These household items have gotten pricier since Trump's tariffs announcement, new report finds

CNBC

10-05-2025

Not every day is a good day for Barbie, if prices for dolls in the U.S. keep rising amid President Donald Trump's tariff policy announcements.
A series of household items including leggings, Barbie dolls power drills and washing machines have increased in price since Trump initially announced a sweeping set of global tariffs on April 2, according to an industry note issued by the Telsey Advisory Group on Tuesday.
Between April 16 and April 30, the price of a Target-exclusive Barbie doll increased by nearly 43% to $14.99, up from $10.49, Telsey reported. A Whirlpool washing machine at Lowe's went up in price by nearly $82 to $599, over the same time frame.
Other notable price hikes include Girl's Cat and Jack leggings at Target, which went up by nearly a third — to $6, from $4.50 — and a Dewalt drill at Tractor Supply that rose by $20, to $179. (As of Friday afternoon, the drill is on sale for $99.)
The Telsey analysis included luxury items, too. A medium Louis Vuitton Neverfull tote bag will run you $2,130 today, for example — $100 more than on April 16, Telsey noted.
The price changes in the Telsey note shouldn't be viewed as definitive evidence of tariff impact, its authors wrote. The group tracked only one or two items per analyzed company, and didn't account for extant discounts or internal pricing strategies.
Some of the consumer items tracked by Telsey didn't change in price. Others became less expensive. But if higher consumer prices due to tariffs aren't yet a reality for Americans, they will be soon, said Telsey's note.
"A consistent narrative across retailers and brands is that higher costs will be passed on to consumers," its authors wrote. "Many management teams are accelerating and attempting to make 'non-regrettable' decisions about the supply chain and/or product price changes."
Each product tracked by Telsey was chosen based on factors like its expected longevity and connection to Chinese manufacturing. Most of the tariffs initially announced by Trump are paused until July 9, replaced instead by a 10% baseline tariff on all foreign goods — but Chinese imports currently face a levy of 145%.
Many American companies that manufacture products in China have publicly discussed plans to diversify their supply chains. But few have expressed a willingness to relocate production specifically to the U.S., with some CEOs saying the country lacks the manufacturing expertise to make high-quality goods at business-friendly prices.
"Design, development, product engineering, brand management all happens in America," Barbie-maker Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Tuesday. "Making product, producing product in other countries, allows us to create quality products at affordable price points."
Trump reportedly hit back at Mattel on Thursday, threatening to place a 100% tariff on the company if it took its manufacturing "somewhere else." It's unclear how exactly such a tariff could be implemented.
The president also suggested on Friday that the U.S. could potentially lower its tariffs on China to 80%, still be a high rate. Previously, he indicated that consumers should simply buy fewer dolls, in response to price hikes.
"I don't think that a beautiful baby girl needs — that's 11 years old — needs to have 30 dolls," Trump told NBC News' "Meet the Press" on Sunday. "I think they can have three dolls or four dolls, because what we were doing with China was just unbelievable."