We got you Shop local for the holidays and avoid supply chain shortage stress
Could there be a silver lining to the global supply chain issues expected over the holiday shopping season? Local businesses hope so.
âChristmas being cancelled because of supply chain issues doesnât really affect you when youâre shopping local,â said Vikki Wiercinski, lead organizer with the Royal Bison arts and crafts fair.
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âYouâre really lucky that thereâs a whole bunch of people who live in the same city as you do who make really beautiful, giftable items and they make them right here. And they usually buy their supplies locally.
âThere is a lot to give and a lot to get locally. As a craft fair, and as makers in Edmonton, we got you,â Wiercinski said.
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âI donât think Christmas is cancelled. It might be nice to try giving something unique and local this Christmas instead. We feel fine about it. We donât think Christmas is cancelled at all.â
Read more: Ho Ho ⦠uh oh! How supply chain woes could affect your holiday shopping
The global bottlenecks and delays are hobbling factories, ports and warehouses around the world, and will likely impact the holiday shopping rush.
Some of the items expected to be especially hard to come by are toys, electronics, Christmas trees, decor and sneakers.
2:20 What the supply chain crisis might mean for the holidays What the supply chain crisis might mean for the holidays â" Oct 30, 2021Logistics experts are warning world trade may not return to normal until well into 2022. Several companies are announcing price increases to cope with added costs. Given that, consumers may need to resort to some alternative tactics this year.
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Read more: Canadaâs supply chains need overhaul amid ongoing shortages, critics say
Wiercinski hopes shoppers consider buying local for a number of reasons.
âLocal businesses have been in very trying times the last year and a half. And the smaller the business, I think the harder itâs been.
âTo shop local, to shop at an independently-owned store that is also part of the Edmonton community and carries makersâ and designersâ work that is made here in Edmonton, itâs like a double-whammy. If youâre supporting both of those at once, the dollars that youâre spending are staying way closer to the community you live in, theyâre supporting small businesses and theyâre supporting families.
âYouâre supporting real people in your own community when you shop local and when you buy local products,â she added.
2:22 Supply chains under scrutiny due to climate impacts Supply chains under scrutiny due to climate impactsHideout Distro on 124 Street carries local goods year-round, Wiercinski said, and Tix on the Square also carries a lot of local artistsâ work.
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The Royal Bison fair is back in person this year for two weekends (Dec. 3-5 and Dec. 10-12) in a venue in the Strathcona neighbourhood. The fair is also offering online sales from Nov. 26-Dec. 12.
âThe Royal Bison has about 150 makers this season,â Wiercinski said. âThereâs going to be hand-made ceramics, thereâs going to be art and illustration prints for your walls, really cool hand-made jewelry, thereâs leatherworking, thereâs woodworking, thereâs home goods.
âIf you need holiday cards, thereâs lots of designers who are making paper goods. Itâs a really, really special kind of art gallery of whatâs going on in Edmonton right now.â
Read more: COVID-19: Edmonton retailers urge local support during holiday season
Another perk? Shoppers wonât have to worry about long waits or shipping delays, Wiercinski said.
âYouâll be ordering products online that are probably stored a couple neighbourhoods away from you.
âAny store that is locally owned and isnât a chain will sincerely appreciate support this Christmas, especially because of how affected retail has been through the pandemic,â she added.
âShop local in whatever way works for you.â
1:46 Supply chain issues, earlier holiday shopping could lead to empty shelves, higher prices: economist Supply chain issues, earlier holiday shopping could lead to empty shelves, higher prices: economist â" Oct 26, 2021© 2021 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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