Beat the Christmas crunch

KIDS will need to get their wishlist to Santa early this year with supply and labour shortages putting pressure on Christmas shopping.

Pre-Christmas online sales on Black Friday and Cyber Monday will offer massive discounts but retail experts are warning consumers to shop early and prepare to pay more for in-demand presents.

Staff shortages that have already hit the hospitality industry have also extended to retail due to a lack of international students.

And consumers must prepare to scramble for popular presents, including designer clothing and electronics, with material and supply chain shortages limiting stock.

The holiday season crunch has prompted the NSW government to fund free TAFE NSW courses in retail skills to get staff behind shop counters in time for the peak.

Retail Doctor chief executive Brian Walker said the Christmas period particularly relied on students to fill casual roles.

“The hotels and hospitality are fully open and with only a finite number of staff available, that will put on strain,” Mr Walker said.

“Leading retailers are saying getting products out of the international markets is a major challenge.

“There has been a lot backlog at ports,” he said.

“There is a generally perceived lack of stock, particularly for new stock.

“The obvious flow-on effects could be a gap in the market of new products and prices rising in some products, for example, games and electronics.”

All signs are pointing to a bumper festive trading period, with new figures showing consumer spending surged in October after months of lockdown.

Commonwealth Bank data shows national retail spending leapt 9.1 per cent in October from September.