workforce, while apparel brands have had to reduce staff by 50%. Others are slashing marketing budgets in order to conserve cash. Many brands are eager to shift their supply chains out of China, but face immense challenges due to the highly specialized nature of outdoor gear and apparel manufacturing—sourcing alternatives outside of China is often infeasible or nonexistent. These pressures have begun to directly impact our own business at Akers Digital, where we’ve already seen a 26% drop in projected revenue for May—likely just the beginning of a deeper downturn if policy uncertainty continues.
As you may know, the United States Trade Representative removed virtually all exclusions from 301 tariffs for bicycles, bicycle components, outdoor gear, and apparel/fabrics imported from China in 2024. Companies that had moved manufacturing to GSP eligible nations to take advantage of duty-free import incentives prior to 2020 have now been paying unanticipated tariffs (or future tariffs after the 90-day pause) since the program expired at the end of 2020. The costs of relocating, coupled with the additional capital needed to pay additional duties, have severely impacted many US bike & outdoor companies, which have recently suffered layoffs or simply gone out of business.
Additionally, because the De Minimis threshold is the highest in the world at $800, these same bicycle and outdoor companies and retailers in every city and town are unfairly forced to compete against foreign-based online sellers. Under De Minimis, these foreign sellers can sell and ship bikes and electric bicycles to consumers without paying any tariffs, collect no sales taxes for states, and are held to no safety standards. The recent actions regarding the De Minimis threshold from China is a great first step, but we need a more permanent and global solution to lower this threshold to protect the American market & manufacturers.
It is important to Akers Digital that these policies get resolved now so that ongoing risk to a broad range of industry sectors across the United States, including the bicycle and outdoor industry, are mitigated. We respectfully request that you advance strategic tariffs extensions, the retroactive extension of the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) and lowering / reforming the De Minimis threshold.
Sincerely,
Tim Akers
Founder
Akers Digital, LLC