Inflation expectations are causing this toy store owner to stock up

Sean McHenry

3 months ago

Heard on:

"We have everything from plush Easter bunnies to Easter chocolate," said toy store owner Irene Kesselman. "As well as other things that are non-Easter that will go into a basket, like bath bombs and pencils and that kind of thing."

For Irene Kesselman, owner of Ali Cat Toys in Carrboro, North Carolina, the weeks leading up to Easter are a pretty big shopping season. This year, according to a survey from the National Retail Federation, consumers expect to spend nearly $170 on the holiday, including food and gifts.

Easter’s not the only thing that’s filling up her store shelves, both front-of-house and back. Kesselman is also watching inflation, which is still at historic highs. The personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index — the Federal Reserve’s favored inflation measure — rose 6.4% in the 12 months through February. Kesselman expects that to continue.

“My inventory is really high right now,” she said. “In fact, it’s probably equivalent to a holiday fourth quarter. I did that primarily because of the threat of price increases, so I try to order as much as I could up front.”

To listen to Kesselman’s story, use the media player above.