Everyday winter items affected by supply chain issues

As we get closer to a snowy winter, many winter supplies that we normally buy around this time are being affected by supply chain issues.

Things like snow shovels, snowplows, sleds, and Christmas lights have had shortages or have had their prices increase.

The Marshall Hardware Store in Duluth has experienced these problems. One of which is the shortage of material used for most of the plastic products. Owner Steve Marshall says, "There’s some resin shortages. So some of the shovels that we normally carry, and sleds, are not coming in this year."

For the store, maneuvering around the supply chain issues has been difficult. They’ve been ordering their items far in advance to get their products in at a reasonable time. Marshall says, "Usually it was six months out and now it’s 12 months out on all your items that you are anticipating to sell like in like the winter time.”

And for those new homeowners in the Northland Steve says if you don’t have your supplies to get them now and don’t procrastinate. "I don’t anticipate a big shortage on any of them but there still is limited quantities for sure”, he says.

But when you do get to shop you’ll notice the price of some items has gone up as a result of the supply chain. One of the shovels they sell used to be $12.99 but now has gone up to $19.99.

The store has had to manage the price increases in a way that helps their consumers, "you have to absorb some of that as a seller, but the consumer by far is absorbing the most cost increases across the board amongst all the products that are out there”, says Steve.