Shopping Tips During Supply Chain Shortages

Image via Chain Store Age

November is officially here, which means the holiday season is about to kick into full gear. That includes Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and other holidays. Many of these include gift-giving, but because of supply chain issues, that may look a little different this year.

When the pandemic hit last year, the world quickly began to see shortages of many products. This was because many factory workers were sick or quarantined, and therefore production was slowed. There was a shortage of shipping containers and workers to unload those containers and transport the goods to their destinations, which led to more and more delays, and the problem only kept snowballing. We’re still seeing these shortages and delays even now, which means you might want to rethink your normal holiday shopping.

Instead of buying gifts for everyone, try making them yourself. Find some fun DIY projects which cheap, easy-to-find materials, and get to work! It’s even more special for the recipient when the gift is something you made with your own two hands.

If there’s something you’d like to gift that you just can’t make no matter how hard you try, order it early. Even companies like Amazon that are known for their speedy deliveries aren’t as reliable as they used to be, so get on top of your shopping list. Order your gifts weeks in advance to avoid that last-minute panic.

My last shopping tip—but the most important—is to be patient. If something doesn’t arrive when it’s supposed to, or it’s not of the caliber you expected, be kind. Everyone is doing their best during these trying times, and things are bound to fall through the cracks every so often. So, treat others how you would want to be treated if you were in their shoes, and spread kindness.