Worcester Business Journal

8 Worcester Business Journal | November 22, 2021 | wbjournal.com Continued from previous page MassLive.com has more readers than BostonGlobe.com in 2021 Partner with the agency that puts your brand in front of more potential customers than anyone else in Massachusetts. IMAGINE MORE AWARENESS | LEADS | CONVERSIONS | CUSTOMERS *According to Comscore unique visitor data for 2021 Supply chain delays hitting Central Mass. Supply chain shortages have wreaked havoc on business owners who rely on overseas shipments and manufacturing, and retailers are now encouraging consumers to begin their holiday shopping much earlier than usual. They're also warning that some products, especially those that are in high demand, may become difficult or impossible to obtain on time. When polled online, more than four out of five WBJ readers said their businesses have been impacted by the supply chain issues. F L AS H P O L L Yes, we're having some delays. 33% Has your business been negatively impacted by supply chain issues? Yes, we're experiencing significant delays. 43% Yes, our deliveries are arriving as expected but prices are up. 5% No, our business isn't experiencing any supply chain issues. 19% many retailers are being squeezed from virtually every direction. "Even though we were in the middle of the pandemic last year, a lot of the items you're buying during the holiday season would have already been in the supply chain much, much earlier in the year," Rennie said. "Now what we're seeing today… is sort of the impact of all those supply chain disruptions over the last year." The local advantage But while it may seem these problems have trickled down to every market, that might not actually be the case, Rennie said. What he referred to as main street businesses – gi shops and specialty stores – may see less of an impact be- cause they have more of a niche product market. is is especially true if their products, or the materials they use to make them, are locally sourced. Amy Lynn Chase, owner of Cromp- ton Collective, e Haberdash, and e White Room, said that's more or less been true for her and her circle of local retailers and makers. "Our store is filled to the brim," Chase said of Crompton Collective in particu- lar. At e Haberdash, which just opened its third location, on Cape Cod, the biggest issue she's encountered is slightly slower shipping times. Some of the mak- ers she's worked with have had challenges finding things like wax and wood, but even then, she's cautiously optimistic. "Honestly, nobody is really talking about it in my circles," Chase said. Still, customers do appear to be turn- ing out earlier. As soon as Halloween ended, shoppers showed up to Chase's shops looking for antique gis and Christmas decorations, in particular. "I don't know if that's because of sup- ply chain talk … or if they're just excited to decorate," Chase said. A busy season Indeed, with society and the economy flipped upside down for the better part of two years, it's difficult for industry stakeholders to explain what's driving certain shopping decisions right now. Consumers seem to be shopping sooner for the holidays, yes, but that could be driven by a variety of factors, not just supply chain anxieties. Rennie pointed out, while Black Friday and Small Business Saturday have come to mark the beginning of the holiday shopping frenzy, so-called Jessica Mestre shops at The Crompton Collective. Amy Lynn Chase, owner of The Crompton Collective and Haberdash PHOTO/NATHAN FISKE

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