National Chains Are Urging Customers to Shop Now Due to Holiday Shortages

Many popular gift and decor items are facing shortages this holiday season.

Shutterstock/Matt Gush
Shutterstock/Matt Gush

Last week, news of nationwide food shortages hit, impacting holiday essentials like turkey and cranberry sauce. But now, it looks like supply chain issues are affecting more than just your Thanksgiving spread. Retailers are now warning customers to shop early this year to save you from a last-minute gift dash. 

According to CBS, supply chain bottlenecks and shipping delays will persist through at least early 2022, with low stock already becoming an issue.

"Major retailers are expecting a strong holiday shopping season but have warned of limited inventories, longer shipping times, labor shortages and fewer discounts," Morgan Stanley economists said in a recent note to investors.

Double shipping time is expected for clothes and shoes, while book and even Christmas tree shortages are expected. In fact, in August, publishers already began urging customers to stock up in advance.

"Given we are already seeing some gaps on shelves, we do expect to see some visible evidence of product shortages this holiday season," Coresight's Head of Global Research, John Mercer, told the outlet. 

As for Christmas trees, the American Christmas Tree Association announced last month that both real and artificial trees might be hard to come by if you wait it out. They'll likely be more expensive than in years past, too, with prices skyrocketing thanks to fires, droughts, and heatwaves. Oregon farmers, for example, have lost up to 90% of their crops. 

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Megan Schaltegger is a staff writer at Thrillist.