Running into dead ends trying to find popular Digital Pianos so far this year in 2022? Do you keep seeing "out of stock" notices on the models you are looking at? Are you still waiting for an order you've placed somewhere to become available? YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
It is all happening right now due to the fallout from Covid-19, computer chip shortages, and continued international logistics-shipping delays that could last at least another few months for some popular models.
Please read this important new report to find out what is going on.
*Also in this report I have some links to articles that help explain in more detail the various reasons for these long product delays. Some of the articles are from last year but the issues are still ongoing, so the articles are still relevant.
In fact the digital piano manufactures cannot keep up with worldwide demand and in the US some newer digital piano models are backordered up to 3 to 4 months or more until factories can catch up with the demand, have the proper computer chips to build the product, and shipping time can be reduced. These delays are also due in part to restrictions on factory workers at the overseas factories due to the new Covid outbreaks and how those workers are allowed to work.
There are restrictions on how many workers can be in the factory at one time along with restrictions in movement within those factories, even after all this time. These restrictions cause slowdowns in production output which puts an additional strain on the manufacturers having available inventory to ship and sell. In other words...demand is very high for digital pianos, supply is low in many cases, and shipping times are longer, not just here in the US but in various countries around the world.
More than half of China's power comes from coal producing plants and the new restrictions in China on those plants is tied together creating a electricity shortage so that the factories and even local businesses and homes now have a rationing of electricity going on now. Yikes! Dependence on another country (especially a big one) for our supply needs is now coming back to haunt us in a big way! Check out these two articles about this situation at the following links: Power Cuts & Electricity rationing in China Why China has to ration electricity and how that could affect everyone
These days if you do not learn the art of "patience" in placing an order and waiting for what you want, then you may not get it at all because other people will jump ahead of you on the "waiting list" for these products if you don't get onto a waiting list. Usually to get on that "list" you'll need to come up with a deposit (at the very least) on the item you want.
This is not just true for digital pianos but also for other consumer products such as furniture, appliances, bicycles, parts, machinery, etc...all the things that people want and need for the inside as well as the outside of their homes.
If you are waiting for a lower price or some sort of sale on the item you want... it may or may not happen because of product shortages In fact, as just one example, Roland has a digital piano model that just a few years ago was selling for about $1999 and now that same exact model (it is still a current model) is $2799...a whopping $800 increase and that model is older and has not changed since it came out! Of course food and gas prices have risen very sharply and many of us are feeling the pain of that situation.
from overseas is still backed up at the main ports and docks receiving the shipments. Shipping and receiving ports & docks up and down California where most products from Asia (Japan, China, etc) are coming in are also causing problems. This is because the ships have been backed up on the water and at the docks for all kinds of reasons. There are just too many ships trying to get unloaded at the docks all at one time. Also, when the product finally does getting unloaded at the docks then there has been a shortage of truck drivers to drive the product to US factory warehouses. How long will this last? Well, it hasn't gone away yet.
I do not want to get political here, but...when most everything that we use here in the US as consumers is made overseas, if something goes wrong in that country and they cannot produce and/or ship, then we cannot get the product. It's that simple. If we don't have manufacturing infrastructure here to produce important goods, even if they do cost more money, then we may not get the product at all. I will leave that subject for another conversation.
Nevertheless, I am glad to see a huge (I mean "gigantic) new chip manufacturing factory going up near where I live here in Phoenix, AZ. One day this factory will be pushing out all kinds of computer chips for domestic use. But that will be a number of years until that actually happens. This chip factory is so important to the US that President Joe Biden was just out here visiting this huge project. Of course, just like all US presidents, when he was here his entourage tied up local freeway traffic for hours as the President and his caravan traveled around. That was not fun!
Apparently, due to huge ongoing consumer demand for digital piano and keyboard products along with continued Covid working restrictions in overseas factories, the computer chip shortage is putting added pressure on the economy, and the computer chip related products across the board are in short supply. Whatever has a computer chip in it is being hit hard including home appliances, computers, TV's, cars & trucks, and so much more!
Huge increases in digital piano and keyboard orders from people all around the world (just like you) has added to the backup and congestion and lack of supply of those chips. This situation is affecting all of the major brands of digital pianos in a very big way. The remainder of the computer chip factories are having general supply issues of their own because of demand in producing enough to go around (the world). So...on top of all the other issues, there is a shortage of digital piano computer chips that go into each and every digital piano made in all price ranges and configurations by all digital piano companies. This is creating more backorders on all the favorite digital pianos out there, and now some immediate price increases across the board. We predict it will easily go well into 2023 before we see things starting to level off and getting somewhat better, although it does seem to be getting better on some models even now. Check out the following article about the computer chip shortage and difficulties chip makers and users are having. Computer Chip Shortage and solutions
People are still getting covid and many are still getting infected. Perhaps they will have better physical outcomes but the overall effect to our society with more covid infections is not good. More shutdowns of certain events and places could happen again (I have seen that recently) depending on how it all goes. It's anyone's best guess.
I have had personal experience with friends who have died or gotten very sick having gotten covid over the last 2 years or so. For us it is all about you and your family's health. But, getting a digital piano which we know can mentally and spiritually make you feel better when you play, it is also very important in our opinion. We want to see you get your digital piano order in ASAP so that you have a chance to get it sooner than later and not pay increased pricing.
With regard to digital pianos and keyboards, what they seem to concentrate on there are mostly "low-end" product like their house brand called "Williams" which I have ![Guitar Center acoustic guitar room]( "Guitar Center acoustic guitar room")
blogged about in the past and those items are definitely lower quality products based on my experience with them, especially compared to the major brands. Many of the Guitar Center stores were looking pretty bleak when I had visited because of all the product shortages that had been caused by the fallout from the pandemic. So this problem has hit "everyone" including the retail stores, the factories, the suppliers, the shippers.
The sooner you decide what you want and the sooner you place an order asap with a deposit, the sooner you'll get one. There are a few brands and models that come into stock here and there, but many of the popular models and colors are still hard to get. Think this will clear up soon? Maybe and maybe not.
Also, because of supply/demand with demand being much greater than supply right now, the price of those containers has gone up more than 4 times in cost just over the last year. This means you will definitely see more price increases of everything coming to your local stores and for the internet stores for anything you want to order that originates from overseas. Think things have gotten more expensive here lately?...it will likely get worse before it gets better so don't wait to buy what you want and need.
Also on a personal note, I think now is the time for us to start making more things in the US because the previous higher US labor costs and other things that would have been an issue for us making things here are starting to get evened out by the higher costs of goods overseas. I am not optimistic in seeing that change actually happen in anytime soon (except for those new chip factories), so we'll see what happens. But for now, especially with digital pianos, things are not getting better in terms of availability and especially cost.
We are like little ants running around without really having an answer and knowing what to do. Covid cases are still out there and factories have been affected...again. Fewer factory workers...less production and output and then less available product for consumers. Then we all lose out and can't get what we want, and if you get what you want it will take more time to get it and will cost all of us more money. It is what it is. But don't give up hope! This product shortage situation will not last forever and there are a few signs it is finally getting better.
For them it's a good problem to have in that so many people are wanting digital pianos (and other consumer products) for their families and/or for themselves and consumers are purchasing more digital pianos than ever before in the US.
