Consumers across the country are telling NBC Responds they are waiting longer for furniture delivery.
But why is it taking so long for people to get their furniture? Some say the answer is not so simple.
“Global supply chains were shut down at the beginning of COVID and ramped back up as everyone is trying to meet that ongoing consumer demand,” Jonathan Gold, Vice President of Supply Chain and Customs Policy of the National Retail Federation, said.
Gold added the demand for home items increased during the pandemic.
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“When people were home under lockdown, they looked around their house and decided ‘Hey it is time to upgrade furniture, appliances,’” he said.
Gold said with an increase in demand, it was difficult for production to keep up - forcing many factories to shut down temporarily or close. But he added a big reason consumers are seeing recent delays is transportation issues.
“Right now, we continue to run into issues just getting empty containers overseas to get those products loaded on and back to the United States and those challenges have been going on since last October. We expect them to continue for the months to come,” Gold said.
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The pandemic’s impact on the transportation system isn’t just delaying furniture delivery, but electronics and appliances too. One option to avoid delays is ordering what is in stock.
You can also opt to buy used furniture instead of new items. Gold doesn’t anticipate the backup in deliveries to end anytime soon, considering the peak shipping season is ahead.
“I think many folks are looking at many of these issues not getting back to normal until the early part of next year,” Gold said.
There are also added protections when you use a credit card. If your furniture delivery is taking much longer than expected and you just want a refund, you can try to make a case with you credit card company for a charge back.
