At Trio Hardware in Plainview, shoppers found no artificial Christmas trees for sale this season—a first in the store’s 62-year history. With steep tariffs on imported holiday goods driving up costs, the co-owner made a surprising discovery: every real tree stand in stock was snapped up.
Tariffs Drive Up Artificial Tree Prices
President Donald Trump’s 30% tariff on artificial Christmas trees from China, which supplies 87% of U.S. artificial trees, has pushed retailers and suppliers to absorb as much of the levy as possible. Still, higher costs were passed on to consumers, leading many to hold onto older trees or switch to real ones, which tend to be less expensive.
“I can’t tell you the last time I ever sold out of a tree stand,” said Todd Kirschner, co-owner of Trio Hardware, after his store elected not to order artificial trees this year. Instead, stands for real trees flew off the shelves.
Higher Retail Prices and Reduced Selection
Holiday décor prices, including artificial trees, rose by 10% to 15% this year, according to Jami Warner, executive director of the American Christmas Tree Association. Basic small trees now range from $60 to $100, standard six- to seven-foot models cost $150 to $250, and premium pre-lit versions sell for $250 to $500.
“They had to pass some of the costs on [to consumers],” Warner said. “Otherwise, they would have completely gone out of business.”
Some retailers scaled back seasonal orders to manage the uncertainty of fluctuating tariff rates. Michael Costello, CEO of the 62-store Costello’s Ace Hardware chain, noted that holiday merchandise is typically ordered in January but tariffs aren’t applied until arrival. “Meaning that when a buyer commits to orders, they are required to predict what the tariff rate will actually be months into the future. The unpredictability of exactly how much tariffs would impact cost created uncertainty,” he said.
Consumer Choices Shift
At Costello’s, the reduced order of holiday items left fewer options on the floor but helped keep prices in check. “The result this year is a smaller overall assortment, fewer new and innovative choices, and less inventory depth. This was the trade-off for keeping retail prices in check,” Costello said. The chain also saw a spike in real-tree stand sales.
Massapequa shopper Julie Liebow, 63, passed on a new artificial tree this season. “I feel like I’m at the point now where I’d probably rather wait to the end of the season and buy one on sale than pay for a new one right now,” she said.
Merrick resident Georgia Nagy, 71, echoed the sentiment. “I had seen artificial trees and I had seen the prices. It’s outrageous,” Nagy said, adding she prefers real trees for their look and feel.
Real Tree Market Prepared
Most real Christmas trees sold in the U.S. are grown domestically, with Oregon leading production, according to Marsha Gray, executive director of the Real Christmas Tree Board. While it’s too early for final data, Gray believes the real tree sector is “prepared for a strong season.”
A September survey of 43 wholesale growers, covering at least half of the U.S. market, found that 84% do not plan to raise wholesale prices for the upcoming season, the Real Christmas Tree Board reported.
