New Yorkers Fear Supply Shortages This Christmas

In the midst of the holiday season, Soma Doodnauth, a mother of two, trekked to Green Acres Mall in Valley Stream, Long Island in her navy-blue sedan to find deals and discounts on gifts for loved ones. She was able to buy a few articles of clothing from Macy’s, but purchasing electronics posed a problem. Both Best Buy and Walmart were plastered with large handmade signs on their storefront windowpanes informing customers that game consoles such as the Sony PlayStation 5 and Microsoft Xbox series X were sold out due to inventory issues.

“I’ve tried going to several places to find my son a PlayStation, and [I’m] still out of luck,” she said. “It’s a very frustrating process when you’re in a time crunch.”

Growing numbers of shoppers like Doodnauth have experienced setbacks in their ability to purchase products in the face of a global supply chain crisis.

Late last month, President Joe Biden held a roundtable meeting with several CEOs of major retailers at The White House to tackle supply chain shortages and consumer demand. They discussed methods to ensure shelves will be stocked for the season and how to reduce congestion at local ports.

In terms of distribution, an insufficient number of truck drivers has furthered gridlock. Ships housing containers have continued to dwell near docks with indefinite wait times. Compared to last year, processed cargo has decreased about 8%. In return, products made overseas cannot make their way into the hands of customers like Doodnauth.

With delays, some have steered clear of shopping online and resorted to alternative gift solutions. Timothy Franco, 21, did not want to run the risk of late arrival. Instead, he crafted a memory basket filled with photographs, vanilla bean scented candles, and small gold jewelry for his girlfriend. “It may not be a Telfar bag, but a lot more thought went into this one,” Franco said. “Hopefully, this is more sentimental to her.”

Despite the various challenges, some stores are taking measures by diversifying their supplier base, offering in-store pickup and incentives. Victoria Barbone, an online customer service representative at Walmart, encourages everyone to take advantage. “While there is a fluctuation of item availability dependent on location, we have a wide selection,” Barbone said.

Joel Fumo, father of a 4-year-old daughter, anticipated problems with the pandemic influencing stock and made sure to get a head start this Christmas. He started buying gifts in early September. “Santa isn’t playing games this time,” he said, smiling.