What's your supply chain issue? How's this one for a start?

[Dan Murphy]

I went to Costco Thursday (senior hour in the morning) to order my biennial pair of glasses, one regular, one sunglasses, both tri-focal. Costco is the 5th largest optical supplier in the US.

The employee taking care of me looked up my account and record and then asked if I would like either bifocals or Transitions. I thought I knew what Transitions were, but asked to confirm my thoughts. She said what I thought they were, lenses that adapt to the lighting conditions, clear to dark, dark to clear. I replied no, neither, I would like my usual (for over 30 years now) trifocal regular and trififocal sunglasses.

She said that it would be at least several more weeks to fill that order, all the lens blanks used for trifocals are on ships out in the Pacific waiting to unload. She said it's been a long time since they have had trifocals availabe for the normal one week or less delivery time. She said they were hoping for supplies before December. So, I will be wearing my 2 year old glasses for some time yet.

I guess the supply chain issues are deep and wide, even in places I would not have thought of.

How about you, have you had any supply chain issues in the past year?

 

[Welsh_Dragon]

Dog and cat food.

 

[OhMari]

Hi Dan,
My husband purchases equipment -they tore down Oprah’s studio in Chicago and put the foundation in for McDonalds Headquarters. Anyways, Large equipment such as cranes, backhoes, etc., are on back order till Nov, 2023. It is the computer GPS’s that operate the equipment. It is so frustrating. Computers have only been in large equipment less than 5 years, and and now nothing can be operatable without them? Sad.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Hi Dan,

Great to see you, Mari, have not seen you in ages.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I am starting to notice when I go grocery shopping, I cannot seem to find everything I am looking for in one place (or at all).

I like the Meijer caesar flavored croutons. Last time I was in Meijer they did not have any. They had caesar croutons, but they were a brand that I absolutely do not like. They didn't even have the plain Meijer croutons. So I went to Walmart.. they did not have the Walmart brand caesar croutons either, but at least they had the plain ones.

Seemingly common items are becoming more difficult to find. I cannot remember the last time I have even seen the Contadina squeeze bottle pizza sauce.

I know in the grand scheme of things finding the croutons of choice is very trivial, but it's just an example of what's going on.

 

[georgina]

We would like to buy a used car, but hard to find at reasonable price right now. Not sure if it is due to the shortage in new cars because of computer chips on back order? Whatever reason, will probably end up waiting a year or two and hope our current cars make it without major repairs popping up. They are 14 and 11 years old so could surprise us.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Mine have mostly been random grocery items that were just out of stock for a while. There was garlic powder (got that back last week) and PopCorners chips (still out as far as I know) and one of the brands of cat food I used to buy. (Thankfully, there is another brand my cats like and are used to, so I've been buying that one.)

 

[RedAngie]

The other day I noticed Shop Rite was practically wiped out of cream cheese, both blocks and tubs of whipped. They had blocks of SR brand widely spaced to make the case appear a bit full.

Specifically I was looking for Kraft (Philadelphia) whipped cream cheese with veggies. Nope. SR brand would have been OK, but the only tubs available were with salmon or other yucky flavors.

 

[Meriweather]

Nothing really, that I have been looking for. But some of the shelves are getting a bit bare and prices are definitely going up.
I go to Costco on Tuesday morning.....I'll see what that is like then

 

[Metro West]

The only thing I had problems finding was a Butterball turkey breast roaster...I get one every year. I went to several different stores but they never had them then...Walmart had them so I grabbed one.

 

[tvguy]

OP, what about progressive lenses instead of trifocals?

 

[jen7233]

The coffee I get was of stock. It was a couple weeks since my last purchase, so I had to switch brands until it came in. It's back, but now the price has raised .50, so about 7% price increase.

 

[tvguy]

We would like to buy a used car, but hard to find at reasonable price right now. Not sure if it is due to the shortage in new cars because of computer chips on back order? Whatever reason, will probably end up waiting a year or two and hope our current cars make it without major repairs popping up. They are 14 and 11 years old so could surprise us.

Yes, the lot at the Toyota dealer here is empty. When we bought our brand new Camry in July 2020 they had 60 on the lot. They have 4 listed on their website today, but they aren't on the lot, the are "In Transit".
No surprise here from me, unless your car is crashed or rusted, a new engine or transmission is going to cost you less than tax, license and depreciation on a newer car. And my mechanic does a lot of pre-purchase inspections for customers and he says the quality of used cars that are available is the worst he has ever seen. All junk.
In planning for our retirement I traded in my 31 year old vehicle 3 years ago on a new one, and last year we traded in my wife's 20 year old car on a new one. I'm 64 and hope to live a long long life, but also hope these will be the last cars I will buy.

 

[mjkacmom]

The other day I noticed Shop Rite was practically wiped out of cream cheese, both blocks and tubs of whipped. They had blocks of SR brand widely spaced to make the case appear a bit full.

Specifically I was looking for Kraft (Philadelphia) whipped cream cheese with veggies. Nope. SR brand would have been OK, but the only tubs available were with salmon or other yucky flavors.

Same. I shop online, and first no regular, then no whipped, this week they gave me a block. Stuck out on Canadian bacon two weeks in a row, plus cases of seltzer bottles.

 

[larissawbb]

CVS pharmacy has had a terrible time getting in my son’s prescription pentasa. I can live without my favorite food brands but not getting prescription drugs is dangerous!

 

[dclpluto]

Dog and cat food.

so very sorry. Haven’t seen that in USA yet. I don’t know how anyone could like that.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

We've had a hard time finding 16-oz bottles of Diet Coke and Coke Zero. It's not exactly a necessity, but DH and I like to take them in our lunches. We do a weekly grocery pick-up order at Walmart, and they've been substituting 12-oz cans for the past couple of months. We occasionally find them at our local Safeway, but it's hit or miss. I like the bottles so I can drink some at lunch, put the cap back on and keep in it my classroom fridge for the rest of the day. I usually finish it on my way home. Messed up my whole Diet Coke routine!

 

[CBMom01]

It’s scary - we’ve had issues with prescriptions and car parts (after not being able to find a decent used car) and some allergy-friendly foods we rely on.

I hope America realizes soon that we have to make permanent changes

 

[mickey916]

We haven't ben able to find chocolate graham crackers for a couple months now...seems like an odd thing to be out of. I also noticed no Kraft Philadelphia cream cheese at the store today. Had to buy a different brand....nothing we can't live without but it is scary to think what happens when it's more important things that are difficult to find.

 

[Christine]

The other day I noticed Shop Rite was practically wiped out of cream cheese, both blocks and tubs of whipped. They had blocks of SR brand widely spaced to make the case appear a bit full.

Specifically I was looking for Kraft (Philadelphia) whipped cream cheese with veggies. Nope. SR brand would have been OK, but the only tubs available were with salmon or other yucky flavors.

Yep, Philadelphia Cream Cheese has been a problem for me too. Wegman's has not had it in weeks. I have found smaller stocks of it elsewhere. Storebrand cream cheeses, though, seem plentiful. But I'm sorry, they just don't taste the same.