Washington Post: What Do Yarn, RVs, Exercise Gear And Snowshoes Share? They All Could Be Hot Winter Buys

In these pandemic times, it’s not surprising that it can still be hard to come by some of the items we need, such as disinfecting cleaning products and hand sanitizer, but what about the items we want? Americans who sought to cool off in an aboveground pool were out of luck this summer. So, too, for folks who decided to get back in the saddle — the bicycle saddle, that is. Two-wheelers became such a hot commodity that bicycle shops couldn’t keep up with demand.

With winter approaching, I wondered what items might be in short supply or — sigh — back-ordered into 2021. Patio heaters have already gotten some press for being hard to find. After canvassing friends, acquaintances and industry experts, here’s my totally unscientific, noncomprehensive, best guess of other items you may want to put on your shopping list before your neighbor beats you to it.

RVs and Campers

Granted a camper or recreational vehicle is a big-ticket item, but it may be your ticket to traveling again. “An RV allows you to control your environment, how, when or if you want to interact with people,” says Monika Geraci, spokeswoman for the RV Industry Association.

“Into fall, we’re also seeing many professionals using an RV for teleworking and remote learning. You can park it in your driveway, or work and learn from the road.” All of these factors play into the reason RVs and campers are in demand.

RVIA tracks shipments from manufacturing plants to dealers (industry sales are not tracked). For July 2020, total RV shipments — both towables and motor homes — were up 53.5 percent over 2019. A friend in Wichita tells me she has had more than one stranger knock on her door and ask whether she would like to sell the camper parked in front of her home. Other RV owners relay similar experiences. Dealers report that inventory is thin, and many RVs being delivered to sales lots are presold. You may want to add your name to the list.

Check out the full article from the Washington Post here.