If you’ve gone shopping recently, whether online or in-store, you’ve probably noticed some differences. In stores, some products that have always seemed like constants are sold out. Online, shipping times are more than doubled on any ordered goods. You also may have even heard that the time to order your Christmas gifts has already passed, and it isn’t even Thanksgiving! This is all due to the current issues our global supply chain is facing. 

The global supply chain is the way goods are manufactured, transported, and received by consumers. Due to the pandemic and lockdowns, every aspect of the chain is currently being disrupted. The main issue, however, is that material and goods are stuck in ports, unable to be unloaded because of a lack of labor. These issues with the supply chain are being felt everywhere. In Delphi, many of the small, family-owned businesses are facing problems due to the lack of supply. 

One such business is Unique Automotive, a car repair shop in town. According to the owner, Jeff Stankard, “Finding and buying [car] parts is a headache. Some parts’ prices are up 25%, and parts aren’t delivered as [quickly]. My job is getting tough because of parts’ availability. It’s almost like I need more people just to help us find parts.” 

On another note, restaurants are also having a difficult time with the supply chain. Mitchell’s has been having issues finding things like containers and taco sauce. The co-owner of Mitchell’s, Cory Dunbar, stated, “We were having to go to Gordon’s Food Service in Lafayette or to just a grocery store to find taco sauce. It’s not good for our customers because they expect something to be the same every time.” Due to the issue with finding taco sauce, Mitchell’s has actually started to make their own. 

Some clubs at DCHS have also been affected by the shortages, especially when it comes to ordering shirts. For example, when ordering Powderpuff shirts, Mrs. Pickering had to use different brands for each class. Mrs. Pickering commented, “COVID made it so that a lot of companies were running out of shirts; only certain sizes and colors were available. Normally decals are next day shipping, but instead they were a week and a half out.” When she was ordering, there were problems even getting shipments in on predicted days. “When you can’t get the supplies in, it’s a huge problem,” she commented. 

While the issues facing our local businesses might not be too dire yet, many think that this is just the beginning. Cory Dubar stated, “My distributor told me this was just the tip of the iceberg.” A lot of economists seem to agree, saying that the supply chain will get worse before it gets better. While our local businesses are doing their best to not remove menu items and to keep prices the same for customers, as put by Cory Dunbar, “The businesses are eating the extra cost and getting less profit.” 

On a local level, we’ve only just started to feel the impacts of the supply chain issues, but who knows how it will affect us by the end. Our local businesses are currently doing a great job of working through the problems by learning to improvise and working diligently to provide the same products and services. “I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future, but I think the customers kind of know what’s going on and hopefully they understand,” said Dunbar.