Will the U.S.-China tariff war drive up online shopping prices for Canadians? [Video]

• UPDATE | After this story was published, it was reported that the Trump administration is excluding electronics like smartphones and laptops from its reciprocal tariffs. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) listed some 20 products that qualify for the exemption. 

Clicking “add to cart” may soon come with some additional sticker shock.

As tariff pressures force some sellers in China to increase their prices for U.S. markets, some retail experts say Canadians shopping online could potentially feel the ripple effects on everything from electronics to socks.

This comes as U.S. President Donald Trump hiked duties on Chinese goods to 145 per cent this week, raising the stakes in a trade war that threatens to upend global supply chains. In response, Beijing on Friday increased its tariffs on U.S. imports to 125 per cent.

Canada may have avoided a new round of tariffs, but it doesn’t mean we won’t be affected by the China-U.S. trade war eventually, said Jean-François Ouellet, an associate professor in entrepreneurship and innovation …