Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | November 22, 2021 | Worcester Business Journal 7 Continued on next page PHOTO/MATT WRIGHT Holiday season headstart Supply chain problems and labor shortages are causing headaches, but locally sourced shops may be uniquely well positioned for an even busier season BY MONICA BENEVIDES WBJ Senior Staff Writer A s the second consecutive coronavirus-impacted holiday shopping season gets underway, both retailers and consum- ers are tussling with concerns over supply chain shortages and subsequent shipping delays, including in Central Massachusetts. e messaging has been clear, both nationally and locally: Shoppers have been encouraged to start their holiday shopping earlier than usual, and to prepare to be flexible if and when items they planned on purchasing are either delayed or unavailable. is is espe- cially true for big-ticket and popular electronics. "It's going to be a challenging holiday season," said Bill Rennie, vice president of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts. Shops both large and small stand to be impacted by the multitude of economic challenges which manifest- ed since March 2020, Rennie said. He pointed to shipping problems, factory shutdowns, and inclement weather, to name a few. Combined with staffing shortages at stores themselves, as well as in the logistics and delivery industries, Source: Massachusetts Department of Revenue 0 $100M $200M $300M $400M $500M $600M $700M October November December 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Sales tax collections Massachusetts sales tax collections The total amount of sales tax collected by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue in the fourth quarter for each of the past five years gives an indication of how holiday spending was impacted by the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. Hayley Dolan (left) and Alanna Dolan shop at The Crompton Collective in Worcester.

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