Mom-and-pop stores may be a better option for holiday shopping
Wildlings Toy Boutique in downtown Phoenix is fully stocked despite the global supply chain crisis and shortage of truck drivers.
PHOENIX — Have you started your holiday shopping yet?
Concerns over toy shortages, slow shipping and rising prices mean many are starting early and not waiting for offers.
Toy Insider editor James Zahn said that’s smart, because the toy you want to give your child might not be on the shelves the next time you go to the store.
“Across the United States, we have these regional outages directly related to supply chain issues because truckers aren’t getting these things to fulfillment centers and stores fast enough,” Zahn explained. “You could go today and find tons of product, they might not be there tomorrow and it could be weeks before they are restocked.”
On the other hand, he said you might get lucky.
“There could be a new assortment of toys in a few days, these are things that should have been here in October and are just hitting stores now.”
Jennifer Mawcinitt, owner of Wildlings Toy Shop in downtown Phoenix, said some of its customers were coming to its store after finding empty shelves at big-box retailers.
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“We opened in August and were so lucky to have the community embrace us, and we’ve been busy since we opened,” she said. “We’re seeing people choosing in-person shopping, and hearing more and more people say they’re going to big box stores and the shelves are empty, so they’re out here in the community looking for local stores. .”
Mawcinitt said she was affected by the global supply chain crisis, but there was still a lot of it of options in his store.
“We’ve been touched, we’re ordering different toys that we don’t get as many as we’d like to have on our shelves, but we have well-stocked shelves because we order a wide variety of toys,” she said. noted.
What are you waiting for, it’s time to shop!
“This year, brick and mortar is more important than it has been in recent years,” Zahn said. “This year the best assortment may be at your local retailer and not just the big box stores, independent local specialty stores and all-important toy stores.”
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