• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, Yesterday

Email marketers already have a good idea of how their Memorial Day sales are going. And the results are mixed, if consumer sentiment is any indication.  

Consumers are nervous about tariffs, even those that have been pulled back. And their caution could extend right into this year’s peak holiday shopping season, judging by a Consumer Pulse study by Klaviyo. 

Of the shoppers polled, 31% plan to take advantage of Memorial Day sales — largely in an effort to beat tariffs. 

Moreover, while 68% of consumers know about the 90-day delay on tariffs on Chinese goods, almost half remain skeptical. Indeed, 30% are just as nervous about tariffs as when they were first announced by the Trump administration. 

Indeed, 17% are less optimistic than they were before, and only 15% are confident in economic trends. 

Looking forward to the holidays, 72% anticipate that tariffs will drive price increases during peak shopping periods. And 69% expect inventory shortages, which could prompt them to shop early. 

In an earlier poll, nearly 50% of consumers said a price increase beyond 5% could move them to switch brands. And 32% warn that a price increase of any size will lead them to switch to a cheaper option. 

“We may be entering a new retail landscape where we see consumers spread their spending across multiple shopping holidays rather than concentrating on traditional peak seasons,” says Jake Cohen, head of industry and insights for Klaviyo. “Memorial Day sales will be a crucial test case for retailers to understand this shift and reimagine their approach to key shopping seasons.”