Covid-19 Effects on Supply for Upcoming 2021 Season
Due to COVID-19, I see a short supply of equipment and supplies I have never seen in 49 years of business. Most manufacturers today use just-in-time delivery, meaning they build equipment shortly before it is shipped directly to the retailer before the selling season requires it. Think of manufacturers as a bakery; they cannot supply a cake if one of the ingredients is lacking. They have flour, sugar, water, and flavoring but no eggs, so they cannot bake and supply cakes until they have eggs. They could bake and provide cookies if they don’t use eggs in the recipe. The pandemic has disrupted the manufacturing of many parts from time to time. Disruption in any part of the supply chain can disrupt the availability of whole goods manufacturers down the line to deliver and fill the pipeline to us, the retailer. Many items are rationed to us when we order them, meaning we aren’t getting all we want. My suggestion is to shop for your equipment early; if it is on the floor, buy it while you can; if it is out of stock, place it on back order (this gets your name on the next available one); we will get it to you as soon as we can. We will do our best to get you what you want quickly. There is a wise adage: The early bird gets the worm.
Update: 11/28/2022
Supply is improving slightly, but Walker Equipment is being hampered by engine supply. Stihl Equipment is hindered by high demand, and we still see rolling outages. Buy supply is better than it was. I still advise you to shop and order early for the best outcome.
Update: 7/26/2024
I am happy to report that we are working close to normal. We have plenty of stock, and the parts supply seems adequate.
