Consumers holding out for big deals 香蕉视频直播� and some much-needed relief from soaring costs on just about everything 香蕉视频直播� may be disappointed as they head into the busiest shopping season of the year.

While retailers are advertising sales of 30%, 50% and 70% off everything from TVs to gadgets, many items will still cost more than they did last year because of inflation and finding a true bargain may prove to be a challenge.

From September through October, shoppers paid roughly 18% more for furniture and appliances than they did a year ago, according to a recent major data analysis by analytics company DataWeave, which tracks prices for hundreds of thousands of items across roughly three dozen retailers including Amazon and Target. For toys, they paid roughly 2% more.

Things looked a bit better for consumers shopping for clothing 香蕉视频直播� they paid nearly 5% less compared with last fall, according to DataWeave. Meanwhile, prices held steady for footwear.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 just a weird time for everybody to figure out what is the right price, and what is the real price,香蕉视频直播� said Nikki Baird, vice president of strategy of Aptos, a retail technology firm. 香蕉视频直播淐onsumers are really bad at discount math, and retailers are fully aware of it and do everything they can to take advantage of it.香蕉视频直播�

William Wang, 24, who teaches high school math, says he香蕉视频直播檚 more likely to notice price increases on everyday items 香蕉视频直播� like his quesadilla that now costs $8 at his local deli 香蕉视频直播� than for gifts he香蕉视频直播檚 going to spend money on once a year.

香蕉视频直播淚 do feel like everything香蕉视频直播檚 more expensive,香蕉视频直播� said the Brooklyn, New York, resident. 香蕉视频直播淏ut I mainly keep track of it with small items, like food.香蕉视频直播�

The latest government retail sales report shows retail sales rose last month even when adjusting for inflation. That underscores some resiliency among shoppers heading into the Black Friday weekend, the kickoff to the season.

But cracks are forming.

Third-quarter earnings results from major retailers show shoppers aren香蕉视频直播檛 willing to pay full price and waiting for deals. Kohl香蕉视频直播檚, Target and Macy香蕉视频直播檚 all noted Americans have also slowed their spending in the past few weeks.

It香蕉视频直播檚 a dramatic change from when shoppers began their holiday items as early as October for fear they wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 get what they needed amid pandemic-infused clogs in the supply chain. They were also flush with cash from government stimulus money. Retailers were struggling to bring in items so they didn香蕉视频直播檛 need to discount as much.

Michael Liersch, head of advice and planning at Wells Fargo, said this holiday shopping season, it香蕉视频直播檚 more likely that things will 香蕉视频直播渁ppear discounted or feel discounted, or it will seem like there are big offers香蕉视频直播� but that between inflation and 香蕉视频直播渟hrinkflation香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� when manufacturers quietly shrink package sizes without lowering the price 香蕉视频直播� it香蕉视频直播檚 often not the case.

That trend played out in a recent spot check by DataWeave of different items. For example, a Cuisinart two-speed blender, listed at $59.99 but discounted at 25%, was available for $44.99 at grocery chain Fred Meyer. But it was still more expensive than last year香蕉视频直播檚 blender, available for $39.99, after a 20% discount off a lower list price of $49.99.

At Kohl香蕉视频直播檚, shoppers paid more for Nunn Bush Baker Street men香蕉视频直播檚 dressy shoes this past fall than last year when discounts were actually bigger, and the list price was lower. The shoes were available for $79.99 after a nearly 16% price cut from the $95 suggested price; last year, the shoes were available for $59.99 after a 29% discount on a lower list price of $85.

Kevin Brasler, executive editor of Consumers香蕉视频直播� Checkbook, a nonprofit consumer organization, noted its researchers spent 33 weeks starting Feb. 9 tracking sale prices at 25 major retailers. They found most stores香蕉视频直播� sale prices 香蕉视频直播� even those that promote big savings 香蕉视频直播� are bogus discounts, with retailers offering the same 香蕉视频直播渟ale price香蕉视频直播� more than half the time. In fact, at many retailers, the 香蕉视频直播渞egular price香蕉视频直播� or 香蕉视频直播渓ist香蕉视频直播� price listed is seldom, if ever, what shoppers pay, Brasler said.

Still, inflation-battered shoppers like Yoki Hanley are willing to take their chances and hold out for a bargain. So far, she doesn香蕉视频直播檛 feel like she香蕉视频直播檚 getting good deals for her eight grandchildren and plans to delay her buying until the last week before Christmas.

香蕉视频直播淓verything went up so my little nest egg disappeared a whole lot quicker than I expected,香蕉视频直播� said the St. Croix resident. 香蕉视频直播淚 will wait until the last minute. They香蕉视频直播檒l get it, but it香蕉视频直播檚 coming late.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播擜nne D香蕉视频直播檌nnocenzio And Cora Lewis, The Associated Press