DES MOINES, Iowa — Halloween is right around the corner, and that means the holiday season is closer than you think, too. But this year, there might be some trouble when you're doing your holiday shopping.
By now, you've probably heard about supply chain issues impacting the U.S. economy. Worker shortages, material scarcity and high product demand have combined to make a perfect storm, leading to empty shelves across the country.
One unexpected place you might be seeing some extra trouble: toys. If you are shopping for kids this holiday season, then you might have to dig a little deeper than usual.
"Here in the U.S., we're having these regional outages, where you might be able to go to a store near you and find completely full shelves, but then your neighbor, maybe a town or two over it is completely empty," said James Zhan, Deputy Editor of Toy Insider.
Even online shopping is not totally immune from the supply chain effects. Deliveries are going to take longer, and some stores may not be offering in-store pickup options at all.
"After all of these years of these retailers saying omnichannel, shop online, pick up in store, this year, we're seeing a reverse. It's going back to brick and mortar because brick and mortar might actually have the better selection," Zahn said.
Prices might be going up, as well: an action figure that was selling for $20 might now be closer to $25. But don't worry, there are still ways to make sure you keep your kids happy when they see what you've got wrapped up for them.
"Check out some of those independent retailers that are going to have some deals that are kind of off the radar, but great product you wouldn't necessarily expect," Zahn said. "And, of course, shop early this year."