NILES, Mich. (WNDU) – Two local economy and workforce experts shared their insight on how supply chain issues and labor shortages could impact holiday shopping in Southwest Michigan.
Their advice: buy your presents early.
16 News Now spoke with someone from the Kinexus Group — who says 68% of Americans are estimated to start buying gifts before Thanksgiving.
Normally, only 23% of people start shopping that early.
“If you wanted to get items on the store shelves for the holiday season, you needed to place your orders back in the summer if not the spring,” says Lisa Augustyniak, an economics professor at Lake Michigan College. “So I think forward planning and forward-looking becomes really important.”
She says these supply chain issues will pass eventually but delays could continue to at least 2023.
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