Shop Smarter With the Consumer Reports Price Tracker

It may be getting harder to find certain products, whether you’re shopping online or in a physical store. CR’s market analysts keep a close eye on product availability. They select all of the products that enter our labs—from toaster ovens to baby strollers to SUVs. And in recent months, they’ve been finding more items than usual listed as out of stock.

They say companies are also introducing fewer new models this year and experiencing more delays in product releases. These trends are particularly apparent in home appliances and electronics. It’s very hard to find new printers, for example, says CR analyst Nish Suvarnakar.

He and a colleague, Allie Chilicki, have noticed fewer improvements, new features, and innovations in the product categories they follow. Major manufacturers are touting small changes, such as updated color options for control panels and new filters that are supposed to remove pet hair, as big leaps in their “new” washer lineups, Chiliki says.

In large-appliance categories—washers, dryers, dishwashers—Chilicki has seen limited stock and longer than usual delivery times, too. If you buy LG’s new front load washer, for example, you have to wait until Monday, Oct. 20, for Best Buy to deliver it. And if you offer to pick it up yourself, you only save one day of waiting.

Bottom line: If you want to own a product with big innovations from what was already on the market, you may have to wait another year. On the other hand, you can save yourself some money by going with last year’s model, and you won’t be missing out on much.

In early July, Chicco raised the price of the child car seat we’re tracking by $10. That mirrors the shifts new parents are seeing with many baby gear items.

In the past few months, prices have risen on more than 3,000 products on the Babylist registry site, according to Emily Katleman, the senior manager of marketing. On average, those items are up 17 percent, with prices for some strollers and car seats jumping by 30 to 40 percent. Most car seats, strollers, and cribs are produced in China, and experts say prices could rise more in the months ahead.

Some baby items were exempt from new tariffs during Trump’s first term, but there are no such measures this time around.

One piece of advice from our safety experts is to be very cautious when buying secondhand safety gear, such as car seats.

The TCL TV we’re tracking has dropped $150 since mid-May. And that’s not the only large-screen set you’ll find at an appealing price now.

Overall, prices for 65-inch sets have been lower than in 2024, according to OpenBrand, a market research firm. The company says that TV manufacturers are countering some of the tariff uncertainty by offering bigger discounts earlier in the year.

But the average price of all TVs on the market is actually higher than a year earlier. According to OpenBrand, the uptick is due mainly to brands introducing more step-up models with high-end features such as Mini LED backlights, and a growing assortment of very large TVs. 

Prices on new sets, including high-end models, typically decline through the summer and fall. CR tracks the best deals on TVs and other tech products throughout the year.

If you often shop for deals, you’re familiar with the list prices retailers post when promoting discounts.

For example, the LG washing machine we’ve been tracking since mid-May typically sells for about $845. (At Home Depot, the price dipped for Labor Day.) That’s been the everyday price for months, but the retailers’ websites make it look like you’re getting a great bargain by including a list price, too. Home Depot and Lowe’s say the machine is being discounted from nearly $1,200. At AJ Madison, the figure is $1,319.

So where do those list prices come from?

According to LG, the $1,319 at AJ Madison is the manufacturer’s suggested retail price, also known as the MSRP. The $1,199 shown at Home Depot and Lowe’s is LG’s minimum advertised price, or MAP. Manufacturers use a MAP to protect the value of their brand, preventing retailers from pitching products at bargain basement prices even though the retailer can sell those items at any price it wants.

Enforcing the MAP can be tricky, says Utpal Dholakia, a professor of marketing at the Rice University Business School in Houston. MAP pricing is legal under the antitrust laws here in the U.S., as long as the price is set unilaterally and not specific to any retailers. In many other countries, including the U.K. and those in the European Union, however, the practice is restricted because it can hinder competition.

In the U.S., manufacturers try to enforce compliance with their MAP, but not all of them have the same pull. “Apple has more brand power, so I would guess their MAP policies are far more stringent and something that retailers follow more strictly,” Dholakia says.

So does that washing machine ever sell for the MSRP? Or even the lower MAP? It’s hard to say, but LG currently offers it for the same $850 as those other outlets. So do Costco and Wayfair.

What does that mean for bargain hunters? The price might be the same across retailers, Dholakia says, but the details can vary. One retailer may provide benefits such as free delivery and installation, free haul-away of the old appliance, an extended warranty, or a maintenance plan. That’s where you can look for a deal.

Here are a few more things to keep in mind:

Don’t panic-shop. It’s easy to get caught up in the fear of rising prices, but don’t lose your cool and buy things you’ll regret owning later.

Don’t hold off on the items you’ve planned to purchase. If you’ve been gearing up to buy a new refrigerator, doing it now makes sense, especially if you have money budgeted for it and the price has remained steady.

Choose reliable products. Higher prices could persist, so choose products that are likely to serve you well in the long term. CR members can use our ratings to review the most and least reliable brands in many categories, including central air conditioning systems, dishwashers, dryers, heat pumps, refrigerators, vacuums, and washing machines.

Shop for older models. As noted above, TVs, laptops, and smartphones that are a year or two old often remain available at stores even after newer models arrive.

Consider a used or refurbished product. While this advice doesn’t work equally well for all categories, you might find that purchasing a factory-refreshed or gently used appliance, laptop, or phone can save you money. Apple, Best Buy, LG, Samsung, and others certify the items they resell and even offer new warranties.

Use CR for Smart Buys and up-to-the-minute deals. Consult our ratings for help finding products with a nice price and admirable performance. Apple and Samsung both sell well-made, budget-friendly phones, for example. (See the iPhone SE and the Galaxy A25 5G.) They’re much less expensive than flagship models but still do almost everything you want a modern smartphone to do.

Consumer Reports also has a devoted team of deal seekers who continually round up the best bargains on highly rated products. Find their picks at the CR Deals hub.