SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The coronavirus pandemic's impact on global production and labor, combined with backlogs at ports, have led to world-wide supply chain shortages and delays that are likely to effect your holiday gift plans, economists say.
There are now an unprecedented 100 ships floating off the Southern California coast, unable to unload tens of thousands of cargo containers, due to bottlenecks at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
These types of supply chain disruptions are having economic impacts, according to Sanjay Varshney, an economist and professor at California State University Sacramento.
Pent up demand is leading to higher prices and consumers should expect to see empty shelves as products sell out, Varshney said.
“These things won’t be resolved in eight week’s time,” Varshney said.
Rachel Michelin heads the California Retailers Association. She says consumers should consider purchasing their holiday gifts early to prevent any issues this holiday season.
Retailers are expected to start their deals online and in stores early this year. Experts say to do your research and if you find a good deal, snag it quickly or it may be too late.
You can also consider gift cards, in case the item you may want to get your loved one is not available.
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