With Black Friday deals approaching sooner than usual, it’s finally time to start shopping for the upcoming holiday season! Although it might seem early to start your holiday shopping, retail stores are urging shoppers to buy early to prevent delays caused by the global supply chain.
As the effects of the pandemic continue, the global supply chain has made a record stockpile, consisting of more than 200,000 shipping containers along the coast of Southern California. According to CNN Business, this port is the nation’s largest in terms of container volume. As of right now, there are millions of products sitting on these ships when they should be displayed on shelves.
On top of this, prices are increasing because of the outrageous surge of demands. According to CNN, shipping costs have soared and companies who need to transport products are experiencing difficulties since there are not enough ships or containers available.
This increase in holiday shopping prices are making consumers extremely worried. Rayna Magallanes, a junior at SNU, says she is troubled by the rising price tags. “I am worried about the increasing price of gifts,” says Magallanes. “Every year is a struggle money wise, and as gift prices continue to rise it becomes harder and harder to buy for everyone I need to.”
Matt Blose, a sophomore at SNU, says he is also worried about the increasing holiday troubles. “I’m worried about the prices because it impacts everyone,” says Blose. “I haven’t started my holiday shopping yet but I plan to after Thanksgiving.”
So, the real question is, do you really need to start buying gifts for the holidays right now? Well, it depends on the gift. If you are looking to buy specific and popular items, you might want to consider buying those now before they disappear. On the other hand, if you are looking to purchase everyday items you might as well purchase them now due to a large backorder.
Be smart this holiday season by staying on top of these increasing prices!
Photo by Heidi Fin on Unsplash
Source: https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/18/business/container-port-record-backlog/index.html