School supply shortages?

[Kestrel]

News this morning was talking about school supply shortages, backpacks and electronics (computers and calculators) in particular. Just a head's up, this is the first I've heard of it.

How are things where you are?

[wencit]

I did hear about this, but both local Targets have been well stocked recently. I also saw a ton of backpacks at Costco yesterday. School doesn't start for another couple of weeks here, and we haven't even done registration, so maybe the rush hasn't hit us yet where I live.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I feel like this has to be an artificial shortage. What the heck did they do with all of last year's inventory? Nationally plenty of schools were virtual for much of the year.

[carolinacool]

I went shopping for DS, who is starting middle school, over the weekend. The only issue I ran into was the Target closest to me did not have any of the marbled cover composition notebooks in wide rule. Plenty of college rule, though. I went to a second target and found a few, but the stock still looked lower than it has been in years’ past. Backpacks did look a little picked over, but I just assume people have been steadily shopping. Some of the year-round schools started back this week.

[Liziz]

My kids start back next week, so we did our shopping a couple weeks ago. Although I was able to get everything we needed (minus one specific type of notebook), I was shocked at how bare the shelves were at my local stores a couple weeks ago -- they didn't look anything like the bursting shelves of past years. Around my area though, I feel like the bare shelves I see these days (which is nothing like early COVID days, but is still way more than was typical pre-pandemic) are mostly related to stores not having enough employees to keep the shelves stocked, vs. actual shortages -- but that's just a guess.

[gymnbomb]

I've been hearing about shortages for back to school clothes and shoes too. Not that there won't be any clothes or shoes available, but that specific sizes or styles may be difficult to find. I am not concerned, but it did prompt me to take inventory of my kids closets and make a list of things I expect them to need for fall.

[AnnieW625]

Kids in our area go back to school the second week in August and there was plenty of stuff last week at Target. We are reusing the same backpacks from last year.


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[Kindra178]

I went shopping for DS, who is starting middle school, over the weekend. The only issue I ran into was the Target closest to me did not have any of the marbled cover composition notebooks in wide rule. Plenty of college rule, though. I went to a second target and found a few, but the stock still looked lower than it has been in years’ past. Backpacks did look a little picked over, but I just assume people have been steadily shopping. Some of the year-round schools started back this week.

My kids prefer the college rule kind, so I always buy those!

High school theoretically starts in a couple of weeks. School supplies stocks seem ok, but a little low, around here. Went to Walmart (which I think is always picked over) and found some good deals. They didn't have as many Mead products as normal. I like the Five Star notebooks and there were none.

[lizzywednesday]

Computers/calculators I can see because of the microchip backlog that's also impacting new appliances and cars (both repair and new cars) but I hadn't heard about backpacks.

We're getting DD a new backpack for middle school (retired her LLB that she used K-5th to use at camp) so I hope we won't be up a creek before we can take her to pick one out!

ETA: our district doesn't start until after Labor Day, so I'm not really in a rush, but I would like DD to decide on notebook styles/colors soon.

[JustMe]

I feel like this has to be an artificial shortage. What the heck did they do with all of last year's inventory? Nationally plenty of schools were virtual for much of the year.

I agree. School here does not start until Sept. So, for now, I am just holding off unless I see something I know they need for a reasonable price. They will get by.