Consumer electronics prices are climbing again, and this time the pressure may not ease anytime soon. Apple raised prices on MacBooks and iPads in June, Xbox consoles are getting more expensive starting in August, and Sony's PlayStation 5 Pro already saw increases earlier this year.

What's Driving the Surge

The primary culprit is a deepening memory chip shortage — and it has a clear cause: chipmakers are prioritizing production for AI data centers over consumer devices. That shift is squeezing supply across the board.

  • Rising oil prices have also pushed up shipping costs
  • Last year's tariff increases laid the groundwork for this latest round
  • The AI infrastructure boom shows no signs of cooling, keeping chip demand elevated

With too much demand chasing too little supply, manufacturers are doing what they always do — passing costs downstream to consumers.

'Waiting Is Not a Strategy'

"In the past, you maybe could have waited out little blips like this. I don't think that's the case here. Waiting is not a strategy right now and probably won't be for the foreseeable future."

That's Shawn DuBravac, chief economist at the Global Electronics Association, which tracks the memory shortage and its downstream effects. He advises watching which products haven't seen price hikes yet — because they likely will soon.

"If you're looking at products that have already had a price increase, you probably have a little bit of time to think about it."

His top recommendation for avoiding the worst of it: buy refurbished.

The Secondhand Market Is Booming

With new device prices rising, consumers are turning to refurbished and secondhand options in record numbers — and that's reshaping the resale market too.

Sean Cleland, VP of Mobility tech at recommerce company B-Stock, notes that used smartphones are now selling for 10–20% more than they were in December 2025. In a typical year, those same devices would have depreciated by a similar margin.

"The supply chain will correct eventually. Secondary market pricing will go back to normal depreciation, but it will continue being a step above what it was in 2025. It just never comes all the way back."

The upside: consumers trading in or reselling old gear stand to earn significantly more than usual right now.

Anxiety Is Accelerating Upgrades

Thibaud Hug de Larauze, CEO of secondhand marketplace Back Market, says fear of future price increases is itself changing purchasing behavior.

"People are worried that they're going to have to pay a lot of money for the next device or the next purchase. The bad thing about that is just pushing people to upgrade more rapidly because they're scared of inflation."

This dynamic is feeding into back-to-school and holiday buying cycles — historically high-pressure spending periods — arriving at an already strained moment for household budgets.

What You Should Do Now

  • Buy refurbished where possible — it's cheaper, more ethical, and eco-friendly
  • Sell or trade in old devices now while resale values are unusually high
  • If you need something new, check whether it's already had a price increase — if not, don't wait
  • Manufacturer trade-in programs for phones, tablets, computers, and wearables are worth exploring

The silver lining in all of this is a refurbished device market that's maturing rapidly — keeping more electronics out of landfills and in active use. But make no mistake: for anyone buying new, the window for lower prices has likely already closed.