That will very much depend on the product and a multitude of factors. Some experts have said food prices could go up very quickly, while the prices of various consumer electronics could remain stable for at least a short while, the Verge reports:
Some device makers have increased inventory in anticipation of tariffs hitting. [Michigan State University professor of supply chain management Jason] Miller says in the past few months, computer imports were over 70 percent higher than 2023, while cell phone imports in February 2025 were the highest since 2022. Cadwell also says Soundly is working to build reserves and that based on current inventory levels, it’s likely price increases won’t hit the market until fall. However, that’s not a guarantee that this is true for every single device maker and every gadget category.
”Vendors/channels have been stretching existing inventory as much as they can to avoid price increases, but close deadlines announced yesterday for tariff increases significantly ramp up the pressure. I’d be surprised if even the best positioned brands in terms of inventory are able to stretch two to three weeks beyond the new tariff deadlines,” says [IDC’s Ryan] Reith.
In other words, if you currently have an aging piece of tech that needs replacing, it may be a good idea to do it before inventory runs out.
Also, as the Strategist’s Michael Zhao writes, the price increases will be on the declared values, not retail prices:
Tariffs are calculated on the declared value of goods, which only includes the cost of manufacturing and shipping and is much lower than the retail price we encounter in stores. For example, a pair of Vietnamese-produced Nike runners sells for $140, but that includes a retail markup of 40 to 60 percent, so its declared cost is probably closer to $70. A tariff of 46 percent on $70 is $32.20, meaning that same shoe will likely cost closer to $170 if the majority of the cost increases are passed onto customers.
Smaller purchases will get more expensive, but not by enough to warrant rushing to buy things you wouldn’t otherwise need. However, if you’ve been saving up for something large and expensive that can’t be produced domestically, now is the time to act.
