Tariffs serve primarily to
- raise prices on imports.
- provide consumers with the most competitively priced goods.
- limit the quantity of goods leaving the domestic market.
- encourage foreign trade.
- equalize production capacity.

Tariffs serve primarily to raise prices on imports. By making it more expensive for foreign companies to sell their goods in the domestic market, producers of those goods become less competitive with domestic producers and are less likely to command large market shares. This, in turn, gives domestic producers a better opportunity to compete and make a profit. The additional revenue raised by the tariffs can be used to support domestic businesses and industries, creating a more equal playing field between domestic and foreign producers. Tariffs can also limit the amount of goods leaving the domestic market, which helps equalize production capacity. By controlling the quantity and flow of goods, tariffs can help preserve the domestic market while encouraging foreign trade.