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The Coronavirus Impact
Issue #1: The Great Appliance Shortage



As with many businesses, this year has been full of many “trials & tribulations” for us at Mountain High Appliance, not the least of which has been a world-wide shortage of major household appliances.

The Reasons:

• SUPPLY

When it comes to appliances themselves, the bigger problem appears to be supply. When COVID era lockdowns forced factories around the world to close earlier this year, it led to major disruptions in supply chains for appliances. Factories that were designed to pump out roughly the exact amount of ovens that American consumers buy in a given year—no more, no less—had to hit pause, and they’re still playing catch-up.

Shipping and warehousing industries have taken a serious hit, and are not functioning like the well-oiled machines the economy needs them to be. “We still have serious supply issues in this country,” says Jay Zagorsky, economist at BU’s Questrom School of Business, who also studied the great toilet paper shortage of 2020. “COVID throws a whole bunch of bottlenecks into the system.”

“You can definitely feel the supply chain issues here in Colorado,” says Maureen Ledwell, General Merchandising Manager at Mountain High Appliance. “We understand our customer’s frustration, and are doing everything we can to get them the appliance they need, but at this time, demand is very high, and product availability is still very low.”

 • DEMAND

The demand for home remodeling products of all kinds has begun to spike, as people cooped up inside and cooking at home more than ever before have opted to spruce their surroundings up by redoing their kitchens or building back decks with outdoor kitchen appliances. “When you look at people who might have been spending money on vacations, and going out to dinner, and concerts and movies, they’re reinvesting those dollars into their homes,” says John Taylor, senior vice president at LG Electronic USA.

The Result:

The current shortage is literally everywhere across the globe, resulting in long wait times for the delivery of many appliances you purchase from any retailer.

 



So, How can consumers actually get their hands on an appliance?

Here’s some good news:

• SHOP LOCAL

Local, independent appliance retailers typically have a smaller pool of customers than the “big box”stores, and thus, a better supply-demand balance for the appliances they sell. Buying local also means buying personal. Mountain High Appliance, for example, is staffed with experienced, knowledgeable salespeople who specialize in major appliances, and will always provide honest information about delivery times and product availability.

• DENVER CLEARANCE CENTER

Mountain High Appliance has an ever-changing inventory of hundreds of products available in our clearance center. You’ll find brand name cooktops, ranges, wall ovens, warming drawers, microwaves, dishwashers, refrigerators, washers and dryers, ventilation systems & more, ready to take home immediately.

FIND OUT MORE HERE:
The Coronavirus Impact Issue #2: "A 4 Month Wait For My New Appliance? Why??
The Coronavirus Impact Issue #3: Tips For Buying An Appliance RIGHT NOW

Call, Chat or Visit us today and speak to an appliance expert. Always competitively priced. Always here to help.