On a 11 May deadline, Vogue Business reports on the tariff refunds process:
Jessica Binns | May 11, 2026
Wood points to the disparity at play. “Bigger and more financially stable organizations will always have an advantage given their purchasing power and ability to invest in both process and technology infrastructure,” he says. “The IEEPA situation has done little to change that.”
From the brand side, Lexi Petersen, founder and chief creative officer of jewelry brand Cords Club, sees the same divide emerging in real time. “It’s quickly becoming a ‘get rich or go home’ environment for smaller and mid-sized brands,”
The imbalance is both technological and financial. Julia Hughes, president of the UnitedStates Fashion Industry Association, notes that CBP itself estimates the cost of applying for IEEPA tariff refunds at roughly $18.7 million across affected importers, including internal labour, administrative and filing-related expenses.