Sneakers, Leggings, and Smartwatches: What You May Want to Buy With Tariffs Looming

All the back-and-forth surrounding President Donald Trump’s wide-ranging tariffs has brought on concerns surrounding rising costs of high-end luxuries and everyday essentials. With everything from groceries to sneakers to iPhones in the crosshairs, you might be wondering what, if anything, you should buy ASAP. We’re right there with you.

As SELF’s senior commerce writer, I understand the importance of shopping wisely. More often than not, that means finding great deals on products that you want to buy anyway but would prefer to spend a little less on. If projections around the tariffs’ impact are correct, then getting some shopping done now could save you time and money later.

Here, we’re taking a closer look at what Trump’s tariffs may mean for our shopping habits, then highlighting some of the purchases we’re considering making in the coming days.

What are tariffs?

Tariffs are essentially taxes that US-based companies have to pay when they import goods. When tariffs rise, companies may pass those additional costs along to their consumers. That’s the reason for all the noise around increased costs on items that the US regularly imports from the European Union, China, Japan, Vietnam, and other parts of the world. CNBC reported Wednesday that imports currently in transit to the States won’t be subject to the tariffs, but it’s expected that companies will eventually raise their prices to offset the new cost.

There’s a lot more to discuss here—and it doesn’t help that the Trump administration’s messaging around these tariffs has been confusing and vague (at best)—but that’s the gist for those concerned about the impact the tariffs may have on their personal spending.

Where will we see the biggest impact?

Brands that rely on manufacturers in Asia for a lot of their products, like those in the tech and sportswear sectors, are expected to raise prices due to the tariff increases (at the time of writing, Trump has paused the tariffs announced on Wednesday morning, with the exception of the universal 10% tariff and the tariff on Chinese goods, which is now 125%). That means big electronics will likely cost more, as could sneakers and apparel from Nike, Adidas, and other major activewear brands. To make matters worse, there doesn’t appear to be a way around increased expenses for certain items: One prominent tech analyst told CNN that, even if Apple were to move some of its production to the US in an effort to avoid the tariffs, an iPhone could cost over $3,000.

Americans are also concerned about groceries and other essentials getting more expensive, with good reason. Coffee, seafood, fruit, and cheese are just some of the goods that the US commonly imports from other countries, so even something as simple as your morning bev could take a hit very soon.

Here’s what we’re shopping for now

As things stand, the tariffs are surrounded by an air of uncertainty: What will happen after the 90-day pause? Are the tariffs actually negotiable? When, exactly, will goods get more expensive for Americans (and to what extent)?

It’s anxiety-inducing to deal with so many unknowns, especially when your money is concerned. While we don’t condone panic-shopping or resource-hoarding, we do, still, encourage wise shopping habits if you already have a few things on your to-buy list. Below we’ve included a few things in our own virtual carts that might get pricier in the future.

Splurge-y electronics

Normally, they may have waited until a big sales event like Amazon Prime Day or a long holiday weekend sale. But several SELF staffers are considering upgrading their devices sooner rather than later. “My TV is on its last legs, so I’m frantically researching its replacement,” one said. “Pre-tariffs, I was hoping to wait for Memorial Day sales, but now it feels risky to wait.” Earbuds (to replace the ones my partner just lost) and Apple products like the Apple Watch and iPhone 16 also caught our eye.

Roku

Class Select Series Full HD Smart TV

Beats Studio Buds

Our favorite activewear and sneakers

In addition to Nike, top brands like Lululemon, Adidas, and Hoka use manufacturers in countries like China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Bangladesh for a portion of their products. As big fans of their activewear and sneakers, SELF staffers are considering picking up a few more pieces from these brands before their prices rise.

I, for one, have been putting off ordering some Nike sports bras—not only because they’re genuinely cute and comfy, but they actually feel supportive throughout my mixed-media workouts of rock climbing, running, and yoga. A fellow staffer is speeding up her footwear shopping: “I was going to wait on buying sneakers for summer, but [now I’m] getting them a little earlier.”

Nike

Swoosh High Support Non-Padded Adjustable Sports Bra

Lululemon

Align High-Rise Pant (25-in.)

Lululemon

Strongfeel Training Shoe

Everyday essentials

Morning beverages, as mentioned earlier, are certainly a priority, with coffee and matcha topping some staffers’ stock-up lists. I personally have my K-beauty holy grails on the brain too. Peach Slices’s color corrector makes it look like I’ve never blushed in my life, while Beauty of Joseon’s bestselling Relief Sun SPF is the one facial sunscreen that hasn’t ticked off my ultra-sensitive skin (if only sunscreen had a longer shelf life).

Copper Moon