Everything’s out of stock!

[Maryann1975]

I get that this is a really first world problem and that with everything else going on, it’s totally minor, but I’m really struggling, all the main presents I’m wanting to buy are all out of stock everywhere! Xbox, iPad and the big new Harry Potter Lego set.
I can get an iPad delivered in January, but don’t know if I should do that or risk waiting to see if they come in stock elsewhere before then. I know there has been massive demand fo this type of product (which is why we want one, it feels much better to give it to her for Christmas rather than for no reason).
And as for the xbox, what were Microsoft (or whoever makes them) thinking? Why have they not made enough, did they not foresee that there would be a massive demand for them? Or is that part of the master marketing plan that I don’t quite get. Keep them restricted to keep people talking about them, but in the end there will be enough for everyone?

Anyone else struggling to get items they want or is just me? Are you accepting that some gifts might have to be late or holding out for more stock to appear in the shops in the next couple of weeks?

@Autumnblooms

We bought all our presents in September/October. This happens every year it isn’t a new problem due to COVID.

I don’t know why people leave things so last minute?

Yep I bought some then too because I have the majority of family and friends birthdays in October and December.

But I have no room - DS gifts are in my bedroom and everyone else’s are under the stairs cluttering up the place.

Lots of the presents aren’t now what people have actually asked for. So it’s a waste of money or I buy twice.

Some of the online ones have been disappointing but the queue for the post office is too long to do much about it.

Shops don’t have as much in September. Lots of better cheaper things come out in November and early December too tempt the early shoppers back in.

Sometimes last minute is the cheaper faster option.

Very have quite a lot of different iPads in stock.

To be honest, with the consoles, your better waiting for a bit, !mainly as previous releases some consoles have had errors or bugs

Worth calling some stores since they are now open and asking if they have things in stock that aren’t reflected on their websites. If you have smaller, independent department stores or toy stores nearby, you may have luck with the Lego.

@StephenBelafonte

What happens is that all the childrens christmas type stuff is made in China. This is then shipped over to the UK in big containers, The cargo ship takes about 6 weeks to get here from China and the good arrive in about August. They are then distributed from the docks to various warehouses and onwards to the shops.

So what I'm staying is that if you see the gift you want in the shops as early as September you may as well buy it then. Because there won't be another container load arriving before christmas so what is in the shops in September is pretty much the whole stock. All you can do is try another shop.

Sorry to go on, just might be worth remembering for the future. Hope you find something suitable.

This is correct, plus currently there are backlogs weeks long at the main British import port (due to PPE being stored there by the NHS apparently). I wouldn't hold out much hope of anything getting through the port anytime after 1st Jan either (B word).

@GeorgiaGirl52 😂 I do this if I'm buying them too, for this specific reason, if you buy a bit later they usually have fixes for the bugs by then.

@papaelf I agree and also in Microsoft's case they must have known this year would be like this as bill predicted it quite a few years ago now! 🤣

I bought an ipad online from John Lewis last week