The "runs" on items may start but scarcity in some things
has been going on for awhile. I buy parts, clothes, tools etc. on a fairly frequent basis. I have been noticing for some time that in clothing and footwear that larger sizes etc. are becoming harder to find inventory. In speaking with many of the companies the common refrain is that there have been delays and "wait and see" happening as well as people buying ahead.
Sometimes it's a combination of things like supply of components, staffing, hesitation over the craziness about tariffs etc. What fools like Crumb The 1st and the supporting cast of fascists fail to realize is that the flow of goods in the world is not just something that turns on and off like a light switch. They ignorantly think (would there be any other way they would) that goods are just "somewhere" and waiting to go on the boat etc. They are too stupid to know that everything has a timeline, processes and deadlines.
For example the buyers for items may need to place orders now for goods needed a year from now due to availability of manufacturing time, sourcing materials and transportation of the goods. When there is great uncertainty about costs going forward then marketing and the buyers have to get together about what inventory to carry that can move by volume and cover price increases and what has low volume and perhaps cannot cover price increases and so you order less to be made.
Long story short you find a lower supply coming down the road for xxxl shirts, shoes, boots and some designs will have no inventory coming at all. In other words you go looking for a 4X flannel shirt and the company may have only 1 or 2 designs and only a handful of each whereas they normally would have 3 or 4 designs and a fair supply of each. So the buying pressure runs out the inventory. The same with some parts etc. that are normally low volume but usually available. Now I have to spend way more time and may not be able to get what I need.
So the longer this goes the more disruption to these supply chains there will be. I am already seeing pricing moving big time on basic items like t-shirts etc. I don't mean the junk that rips the second time you wear it. But the pocket t-shirts I always bought for $4.00 and up in quantity are now pricing double that and more. As an example if you think you will need boots or shoes for the kids or yourselves I wouldn't wait because the size you need in the style you want may not be easy to find a few months from now given how much of the market is of assembled footwear from overseas and components of footwear from overseas but assembled here. The pricing may give us sticker shock as well.
Times like these it's wise to think about making sure you cover the basics and plan ahead.
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People should check this post out.
