TAMPA, Fla. — For many parents, it’s been a tough pursuit. Supply chain issues, a chip shortage, and high demand have made next-gen consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.
Retro Rat in Largo doesn’t sell the new consoles. It sells classic toys, comics, and video games. But manager Amanda Becker does have advice on how to score the newer stuff.
“Playstation actually has a registration on their website, so you can sign up. So they’ll alert you when they actually have it in stock directly from their site,” she said. “Another thing I tell parents is actually to — any of the big box retailers that actually get them — is to set up an account and have it ready to go, because any time they get them in, they’re sold in minutes.”
Additionally, there are Twitter accounts you can also follow, like @PS5StockAlerts, that alert you when some of the consoles are restocked.
Bikes are another item impacted by the supply chain, and the Bike Room in St. Petersburg says it has crushed their inventory of bikes.
According to Almira Jones, if looking for a child’s bike, you could check department stores like Dick’s Sporting Goods.
For adults, you could potentially buy one online, but Jones recommends thoroughly checking reviews before doing so and getting it assembled at a local bike shop.
Bookstores are also feeling the supply chain squeeze.
Oxford Exchange in Tampa says it’s still in okay shape but expects to sell out of certain books in the coming weeks.
Laura Taylor, the bookstore manager, said she can’t stress enough the importance of shopping early.
Taylor says, right now, the warehouses that restock books are averaging a 15-day turnaround. Normally, that restock cycle is just two days, Taylor says.
