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For this toy store, summer is here, and so are inventory woes

Sean McHenry May 30, 2022
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A shelf of outdoor toys at Ali Cat. "We had a great Easter," said owner Irene Kesselman. "And now we are starting to sell some of our pool toys and outdoor toys." Ariel Jackson

For this toy store, summer is here, and so are inventory woes

Sean McHenry May 30, 2022
Heard on:
A shelf of outdoor toys at Ali Cat. "We had a great Easter," said owner Irene Kesselman. "And now we are starting to sell some of our pool toys and outdoor toys." Ariel Jackson
HTML EMBED:
COPY

For Irene Kesselman, owner of Ali Cat Toys in Carrboro, North Carolina, the summer retail season is revving up. And that means plenty of toys for the outdoors, along with plenty of inventory troubles.

“I have a lot of inventory right now,” Kesselman said. “And a lot of that is due to the fact that from the very beginning of the year, I started seeing price increases. And vendors were giving us dates as to when we had to book orders.”

On the flip side, Kesselman is also still dealing with a lot of supply delays and back orders. “I just had a back order today that had a lot of bunnies and lambs that was intended for Easter,” she said. “And now it’s over, so I’m kind of stuck with that.”

To listen to Kesselman’s story, use the media player above.

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