Vermont retailers are reporting brisk holiday sales despite problems with the supply chain.
At Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks in Montpelier, mail order has made up for a slight dip in in-person sales, General Manager Jake Shattuck said.
“The phones are ringing off the hook, and people are really trying to get their orders out there, and we’re doing our best to get it out there in a timely manner,” Shattuck said.
He said plenty of people are walking in, too. He said Morse Farm paraphernalia, such as T-shirts, are selling briskly, as well as candies, samplers and gift boxes of maple syrup, and pancake and waffle mix.
“They’re grabbing everything,” he said.
Catherine Davis, president of the Lake Champlain Chamber, said food and drink are selling especially well.
The most recent available sales statistics for Vermont date back to August and show that retail sales that month jumped by 10.7% over August 2020. But those statistics have a huge margin of error — give or take 7% — and, of course, tell nothing about holiday sales.
Davis said one manufacturer that supplies retail stores told her that 2020 was their best year, and 2021 is on pace to surpass 2020.
On the other hand, supply issues have been a challenge, she said.
“If somebody buys the last one of something, it might be the last one that they are able to sell this holiday season,” Davis said.
Carol Metayer has run into this problem at Farm-Way, the outdoor gear store in Bradford where she is president.
“Some of our North Face clothing isn’t getting here until after Christmas,” Metayer said.
Socks have been a challenge, too. Although wool socks are made in the United States, some manufacturers do not have enough wool, she said.
Metayer said some suppliers have had problems hiring enough people to manufacture, pack and ship their products.
But generally, she said, inventory is trickling in after months of supply-chain problems.
“We’ve got a lot of boots,” Metayer said. “We’ve got a lot of snowshoes. We’ve got a lot of jackets.”
Metayer said besides outdoor gear, smokers and cookware are selling well.
“Business has been good,” Metayer said. “It’s been really busy.”
