Ottawa retailer urges shoppers to buy Christmas presents now
Three weeks before Christmas, an Ottawa toy store owner is urging parents to start shopping for everyone on their list now.
"If you really want something specific and you've heard about it and know we've had it, I would get it now then waiting even until next week," says Patti Taggart, owner of Tag Along Toys.
"I think this weekend is going to be a really busy shopping weekend."
Ongoing global supply chain issues are expected to have an impact on the availability of many products this holiday season. The Canadian Toy Association warned in October that on top of the supply chain issues, inventory challenges and retail product shortages means some toys may be harder to find and more expensive.
"If there's a must-have item on your child's wish list, we are encouraging all Canadian families to shop earlier for toys this year, and to not wait until late November or December, to ensure that you'll be able to deliver on those coveted gifts you and your child desire," said Andrew Wagar of the Canadian Toy Association.
In an interview on Newstalk 580 CFRA's Ottawa at Work with Leslie Roberts, Taggart says once the items are gone, there is no chance to restock the shelves in time for Christmas.
"This is the first time in probably in 20 years I've been in business that – like Dec. 1, sort of Dec. 2 normally I can do a replenishing order of things. This year, it's been terrible, like there's been nothing," said Taggart.
Some companies, like puzzle company Ravensburger, have already let retailers know they will not be shipping new products until 2022.
Taggart says the hot gift items this year include The Five Second Rule game that Ellen DeGeneres plays on her television show, Harry Potter Jenga and Lava Lamps.
The owner of Tag Along Toys says she currently has a lot of products on the shelves, so don't wait until closer to Christmas to buy your gifts.
"I would not put it off much longer because the stock is going down. Yesterday I came in here and went, 'Oh My Gosh' after being away for a day."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Made-in-Newfoundland vodka claims top prize at worldwide competition
A Newfoundland-made vodka has been named one of the world’s best by judges at this year’s World Vodka Awards.