Wary of tariff-related price hikes? Here’s what to buy this summer, experts say
From clothing and shoes to tech and toys, these items may get more expensive the longer you wait.
Tariffs aren’t hitting all products equally, but some items are especially vulnerable to price hikes — and it makes sense to buy them sooner, not later, experts say.
Sales usually follow a predictable pattern: As summer kicks into high gear, Amazon Prime Day treats us to slashed prices on a little bit of everything. Then there are back-to-school and Labor Day deals on clothing and all things outdoors. Before you know it, Black Friday and Cyber Monday (and these days, the entire month of November) bring a holiday shopping bonanza of tech, toys and everything in-between.
Cue the record scratch: Tariffs mean today’s shopping landscape is anything but business as usual. As of mid-June, taxes on imported goods hit their highest overall effective rate (15.6%) since 1937, according to the Budget Lab at Yale University. Pinpointing the effect they’re having is a tricky business, so we turned to shopping and supply-chain pros for insight and advice on clothing, shoes, tech, toys, furniture, appliances, and beauty and household essentials.
Tariffs 101: Where we are now
The good news: Prices haven’t jumped significantly since President Trump’s early April “Liberation Day,” when he announced a slew of tariffs on major U.S. trade partners. The bad news: That doesn’t mean they won’t in the near future. Retailers have kept prices steady on pre-tariff inventory, says Rick Kowalski, senior director of business intelligence for the Consumer Technology Association, one of the nation’s largest trade groups. “As time progresses, it will be more evident that tariffs are impacting more,” he says.
One wild card is the reciprocal tariffs that were announced in April but paused for 90 days. If they come to pass, they’ll target over 180 nations. Another is the back-and-forth with China, taxed at an effective rate of 27.9%, according to Yale’s Budget Lab. “Imports from China are bearing the brunt of these changes and remain the most uncertain,” says Josh Fischer, vice president of product management at Cin7, an inventory-tracking software firm. “That’s putting pressure on key industries.”
What to buy now, according to experts
Feeling antsy to buy now? You’re not alone. For shoppers, “uncertainty is the dominant emotion,” says Deidre Popovich, associate professor of marketing and supply chain management at Texas Tech University. “Even the possibility of future tariff hikes on top categories, along with the confusing back-and-forth trade negotiations, triggers anticipatory scarcity behaviors like stockpiling.”
As always, stay tuned to the headlines — but in the meantime, here are some items that it could be wise to buy before fall rolls around.
Clothing and accessories
“Materials like nylon and polyester, commonly sourced in Asia, are getting more expensive,” says Stephanie Carls, RetailMeNot’s retail insights expert. “That affects trend-driven and lower-cost fashion first.” So all those affordable garments that most of us snap up in an effort to save money? They’re getting a wee bit less affordable, and no wonder — about 98% of clothing sold in the U.S. is imported, according to the U.S. Fashion Industry Association.
Still, it’s not just no-name brands that are feeling the squeeze. Ralph Lauren has already said it’s exploring price bumps and cutting down on deals to compensate for tariffs, while Lululemon has pledged “strategic price increases … on a small portion of our assortment” as shoppers pull back on spending at North American stores.
Popovich expects “a stronger than usual push” from retailers to sell clothing this summer and back-to-school season. That means shoppers can expect widespread sales and steep discounts from now through early to mid-August. After that, prices could start to creep up as “tariff exposure intensifies,” she says.
Favorites to consider buying now:
Faleave Cotton Linen Palazzo Pants $30 at Amazon
Miholl Casual T-Shirt $11 at Amazon
Polo Ralph Lauren Classic-Fit Cotton Shirt $70 at Macy’s
Anrabess Midi Sundress $39 at Amazon
Lululemon Align Leggings $98 at Lululemon
Idegg No Show Socks, 6 Pairs $15 at Amazon
Shoes
“Athletic footwear, and less expensive footwear items like slippers and slides” are especially vulnerable to tariff-related price hikes, says Marshal Cohen, chief retail adviser at market research firm Circana. Much like clothing, most shoes in