Don't blame the supply chain this time

Turns out hysteria over empty shelves was largely unfounded this holiday season, as sellers stocked up on more items than ever before. Certain hot products remained hard to get a hold of *stares longingly at a PS5-shaped hole in my TV cabinet* but the supply chain Grinch did not steal Christmas. While early estimates for holiday consumer spending indicate a very strong quarter for retailers, it’ll be interesting to keep an eye on just how much inventory the big-box stores were able to shift. Empty shelves aren’t great for retailers, but neither are overflowing stockrooms. Huge discounts or smaller future orders could be on the cards.—DB