Should We Buy Less From Other Countries?

Where was your backpack made? Your water bottle? Your shirt? Many of the products you use every day come from other countries. Goods and services that are brought into a country to sell are called imports. (Conversely, goods and services that one country sells to another are called exports.)

The United States spends more on imports than any other nation, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In 2024, Americans purchased $3.3 trillion worth of products from other countries. The U.S. sells the second-most exports, after China. But it still has a trade deficit. That’s when a nation buys more from other nations than it sells to them.

Some experts say relying on foreign-made goods hurts American manufacturers, in part by limiting how many workers they can afford to hire. The U.S. increased tariffs, or taxes on imports, this past spring. Some economists say the move will make foreign goods more expensive, leading consumers to buy more American products instead.

However, not all experts agree that the trade deficit is a problem. Some argue that buying imports helps U.S. consumers by giving them more options at low prices. 

What do you think? Should the U.S. import fewer foreign goods? Read both sides, then decide for yourself.

Many experts say supporting American manufacturers is more important than saving a few bucks on a T-shirt. Buying domestic goods helps U.S. factories and workers, they argue. “[It] will encourage more companies to manufacture their products in the U.S., strengthening the economy and creating jobs,” explains Oren Cass, a public policy expert. 

^{SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics}

Some economists point out that cutting back on imports and increasing American manufacturing would make the U.S. less dependent on other nations. For example, they warn that many products that Americans use each day—including iPhones, toys, and video games—are imported from China. If that Asian nation gets involved in a war, we could be left without enough of them.

Plus, domestic products offer peace of mind, other people say. U.S. factories must provide fair pay and safe working conditions and follow environmental rules. Some nations don’t have those requirements. 

The U.S. can’t make everything it needs, many economists argue. Some resources are mainly found in other parts of the world. Take coffee, for one. Even though it is grown in a few states, Americans drink far more coffee than we can produce domestically, experts point out. And many other goods can be made more efficiently in nations that already have the workers, factories, and technology in place to do so. “Trade allows us to specialize in the things that we are best at making and that bring us the most value,” explains Stephen Day, an economist.

^{SOURCE: Office of the United States Trade Representative}

He and other experts say Americans should buy imports. That spending, they argue, spurs competition between countries, which can result in a wider variety of products at lower prices. 

Restricting imports usually ends up hurting U.S. consumers, some economists caution. Many companies offset tariffs by raising retail prices—especially for sneakers and other goods that aren’t typically made domestically.