Out-of-stock messages blasted through the two billion mark in October, according to Adobe data, up 250% from the most recent pre-pandemic month of January 2020 and up 325% compared to October 2019, the last pre-Covid holiday season.
“Of the 18 categories tracked by Adobe, electronics has the highest out-of-stock levels currently, followed by jewelry, apparel, home & garden, and pet products,” Adobe said.
Adobe, which manages analytics for thousands of retailers, says that holiday shopping has begun earlier than ever, with Americans spending $72.4 billion online with 8% year-over-year growth. Toy sales are up 50%, groceries are up 34%, and video games are up 20%.
Those out of stock situations have a significant impact on pricing.