It's not just pepperoni, coins and Clorox wipes that are hard to find lately.
As many parents are finding out, there are also shortages on desks and chairs in some parts of the nation with more students starting the school year virtually. Select office furniture is in short supply or backordered depending on price, region and item.
It's the latest in a long list of COVID-19 fueled shortages that started with toilet paper, hand sanitizer and face masks.
"Supply and demand have been at tremendous odds this year, and back-to-school is no different," said Sarah Hofstetter, president of analytics company Profitero. "The biggest difference is that it’s easier to find crayons and whiteboards than it is to find the less obvious yet most necessary items for home schooling or hybrid learning, like desks for students."
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From July 11 to Aug. 15, Profitero found the search rank on Amazon for "desk" rose 600% to the No. 2 spot coming in behind face mask. The term "kids desk" rose 3783% and "computer desk" is up 257% on Amazon, according to Profitero.
USA TODAY searched for children's desks on several websites including Amazon, Target, Walmart, Wayfair, Staples, Office Depot and Ikea Friday and many options were out-of-stock or not expected to ship for weeks to months. There were available desks but many may be larger and pricier than a basic desk or what kids need.
Ikea, in a statement to USA TODAY, said it's experiencing some supply delays due to to the impact of the pandemic.
"During this time, we encourage customers to check online or download the IKEA app to determine product availability in their local store prior to their visit," Ikea said in its statement. "Due to system updates and high demand, there is a chance that an item with low stock may not be available for purchase."
Alternative ways to find a desk
Shari Loveless, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, improvised on a setup for her daughter Aubrianna, who is starting kindergarten virtually.
Loveless said she searched for desks at Walmart, Amazon, Target and Wayfair but found only pricey desks several of which wouldn’t be delivered until October. Instead, she turned a TV stand a friend was selling into a desk.
“She loves it. And the chair fits underneath when not using,” Loveless said. “But a lot of people are saying TV stands are selling out now.”