Businesses around the world have had to deal with supply chain issues since the beginning of the pandemic, and shoppers have been struggling along with them. This holiday shopping season is going to be more of the same with 60% of retail businesses saying they are dealing with domestic supplier delays. 

Along with low inventories, shoppers have also been hit with higher prices. Over the last 12 months, The CPI (Consumer Price Index) measured a 6.2% increase in price on all items. Because of the limited supply of products, consumers have had to turn to third-party suppliers, who take advantage of buyers with higher prices and shipping costs.

As usual, shoppers came out on Black Friday to find Christmas gifts and take advantage of the great deals. This year, however, the number of online Black Friday shoppers reached the 100 million mark for the first time, an 8% increase over last year. More and more people are choosing to shop online not only because of the pandemic, but because it’s more convenient and the prices are competitive. “Now, buyers can find more details and product descriptions from the comfort of your home much more easily, thanks to advancements such as the 360-degree product views and model size details for online clothing stores,” said Maryam Mohsin, A writer at Oberlo. 

Another reason people are turning to online shopping is that they don’t want to drive out to a store only to find empty shelves. With online shopping, they can see what items are sold out and if stores near them carry what they’re looking for. Online shopping services have become more like shopping in the store, to the point that people are having a tough time figuring out a reason to go out anymore.

At the end of the day, products are in short supply both online and in-store this holiday season so get your shopping done as soon as you can. Happy shopping, and happy holidays!