School Supplies Could Be Hard To Find in WNY

As kids gear up to go back to school next month, school supplies are going fast. 

It is no secret that we have dealt with several supply shortages since the beginning of the pandemic, and necessary school supplies are the most recently affected products. This includes notebooks, pencils, art supplies, backpacks, and computers. Due to this shortage, you can expect prices to rise quickly to accommodate supply and demand.

One managing director from GlobalData Retail looked at recent data to determine which products will have the highest demand. Those products are backpacks, sneakers, and stationery, making them the most likely to be sold out in the coming weeks leading up to the start of school.

Due to the shortage, not all retailers will receive a favorable amount of supplies. You may be able to find the product you are looking for, but it may not be the choice you want. There will be less options on the shelves, and you might have to settle for a version of a product that you do not want; for example, a mini handheld notebook rather than a normal-sized notebook.

This could possibly be the worst year to have a school supplies shortage, with people shopping more this year for back to school supplies than in recent years. According to the annual survey from the National Retail Federation, consumers plan to spend “record amounts for both school and college supplies with more students planning to return to in-person classes this fall.”


If you needed a sign to get a head start on back to school shopping, this is it!