Corona destroys the material Christmas joys for us. Because many gifts cannot be transported or even produced worldwide due to delivery bottlenecks. Goods are becoming scarce, especially in the electronics industry.
In Germany – this should more or less also apply to Switzerland – the industry associations are calculating loudly «Focus» with delivery bottlenecks for these gifts:
Playstation 5 (currently sold out)
Xbox Series X (sold out)
Smartphones (sometimes delivery delays)
Tablets (delivery delays in some cases)
Printer (delivery delays in some cases)
Washing machines (sometimes delivery delays)
Dryer (partial delivery delays)
Dishwasher (delivery delays in some cases)
Bikes with and without a motor (long delivery delays and price increases)
Furniture (sometimes long delays in delivery)
Clothing (sometimes delivery delays and failures)
Sports shoes (sometimes delivery delays and failures)
Toys with a high proportion of plastic or wood (sometimes delivery delays and failures)
Skis and other sports equipment (failures)
Allegations against shipping companies
The delivery bottlenecks arise because the demand for goods has increased massively after the pandemic. This leads to raw materials becoming scarce. The problem is exacerbated by large cargo ships stuck in ports. In China in particular, entire ports have been closed because port employees have contracted Corona.
The shipping companies are also accused of shamelessly exploiting the emergency situation and deliberately holding back their ships in order to drive up the transport prices even further. Kaspar Engeli (57), Director of Commerce Switzerland, told Blick about the shipping companies: “Some have a price policy like OPEC used to do with oil. They play tactical games. “
What are the alternatives?
The viewing tips for Christmas:
Take care of the gifts early on.
Pay attention to the delivery time when ordering online.
Order through second-hand platforms.
Let yourself be inspired by the range on offer in regional shops.
Give vouchers, for example from restaurants.
Cook your friends.
Give books. However, prices could rise due to the shortage of paper.