Product shortage or manipulation

Ordered a fire pit from a big box store.
Never arrived. Called and talked to a nice guy from Texas. He told me he has
been in logistics for 30 years, and in his career has never seen what is about to happen.
He said it is about to snap. He advised me to cancel the order because it may be in limbo for a long long time.

Went to Starbucks (I was cranky and needed some Covfefe) and there was a sign saying due to transportation issues to be aware
of product shortages.

Was making dinner and watched the news. They said everyone is eating too much chicken and there will be a chicken shortage.

We've heard about lumber (we've discussed this, who knows if it is real or manipulated)
We've been warned about gas shortages

I've noticed that Amazon is extra extra slow, they are normally pretty darn slow in my area to begin with, but we are talking
a good week or more for anything these days. I don't know if it is the gas prices or what.

All I know is it's not "scary" yet, but sometimes these things are a slippery slope and things can get scary real quick.
I've let some of my supplies get low, but am going to replenish everything sooner than later.
How is everyone else feeling? worried/prepping/same ol' same ol'?

a reply to: JAGStorm

The family farm has been in my family for over 100years. I'm the last in line and I'm selling out.
At one time I had a certain pride in growing things. I just don't care anymore. All I'm keeping are the mineral/water rights and the cell phone towers.

We haven't begun to feel the full effects of the trade war with China.

a reply to: JAGStorm

I wouldn't think this would have anything to do with it, but regardless, it was the first thought that popped into my mind.....

I wonder if it could be some sort of a lingering after-effect still related to the recent blockage in the Suez Canal that set many large container ships behind on schedule.

originally posted by: olaru12
a reply to: JAGStorm

The family farm has been in my family for over 100years. I'm the last in line and I'm selling out.
At one time I had a certain pride in growing things. I just don't care anymore. All I'm keeping are the mineral/water rights and the cell phone towers.

What do you farm? I'm just curious.
I understand though. I am in a small community and it appears that government is trying to snuff out the smaller farms, and it seems to be working. It is very sad.

originally posted by: JAGStorm

originally posted by: olaru12
a reply to: JAGStorm

The family farm has been in my family for over 100years. I'm the last in line and I'm selling out.
At one time I had a certain pride in growing things. I just don't care anymore. All I'm keeping are the mineral/water rights and the cell phone towers.

What do you farm? I'm just curious.
I understand though. I am in a small community and it appears that government is trying to snuff out the smaller farms, and it seems to be working. It is very sad.

Actually my farm is leased to a corporate entity that has thousands of acres under cultivation besides mine. They grow cotton and onions.

a reply to: JAGStorm

It's a perfect storm, honestly. Pandemic, trade wars, massive inflation, it being more profitable to sit on assistance than actual work for a paycheck, massive shortages in microchips that essentially everything runs off of, and ridiculous increases in regulations surrounding the acquisition of raw materials in the west is all converging to essentially crush the economy and trade. Manipulation has happened and will continue to happen... but the manipulation is well above the pay grade of the manufacturers and suppliers. It's political and global elites manipulating policies and circumstances to reshape the world. Very few people in the USA (or the developed world) are going to like what they're shaping it into, despite the fact that far too many idiots in that developed world have stupidly been calling for that reshaping to occur in total defiance of their own self-interests.

This is why I spent the past year buying the major things I expected to need for the next 5+ years. Bought quality new bikes and parts for the kids, my wife, and myself, 2nd Amendment items, a new laptop, a new bed, shop tools, outdoor gear, etc... anything that was near needing replaced in my house was replaced in 2020 because I expected much of it to be in short supply moving forward.

Here's something I was just pointing out to my sister a few moments ago. Before the covid thing hit, I would shop for groceries once a month. I could buy three gallons of milk, with an expiration date of at least 3 and a half weeks and that was enough to ensure I had enough milk for the entire month. A week ago, on April 30th, 2021, I bought two gallons of milk (I should have bought only one), and the farthest expiration date into the future they had was for May 1st, 2021 - that is, the very next day was the expiration date. I always look to the back to see better dates, and May 1st was the best date, period. It looks like now I'm going to have to spend the extra time, gas and MONEY, to get one gallon of milk a week and go back every week each month to ensure I have milk to drink and to cook with. With gasoline well over a dollar more than I was paying on November 3rd, 2020, it's going to cost me much more just to be able to have the same amount of milk I always had. What's next? Either already expired milk will be all that's on the shelves or worse. No milk on the shelves. Shortages are coming. Count on it.

a reply to: JAGStorm


I was just wondering about this today.

I have heard everything from shortage of truckers (maybe KKLOCO can answer that theory). Lately, I cannot find Baileys Irish coffee creamer anywhere.

It seems there are different products at different times.

Maybe places close down temporarily if their workers get Covid?

I suspect supply and demand is overwhelmed right now, but would they tell us

First you see tv talk shows promoting bags of crickets, then we get new mystery meat.


My sister asked me the other day what will we eat? I told her turkeys, they are everywhere in Mass, not to mention fishing!

Dbl

a reply to: burdman30ott6

This is why I spent the past year buying the major things I expected to need for the next 5+ years. Bought quality new bikes and parts for the kids, my wife, and myself, 2nd Amendment items, a new laptop, a new bed, shop tools, outdoor gear, etc... anything that was near needing replaced in my house was replaced in 2020 because I expected much of it to be in short supply moving forward.

Yup, I did the same. I had everyone get new quality boots. I purchased things that do not require electricity, like antique grinders. I really admire old tools. They are made to outlast any of us. Today I used a small hand shovel. It is made completely out of metal, even the handle.

There are some areas I'm slim on that I need to stock up on, but I think this week gave me the push I need to get it done.

Things are hit or miss in terms of random product availability where I am at. It's a rural area. But we are in a fairly central hub of transport in the state. The post has been slower than usual. Ammo is non exsistant. Pretty sure we are getting closer to that slippery slope you're talking about. I've given up on trying to prepare anymore. We got some laid up access to clean water. a reply to: JAGStorm

a reply to: JAGStorm

Supply and demand economics is a thing of the past. It's all about "The Invisible Hand" now.

Look at Coca Cola. Nobody asked for that, but through the magic of advertising, Coca Cola became one of the most powerful corporation on the planet!

This modern world is a giant manipulation.
Shortages, media propaganda, job markets, stocks.
Its all a sham and we are too busy on toktik to even care.

Welcome to their new world order.
Hope you prepped accordingly.

originally posted by: havok
This modern world is a giant manipulation.
Shortages, media propaganda, job markets, stocks.
Its all a sham and we are too busy on toktik to even care.

...pandemics

Online purchases and shipping are riddled with deceitful promises.

They will say it's in stock, but it really isn't.

They say it ships in 2 to 3 days before you complete your order, then they send you a confirmation email saying 'due to Covid, our shipping times have increased. Orders are now 7 to 15 days' just to get out the door.

They'll create a shipping label and then nothing moves for a week or so, if you're lucky.

I had one package from NH that played hopscotch through FOUR different states before it landed here in CA! Wtf?

These companies are feeling it and they're running out of smoke and mirrors covering up the causation. Meanwhile, they're taking your money and leaving you in limbo, most likely just to stay afloat.

a reply to: burdman30ott6

...elections.

originally posted by: havok
a reply to: burdman30ott6

...elections.

"Weekend at Bernies" style president and speaker of the house.

From a guy who knows ranchers, beef is being manipulated by the grocers. If you trace product markup through the supply chain, it end point heavy. Ranchers are getting screwed. You cam buy direct cheap. I can get hamburger within 8 hrs on demand delivered for 2.49/lb if i buy 10lbs minimum. Fresh 80/20 grind.

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan
From a guy who knows ranchers, beef is being manipulated by the grocers. If you trace product markup through the supply chain, it end point heavy. Ranchers are getting screwed. You cam buy direct cheap. I can get hamburger within 8 hrs on demand delivered for 2.49/lb if i buy 10lbs minimum. Fresh 80/20 grind.

You live in cattle country, though. It's grocer manipulation to a degree, but no moreso than, say, the fact that Alaska always has the highest gas prices in the country despite being a major oil state... If the product can be sold for more outside of the area where it is manufactured or processed, then the market rate for the product is set by the highest logistical profit location it can be sold in. That's obviously a huge shift from where the country was 2 decades ago... you could buy dirt cheap dairy products in dairy country, cheap produce in farmland areas, cheap lobster in New England, and cheap salmon in Alaska... the ability to swiftly and cheaply (largely thanks to tax payer subsidies) ship these products to markets that will pay more has skyjacked the prices in the production areas.

a reply to: burdman30ott6

Most of the worlds gasoline is refined by the US if I'm not mistaken...and most of that is done in and around the gulf of mexico. Makes sense that it would cost more considering the oil has to travel like 3,000 miles, get refined, then travel 3,000 miles back. Just my take on it...I coupd be wrong though.