The COVID pandemic has brought upon a number of unexpected purchasing trends, from a mad dash to buy toilet paper, to a shortage of exercise equipment, to outdoor patio heating. This spring and summer, with many of us still stuck at home, outdoor entertaining is going to be, by far, the most popular way we socialize. With that, there are going to be some purchases you may want to make now, ahead of the rush. Here are 5 items that you’re going to have a hard time finding before long.
BBQs and Grills
It’s hard to have a backyard BBQ without… you know, a BBQ. With so many people moving out of their condos and into properties with a back yard for the first time, there’s going to be a surge in BBQ sales this year, and you may have trouble finding the one you like in stock.
Patio Furniture
What good is a back yard if people don’t have anywhere to sit? Look for the most popular styles of patio furniture (think contemporary-styled 4-piece sets that come with a loveseat, a coffee table and two chairs) to go first this spring. You’ll have an especially hard time buying these sets from well-known retailers near you, so make your move quickly if you’ve been saving to buy a set.
Patio Umbrellas
Of course, outdoor seating can get pretty uncomfortable at noon on a sunny mid-summer’s day, so people are also going to be flocking to outdoor shade solutions… I’ve personally already been having trouble with this one. All of the most popular shade umbrellas are already sold out at all major retailers in my area, and I’ve now had to look online… but an outdoor umbrella isn’t exactly the kind of thing you want to be looking to buy online!
No, this trend has already hit, and now it’s more a matter of adjusting your expectations as to how quickly you’ll be able to find one, as opposed to getting ahead of the curve.
Outdoor Fire Pits
Outdoor fire pits do double duty, serving as both a gathering place in your back yard, and as a heat source that can extend the outdoor entertaining season. While you shouldn’t have too much trouble finding one of these in the middle of summer, it could be tricky during the cooler shoulder seasons. That’s exactly when they do their job best, which means people will likely be on the prowl for them!
Globe Lights
Last but not least, globe lights add a magical atmosphere to any outdoor entertaining space that makes it infinitely more inviting. Not just any globe lights though; the ones most in demand will be the longer-length strings with bulbs spaced 1’ apart. Shorter, 10’ strings, and ones that have bulbs spaced 2’ apart, likely won’t sell as well. Why? Because the 10’ strings are way too short to do anything with (I own 50’ strings, for comparison), and the bulbs spaced 2’ apart don’t offer enough light for the average space.
I expect stores like Canadian Tire or Home Depot, as well as websites like Wayfair, to sell out of these pretty quickly, and unlike some of the other items on the list, you’re going to have a hard time finding these all throughout the outdoor entertaining season, as people snap them up the second they become available again.
Wrapping it Up
Until we’re all vaccinated, there’s just no avoiding the trend of outdoor entertaining. Products in the category are going to be tougher to find for a while, especially for those of us up here in Canada, where the hot summer is just way, way too short for my liking. Spring has only just begun though, so you may still be able to stock up to deck out your space in advance of the rush. Happy hunting!
