There will be a severe shortage of toys in the United States

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, global supply chain disruptions have become increasingly severe, causing soaring transportation costs and shortages of consumer goods. The global shipping crisis is disturbing news for retailers and consumers alike during the upcoming holiday shopping season.

According to foreign media reports, this week, some of the top toy manufacturers in the United States warned of a global shipping crisis and labor shortages that are limiting their ability to keep goods in stock throughout the holiday shopping season . The toy companies said they are worried that supply chain problems and the resulting increase in toy prices will mean that many children will not be able to get the toys they want for Christmas this year .

"There will be a severe shortage of toys this year ," said Isaac Larian, CEO of MGA Entertainment . "But the demand for toys is still there , and there will be fewer toys to meet that demand . "

Larian said he and other toy industry insiders accuse shipping companies of taking advantage of a global shortage of shipping containers to jack up prices . A container that cost $ 3,200 last year is now $22,000 , Larian said . And even after paying more to get the products to U.S. shores , a shortage of truck drivers is hampering getting the toys into warehouses and ultimately onto shelves.

This combination of issues will cause toy prices to rise further. But as long as their children need toys and as long as there is stock on the shelves, parents will do what they can to buy toys for their children. With many people forced to spend more time at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, toy sales will continue to thrive.

Bob Biesterfield, CEO of CH Robinson , one of the world's largest logistics companies, said the pressures on global supply chains have not eased and he does not expect them to ease anytime soon .

According to data from Drewry Shipping Company, the cost of transporting goods from China to North America and Europe has continued to rise in the past few months. In this case, sellers in any industry should make early plans for the upcoming shopping season in the second half of the year to avoid sales being affected by inventory issues.

Toy market; North American e-commerce; Holiday shopping season