It may still feel like summer, but a local economics expert says now might be the right time to start your holiday shopping.

John Rossi, director of the Sales Center at Youngstown State University’s Williamson College of Business, said that although it feels early, current economic conditions make now a smart time to begin planning.

“The earlier, the better,” Rossi said. “The tariffs are going to have an impact. Consumer behavior is going to have an impact. It's going to be a rather complex project to get your Christmas shopping done.”

Rossi said shoppers are still feeling the cumulative effects of inflation from recent years, which will likely continue into the 2024 holiday season.

“So when you add current inflation on top of years past inflation, it's going to have a significant impa

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