3 days ago
More price hikes could be coming as another retailer increases prices
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Budget retailer Daiso is the latest to announce a bump in their prices across the board.
There is another change coming that could push prices everywhere even higher.
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Bargain shoppers like to show off their haul after a stop at Daiso.
'Let's see, the stool was $8, but still cheaper than buying from Chinatown,' said Lynn Ishihara, Daiso shopper.
'I got house stuff, so like scrubber, stuff to hang your keys up, unnecessary stuff that I didn't need,' said Teysha Foster, Daiso shopper.
That stuff costs a little more now. Daiso Hawaiʻi recently announced they are raising its base price from $1.75 to $2.25 effective today.
'Whenever I need something I check with them first, cause they have a reasonable price,' said Ishihara.
Daiso Hawaiʻi did not give a reason for the increase, but consumers have been noticing a bump in everything because of tariffs.'I feel like it's happening, you know, and unfortunately it's stuff we have to deal with but I still need stuff,' said Foster. 'I have to keep buying stuff I mean, at this point what can I do.'
Experts predict another potential bump in prices next year. The minimum wage in Hawaii goes up from $14 dollars/hour to $16 dollars/hour on Jan. 1, 2026.
'If shipping costs goes up, labor costs goes up, that's all factored into it and there's only so much that the businesses can absorb before they have to pass it on to the customers, unfortunately,' said Tina Yamaki, Retail Merchants of Hawaiʻi.
Experts say it's a good idea to shop around to get the best bang for your buck. But they say price won't be the only factor in determining where a person spends their money. They say they'll also look at other things like convenience and customer service.
'If you're comfortable shopping there, if you feel, you know, like you're part of the ohana, people go back,' said Yamaki. 'They're also looking at who has the better prices, too. So it's kind of a combination of both.'
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All that still adds up to a win for Daiso's shoppers.
'Are you still gonna come shopping here? Yeah I am,' said Foster.
'Even little bit higher, it's still a reasonable price,' said Ishihara. 'And then lot of stuff you cannot find at another store.'
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