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"With potential tariffs and supply chain disruptions on the horizon, we're seeing shoppers start their holiday shopping earlier this year. In fact, more than half plan to begin before November," said Stephanie Carls, Retail Insights Expert at RetailMeNot. "These app-only savings are the smartest way to get ahead, offering deep cash back rewards that put real money back in shoppers' pockets."

With the upcoming holiday weekend, many consumers are keeping their eyes peeled for the Labor Day specials and sales. To help you sort through the best – and worst – buys of the season, ConsumerAffairs spoke to RetailMeNot’s Retail Insights Expert Stephanie Carls. She shares insights on what to buy, what not to buy, whether it’s too early to start planning for the holidays, and more.

After all, though TikTok may tell you that everyone is doing up their dorm rooms at the cost of roughly a new car, in reality, the average family spend (according to a RetailMeNot poll) is a much less jaw-dropping $598. "Bama Rush showed us how TikTok can turn a very specific college tradition into a national spectacle. Dorm culture is doing the same thing, as what used to be a quiet move-in weekend is now a public performance where the reveal and the viral traction matter as much as the room itself," explains Stephanie Carls, who is RetailMeNot's retail insights expert. "This is not decorating. This is dorm culture. That being said, Ikea will still beat out West Elm for most students."