Expect less bang for your buck when buying fireworks this year.
Curtis Schnase with Davey Fireworks tells KLIN News shipping costs, higher fuel prices and labor shortages are driving up prices.
Schnase says they get both domestic and international fireworks and shipping prices have increased for both. He says freight costs have tripled over the last three years. Containers that used to cost $13,000 now cost them $45,000 to get from China to Lincoln, Nebraska.
Domestic shipping costs are also up. Schnase says if you buy ten pallets of fireworks and get them from a vendor a few states away, three years ago it cost $600 or $700. This year the same 10 pallets cost between $1,500 to $1,800.
He says, “Entertainment income is going to be a little more forefront this year. Fireworks are an entertainment. They are not gas or food but an entertainment item in a budget. I think people are not taking road trips because gas is too expensive. We think people will stay home which will help their budgets. They still have to drive and get fireworks and that is why I think we will see them less times but we will still see them.”
Unfortunately, plan to pay more. If you spent $50 last year on fireworks, that same money will buy 25% to 30% less.
Schnase says, “Your buying power has been hit. We had one item that I noticed I haven’t carried for three years. I was able to get a hold of it and brought it in . That same item I was selling for $27.99 three years ago this year was $55. In three years the price of fireworks, not every item but larger items, have doubled in price. Normally, you would see year to year increase of 2% to 5%, normal inflation, transportation costs, labor. The last few years, we are seeing 25%, 30%, 40% jumps in shipping costs and that is driving prices up. Direct cost of the fireworks themselves, when I do direct importing from across seas, China, the fireworks have only gone up 1% to 2% on their normal growth. Some items are up 15% to 20% but the freight is the killer side of it.”
Sales started this year the same as the 2020 season, according to Schnase. He says 2021 was an unusual season after people were cooped up with COVID-19. He says people were ready to get out and have fun and sales were crazy. He says they are ahead of the 2020 season and that is a more accurate projection of what their season will look like in 2022.
