CATALINA FOOTHILLS, Ariz. (KGUN) — It's the most wonderful time of the year: a time for candy canes, hot cocoa, trees, treats and tariffs.
According to Sarah Perkins, who owns seasonal holiday shop Mary and Brite at La Encantada, everything from artificial wreaths and trees to ornaments could cost some customers a little extra cash this season.
"Our strategy was to pass on as little as possible this year," Perkins said. "We try to keep our prices affordable."
However, overseas suppliers and sellers are making that slightly more difficult. Though holiday shops like hers normally order their holiday hauls in January each year, tariff uncertainty already had a few suppliers waffling on prices and cost-saving strategies.
“Suppliers changed their policies through the spring as tariffs went up and down," she said. "Some suppliers passed the entire one on to buyers, some shared the tariff. A lot of suppliers had a deadline: order by a certain date, and you can lock in the tariff difference."
To adapt to the changes she was seeing, Perkins says she ordered a smaller inventory this year, cutting out some suppliers who passed on the entire tariff cost.
A National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ) report estimates that 85% of Christmas supplies come from China and will face a 7.5% tariff, upping retail costs by 5-10%.
Perkins says shoppers don't seem too deterred. But while numbers are staying steady, she's noticed that shopping trends are changing.
“Interestingly, we’ve had more customers than we had last year, but they’re spending slightly less," Perkins said. "Just as much traffic in the store—if not a little bit more— but maybe shopping a little more carefully.”
As she looks ahead to buying in January, she says she's casting a wider net to find the candy canes, hot cocoa, trees and treats to stock her store next December.
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Alex Dowd is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9, where her work combines her two favorite hobbies: talking to new people and learning about the community around her. Her goal is to eventually meet every single person in Tucson. Share your story ideas with Alex via email, alex.dowd@kgun9.com, or connecting on Instagram or X.
