The Wirecutter Show – "Will Tariffs Affect Holiday Shopping?"

Date: November 5, 2025
Hosts: Christine Cyr Clisset, Rosie Guerin
Guest: Annemarie Conte, Deputy Editor, Wirecutter

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into how tariffs are impacting consumer product pricing—especially as Americans head into the 2025 holiday shopping season. Christine and Rosie, joined by Annemarie Conte, break down which product categories are most affected, what pricing trends Wirecutter is seeing from their data, and offer practical strategies for deal-seeking shoppers bracing for unpredictable price hikes and increasingly “meh” deals.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Are Holiday Prices Higher This Year?

• Annemarie and the Wirecutter deals team have tracked 40 products across various categories for six months (05:08, 06:46).
• While some feared sharp hikes, the reality, per Annemarie: "It's changed both a lot and a little. Broadly, prices haven't moved as much as we'd thought...but some categories have seen significant jumps." (05:33)
• The result for most shoppers is characterized as "death by a thousand cuts"—small increases that add up, but aren’t always obvious in isolation (00:04, 07:27).
• Certain items have spiked more: "Baby kid products have increased a bit, and anything made with steel, the tariffs have hit that industry pretty hard." (06:46)
• Apple managed to avoid price hikes by securing tariff exemptions for now (05:44), but many companies didn’t.

2. How Tariffs Affect Product Prices

• Tariffs are paid upon import, not by the manufacturer per se, but by the importer—costs are then passed to consumers (08:50).
• Brands initially tried to sidestep price increases by stockpiling inventory before tariffs hit, but that stock has largely drained (09:44).
• The unpredictability of negotiations and exemptions means brands have struggled to plan ahead (09:24).
• Notably, some brands can't absorb higher costs forever: "Smaller businesses have had to say, we just can't absorb this cost anymore." (10:22)
• A memorable moment: Annemarie recalls Trump’s remark, “The kids will have to have just two dolls this year,” confirming, “Mattel has had to increase the price on their dolls...American Girl dolls [increased] by $10 per doll.” (10:57)

3. Categories Impacted Most by Tariffs

• Big jumps: Baby gear, products containing steel (mattress coils, screws), cars (11:37)
• Emerging concerns: Gaming consoles and other electronics are expected to get more expensive; Annemarie’s advice: “If you’re going to buy a gaming console, you might want to buy it now.” (12:15)
• Laptops and tech: Price increases sometimes not directly attributed to tariffs, but tariffs are a factor among others (currency value, supply chain issues); example: "Kimber Streams...actually removed our top [Chromebook] pick...it had jumped by a hundred." (12:21)
• For most electronics: consider last year’s model or refurbished—“Earlier edition tech is fine, and the thing that's really ironic is that older tech should be less expensive. Sometimes...this tech is getting more expensive.” (13:21)

4. Deal Quality and Timing

• Shady Pricing: Price hiking before “deal” events is widespread.
  Annemarie explains, “A laptop would go from $799 to $899 right before the deal event and then go back down to $799, so it looked like it was on sale...” (15:49)

• There’s a class-action lawsuit against Amazon for this practice (16:28).

• Wirecutter tracks “real deals” year-round, avoids recommending fake discounts (16:34).

• Tools mentioned:

  • Keepa, CamelCamelCamel – for tracking Amazon prices (17:42)
  • Google Shopping – for broader price tracking on other retailers

• Fewer Good Deals in 2025?
  “We've seen deal quality reduce this year...the deal quality get worse. So you're getting a worse deal now than you would have three months ago.” (18:11)

  • Expect Black Friday to still have good deals, but not as many, and not necessarily the deepest cuts (18:59).
  • "It's probably not a good idea to wait until Black Friday to do all your shopping...there may not be the best deal you've ever seen." (18:59)

5. Holiday Shopping Strategies for 2025

• Shop early if you see a good price—don't wait for Black Friday.
• Make a list: "It sounds so simple and it's literally make a list...you still can have some serendipity here, but just getting yourself organized..." (21:02)
• Consider gifts from non-traditional places (pharmacies, grocery stores), and buy multiples if you find a universally loved, well-priced gift, for kids’ parties or future occasions (21:30).
• Refurbished or prior-year tech is a smart buy.
• Shipping concerns: "Black Friday is actually quite late in November this year. So the shipping window is kind of short..." (22:06)
• International shipping may face customs/tariff delays, but domestic shipping should be reliable if you order by mid-December (22:43, 24:24).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On sticker shock:
  “This is death by a thousand cuts. It may be a couple dollars here, a couple dollars there. As you're shopping, you may actually not notice. And then when you think about how much you've spent in the cumulative, you're like, where did all that go?” — Annemarie Conte (07:27)

• On brands’ strategy:
  “They tried to import as much as they could before the tariffs took effect, hold them stateside and sell through that stock. Now we’re at a point where that stock has been sold down.” — Annemarie Conte (09:43)

• On different kinds of deals:
  “We've been watching this happen over and over again where a laptop would go from $799 to $899 right before the deal event and then it would go back down to $799. So it looked like it was on sale and it was the same price it had been the whole time previous to that.” — Annemarie Conte (15:49)

• On shopping tactics:
  “Older tech should be less expensive. Sometimes that's not actually the case; sometimes this tech is getting more expensive.” — Annemarie Conte (13:21)

• Practical advice:
  “It sounds so simple and it’s literally, make a list...just getting yourself organized enough, so that you know who's important to you and who not to forget so that you’re not panicking at the last minute.” — Annemarie Conte (21:02)

• On holiday optimism:
  “No matter what, it’s going to be a great holiday season. We’re going to get it together. We’re going to figure it out.” — Annemarie Conte (25:02)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:04: “Death by a thousand cuts” — price increases add up
• 05:08–06:46: Wirecutter’s price tracking methodologies
• 07:27: Tariff impact is incremental but cumulative
• 08:50: Tariffs 101—how and when costs hit consumers
• 10:57: Case in point: Mattel and American Girl dolls price hike
• 12:15: Warnings on likely price hikes for gaming consoles and electronics
• 15:49–16:34: The shady strategy of pre-sale price hikes, and how Wirecutter avoids misleading deals
• 18:11: Deal quality deteriorating in 2025
• 19:51: Don’t wait until Black Friday if you see a good deal
• 21:02: Annemarie’s top holiday shopping tip: make a list
• 22:06–24:24: Shipping tips — act early, especially for international orders; check for “de minimis” exemption removal
• 25:02: Ending on a positive note — the holiday season will work out!

Practical Advice & Takeaways

• Expect smaller, cumulative price increases on most gift categories.
• Steel products, baby gear, and gaming consoles are seeing sharper hikes; act quickly if you have these on your list.
• Some tech may become more expensive or not see typical discounts—consider older models or refurb units.
• Track prices with Keepa, CamelCamelCamel, and Google Shopping to spot real bargains.
• Don’t fall for “fake” deals; check historical pricing.
• Black Friday may not bring the “deepest” deals—buy early when you see a real discount.
• Make a list, stay flexible, and don’t let last-minute panic dictate your prices.
• Order international gifts now; domestic gifts should be ordered by mid-December for on-time arrival.

Language and Tone

The hosts and Annemarie maintain a conversational, insightful, and slightly cheeky tone, always empowering listeners with actionable steps and demystifying both tariffs and the modern deal economy. Annemarie’s blend of data nerdiness and consumer advocacy shines through, as does the camaraderie between the hosts.