Beyond hanging decorations, putting up a tree and checking everyone off their list, many holiday shoppers have one big thing on their minds this year: How to avoid higher costs.
The effects of the tariffs enacted this year have already been felt on products across the board. According to a recent analysis by LendingTree, if current tariffs had been enacted back in 2024, consumers would have faced an extra $28.6 billion cost from gift purchases — around $132 per holiday shopper. And the tariffs are not only impacting prices, but there have been effects on shipping times and availability, too.
Below, we spoke with experts to hear about what you can expect while shopping this holiday season, plus the gifts to shop that are practically tariff-proof.
Which products have been impacted by tariffs?
Unfortunately, if you've been shopping in the last few months, you've likely noticed higher prices on a lot of household items. According to Jason Miller, a professor and interim chairperson of the department of supply chain management at Michigan State University, some of the most heavily impacted categories include tools, hardware, outdoor equipment and supplies, as well as furniture, bedding and appliances. Products in these areas have seen price increases of up to 4.3% in the past year.
According to the LendingTree analysis, electronics, clothing and accessories, home decor, jewelry, books and sporting goods also tend to be the most heavily impacted categories.
Retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Target have all increased prices on some items since the beginning of the year, with Target and Walmart prices seeing an average of around 1.7% increases and Amazon up to 5.7% on average.
How will tariffs affect product availability?
"Consumers shouldn’t expect the same degree of availability in terms of product breadth this holiday, as importers will prioritize bringing in anticipated best sellers as well as goods for which gross margin rates are higher," says Miller.
That's why, for anyone who has a “hot” item on their list (think: trendy toys or new tech), shopping expert Trae Bodge says that "it could make sense to purchase it earlier in the season rather than risking the item selling out."
How to avoid higher prices this holiday season
For some tips on how to avoid higher prices this year, we turned to Bodge.
To start, she shares that you should "have some flexibility with your gift list." It's a good idea to think of multiple options for the most important people in your life. That way, "if plan A item is too expensive and/or isn’t discounted deeply enough, move to plan B," she says.
She also recommends buying U.S.-made goods, as those may not be as heavily impacted by tariffs. (Though Bodge notes that "some U.S.-made goods have imported parts, which can increase the price.")
Finally, she suggests looking for additional ways to save: Look for sales or try shopping with deal sites. While Black Friday and Cyber Monday is behind us, you can still find deals on top items at most major retailers.
But for anyone who is tired of seeing higher price tags this season and is hoping to make their holiday shopping as tariff-proof as possible, we made a list of items that are likely to be minimally impacted.
Best gift card to gift in 2025
Let's end the stigma: Gift cards are a good gift! If you're shopping for someone and you're unsure what to get them, when you give a gift card, you're giving them the ability to choose exactly what they want. And Amazon has basically everything they could want, from tech to the hottest fashion finds.
Many of our editors are big fans of ClassPass — and a gift card will make the perfect present for anyone in your life who loves spa treatments, workout classes and more. I've been using it for nearly a decade now and love that you can use it to book classes and self-care experiences almost anywhere you go. I use the app all the time in New York City, but I can also book workouts at studios in my small hometown.
In the last few years, I've started gifting my friends tickets to concerts or theater performances that we're both excited about, since it's a fun experience to share together. And if your mom or BFF is a big fan of live music, you can give them the power to choose their next concert with a Ticketmaster gift card. And Ticketmaster doesn't just offer tickets to concerts! They can snag a seat at a sports game, a comedy show and more.
One of my favorite gifts that I've ever received was a six-month Book of the Month subscription. Each month, the brand creates a curated list of new and exciting books and audiobooks and you can choose the one that sounds the most appealing to read and get it shipped right to you.
Best subscription and experience gifts in 2025
Know someone who has been wanting to up their chefing skills? Or maybe they want a lesson in interior design. With MasterClass, they can watch series from experts in a range of fields, from Natalie Portman to Gordon Ramsay and Mariah Carey, to help improve their talent. The best part? Memberships are on sale right now, so you can get one for as little as $6.
An experience gift is a great way to avoid paying extra shipping fees and getting hit with higher prices — plus, it’s something you can enjoy together, which makes it even sweeter! Associate editor Sierra Hoeger purchased this experience for her boyfriend and shares that “it was the most fun either of us have ever had in the kitchen!” She adds, “You get sent the menu the day prior, so it was fun to go grocery shopping and pick out the wines that coincide with the meals, and the chef was so personable and made it so easy to follow along. Plus, now we have more recipes in our arsenal to use at our disposal! I truly can’t rave about this gift enough — we still talk about it all the time as one of our favorite things we’ve done together because it was so simple, yet so meaningful to spend that intentional time together, rather than one of us cooking a meal.”
Airbnb also offers plenty of experience options, so you can explore your own city or one that you’re traveling to. Experiences range from food tours to crafting lessons, stand-up comedy and more, so you can find something that suits your loved one’s interests.
If you're hoping to add to a fashionista in your life's wardrobe, unfortunately, clothing and accessories have the biggest per-shopper tariff burden this year, according to LendingTree. So instead, consider gifting them a subscription to a clothing rental service, like Nuuly. Many of our editors love how easy it makes it to upgrade your wardrobe without overloading your closet.
“I mainly use it to mix up my wardrobe while curbing my shopping habit," says senior partnerships editor Francesca Cocchi Zabloudil. "I enjoy browsing the Nuuly app every month to pick out my rental items, which feels like shopping. For me, the $98 monthly fee is more economical than buying a few fast fashion pieces every month that I’ll regret later. I also enjoy trying out new trends and statement pieces, since renting feels like less of a commitment than making a purchase.”
More of the best tariff-proof gifts
“Goldbelly feels like a safe tariff-proof gift since they’re shipping from specific restaurants and retailers mainly in the US,” senior editor Jess Bender shares. And Ina Garten’s famous coconut cake is one of Goldbelly’s top gifts this year. The sponge cake, which is layered with cream cheese icing and coated in shredded coconut, is baked fresh in East Hampton, New York.
While products that are made in the U.S. aren’t entirely immune from the effects of tariffs, you may find that they are lower in price than comparable imported items. Plus, according to LendingTree, food tends to be one of the least affected categories this holiday season. This Peanut Butter sampler pack is made in Indiana and previously won a Shop TODAY Gifts We Love Award.
Here at Shop TODAY, we've long been fans of Truff's hot sauces, which are made in Southern California. This pack features the brand's Original Hot Sauce, Black Truffle Oil and Black Truffle Salt.
How we chose
We chose the above gifts based on expert guidance and data on the items that will be most impacted by tariffs. When selecting items to include, we prioritized those that have been tried by members of our editorial staff.
Meet our experts
At Shop TODAY, our reporters interview a range of qualified sources and experts to capture a wide scope of perspectives on a given topic. We also make sure that all expert guidance and recommendations are made independently and with no undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Jason Miller, PhD, is a professor and interim chairperson of the department of supply chain management at the Broad College of Business at Michigan State University. His areas of expertise include entrepreneurship, motor carrier safety and supply management and procurement.
- Trae Bodge is a smart shopping expert and the founder of True Trae. She is a frequent media contributor and provides tips and insights on how to save money and get more value from your purchases.
