GoPro – best at avoiding tariffs, or has it made a catastrophically bad bet here too?

If you're thinking of buying any electronics at the moment, the effect of tariffs on pricing will be high in your mind – and that'll be no different in competitive markets like the best action camera. That's why GoPro can look very pleased to be highlighted by Stock Titan as being well placed to sidestep the likely price rises.

Specifically it is noted that GoPro "preemptively relocat[ed] U.S.-bound production outside China" leading to "resilient multi-source manufacturing network."

"Over the last few years, we proactively moved our U.S.-bound camera production outside of China, which has significantly reduced the impact of tariffs," said Brian McGee, CFO and COO of GoPro.

That's sounds like good thinking on the part of GoPro, which has been suffering against two major competitor in the premium action camera space.

One is DJI, is a Chinese company which faces a number of difficulties in the US atop tariffs because – as well as the class-leading Osmo Action 5 Pro action camera – it also produces drones which face their own restrictions.

The other is Insta360, which comfortably eclipsed GoPro in the best 360-degree camera space some time ago, and also has an 8K action camera in the form of the Ace Pro 2.

Many have argued that tariffs that put the prices up on, frankly, better products are not really fair. Others say that they will (eventually) lead to more 'home grown' quality products so it is a price worth paying.

What GoPro has done is a good example of what tariffs more commonly do; cause companies to move from one country threatened with tariffs but which also has a low-wage manufacturing infrastructure to another. So if, say, China was threatened with tariffs, a company would move to India or Mexico.

So where did GoPro move when they took some manufacturing from China? Mexico. Which might not be brilliant diversification in a month's time as it turns out – as it stands there is so serious brinksmanship on tariffs with Mexico with a so-called one month pause being put in place (as covered in the Financial Times).

We'll find out more at this week's when GoPro will release its financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2024.

More you might like...

Check my versus guide between the GoPro Hero 13 Black v DJI Action 5 Pro – and check out the best GoPro alternatives. Or, find out where the long awaited GoPro Max 2 has got to?