Toys, games and hobby gear are on track to be less expensive this holiday season for the first time since 2020, while sporting goods prices are down this holiday for the first time since 2018, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)showed.
To be sure, prices overall are higher in 2023 despite slowed price growth, with October's consumer price index climbing to 3.2% year-over-year.
The figure remained flat on a month-over-month basis, signaling some holiday item prices may be slow to come down.
Despite a dip in sporting goods prices, they continue to pace above 2019 levels.
Walmart WMT.N said prices of general merchandise - clothing, electronics, furniture - had declined by low to mid-single-digit percentages versus last year, enabling the retailer to cut prices this holiday season.
Persons:
Theresa Forsberg, Jill Lizzo, Barbie, Walmart WMT.N, it's, ”, Christina Hennington, Vincent Alban, Jessica Ramirez, Jane Hali, Jeffrey Roach, Macy's, Kevin Simpson, Simpson, Siddharth Cavale, Amina Niasse, Jonathan Oatis
Organizations:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Walmart, Reuters Graphics Reuters, REUTERS, Associates, LPL, Dick's Sporting, Reuters, Wealth, Target, Home Depot, Wayback Machine, Thomson
Locations:
New Milford , Connecticut, New York's Harlem, Chicago , Illinois, U.S, New York