SOUTH-WEST retailers have a shortage of some imported goods due to the coronavirus with fears shoppers could feel an impact for months.
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A Warrnambool hardware store and a toy store both recorded shortages of some imported items, while a city car dealership warned products could become unavailable until supply chains recovered from worldwide border and industry closures.
Warrnambool Toyworld owner Maree Sedgley said stock currently on shelves was "what was already in the country" and she was unable to do orders usually made 12 months in advance.
"We have no idea if any of the import stock is going to come, and we are trying to source it elsewhere," Ms Sedgley said.
"A fair portion of what is sold on our shelves is made overseas.
"Christmas ordering has basically been cancelled. We are just going to have to wait until things settle down a bit."
She said popular item Lego was particularly thin on shelves following a ransomware attack that affected a transport company last month.
"We may find we have to expand in different areas this year," Ms Sedgley said.
At the city's Pontings Mitre 10 trade manager Nick Slorach recorded shortages of New Zealand pine timber and fixing materials imported from China.
"The majority of our products are produced in Australia so it's just a few select products," he said.
"If we can't get our normal suppliers back we can go down different avenues."
Callaghan Motors dealer principal Steve Callaghan said the business hadn't experienced supply shortages yet but was preparing for "a shortening of stock" in the next six-to-eight weeks.
"All parts manufacturers and car manufacturers closed through the pandemic," Mr Callaghan said.
"There will be some short-term lag, but eventually it will smooth over.
"You build a part or build a car and it takes two months to get here. The good news is most dealers had reasonable amounts of stock coming into the pandemic."
Mr Callaghan said the dealership had also been waiting for about 10 televisions it ordered for a promotion in May, but the supplier said they were delayed.
Shoppers told The Standard they'd seen shortages of white goods and electronics at Warrnambool retailers.
But Harvey Norman executive director David Ackery said there were no shortages of electrical goods at the Warrnambool store.
Mr Ackery said supply had evened out since panic buying saw freezers sell out early in the pandemic.
"I understand there has been some pressure on shipping containers but it hasn't affected any of our franchise businesses," he said.
"The factories in China were back up and running in a relatively short amount of time.
"It's possible from time-to-time that certain skews are out of stock, but that is just normal."
Kmart retail director John Gualtieri said in a statement to customers addressing stock shortages the retailer paused inventory shipments during peak uncertainty over the virus, while overseas manufacturers were put into lockdown.
He said the shortages were also due to changing habits as more people stayed home and sought home office equipment, furniture and household items, and bikes and exercise equipment.
"We expect stock levels to normalise by the end of July 2020," Mr Gualtieri said.
"We are working as fast as we can to correct this."
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