Christmas Gift Shortages 2021 - Will there be a problem?

Christmas Gift Shortages 2021 - Will there be a problem?

Why are people worried about Christmas shortages, and should they be?

It's not a suprise that there are certain concerns when it comes to buying gifts for Christmas 2021. With recent reports of fuel shortages, panic buying, energy and food price increases and the ongoing global supply chain problems, it is not the year to leave Christmas shopping until the last minute.

2021 has kind of become a bottle neck of recent issues; From Brexit, a global pandemic, significant increase in demand for containers, congestion at ports and then not enough HGV drivers to move product around the network, there is no wonder we have reports of retailers having stock gaps already. Warnings are also being given that huge brands like Elf on the Shelf may not actually be on the shelf this year.

So will there be a toy or gift shortage?

Whilst families could see many top selling products missing from shelves this year, it is very hard to predict what is around the corner as it depends on so many factors. Whilst retailers are reporting of good stocks now, many are anticipating problems in coming weeks, but be assured, they will all be working around the clock to ensure shelves are stocked for Christmas shoppers, it is in their interest to! Reports suggest that the likes of John Lewis are chartering a fleet of ships to ensure their christmas stock arrives on time. The UK government have drafted experts in to help make sure Christmas runs as smoothly as possible. So it may not be all doom and gloom!

Should I shop early for Christmas?

There are definite signs that consumers have started Christmas shopping earlier this year. Whilst it is advisable to perhaps shop a little earlier, the worst thing we can all do is panic buy Christmas gifts & food, as this leads to shortages and makes the problem much worse for everyone. Waiting for those last minute deals is probably not the way forward this year, particularly as the cost of goods for so many retailers has increased siginificantly, so margins may not be there to create huge discounts.

When you do buy, don't forget your smaller independent retailers, boutiques, gift shops and garden centres. They will have many great products across many categories that will satisfy your Christmas gifting needs. They require your help more than ever, as all the above problems hit them much harder than the big chains.

What are iBeani doing to ensure Christmas Gifts are available?

Well, call it a stroke of luck or great planning, but we were fortunate enough to have a great Christmas last year and actually had very little stock left as the big day got nearer, so we planned very early this year and have plenty of stock across our range of christmas gift ideas, with more on the way.

iBeani supply lots of small and independent retailers around the UK & Ireland so our range of quality products should never be too far away. If you can't get out, or prefer to shop online then you can of course buy direct from us. We have multiple warehouse locations across the country in use, to try and reduce the risk of delivery network issues, ensuring your Christmas presents arrive on time, and also to ensure we can keep our retailers shelves stocked in a timely manner.

Whilst we have been impacted by many of the issues, including a sigificant increase in our costs, we have kept our prices as low as possible ensuring your Christmas gift buying is on budget.

With a range of award-winning quality tech and lifestyle products that are in stock, browse our Christmas Gift Ideas now.

Christmas Gifting 2021 Summary

  • Prre-plan and buy a little earlier, but don't panic buy!
  • Shop local / independent first
  • Don't hold out for last minute deals
  • Whilst problems over coming weeks are anticipated, its hard to predict and the retail world will be working very hard to eliminate any issues.
  • For quality gift ideas suitiable for all, such as Tablet Cushions then consider iBeani :)
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