Need a desk? Good luck — they’re in short supply as students return to online school

It seems nothing is safe from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

The virus brought with it shortages of toilet paper and cleaning supplies, coins and cans, boats and Dr Pepper.

And now as children head back to online school, there are new items in short supply: desks and other office furniture, according to industry professionals.

“All desks are sold out so it’s really hard to get a desk nowadays,” Teyhla Brown told KPIX while shopping at IKEA in California.

Brown has been looking for weeks to find a desk, even making a two-hour drive to another Ikea store in the hope of snagging one, according to the outlet.

“I’ve kind of just like improvised, so using my dining room table, sitting on the floor using a coffee table. Going to library, things like that,” Brown told the outlet.

It’s a similar story across the country. Todd and Amanda Johnson were searching for desks in Massachusetts for their two sons, but couldn’t find anything in-store or online, they told WCVB.

Todd Johnson, co-owner of a carpentry business, took matters into his own hands and reached out to his cabinet supplier to design and build their own desks, according to the outlet. Word got around to other parents who swiftly started placing orders.

“So far, 10 to 15 we probably have ordered already and it’s only been a week or so,” he told WCVB.

Other parents are also getting creative.

Since the desk she purchased won’t ship until October, Shari Loveless in Pennsylvania bought a TV stand from a friend for her daughter who is starting kindergarten online this fall, USA Today reported.

“She loves it. And the chair fits underneath when not using,” Loveless told the newspaper. “But a lot of people are saying TV stands are selling out now.”

Searches for “desk” on Amazon rose 600% between July 11 and Aug. 15, bringing them to the second-most searched item behind face masks, e-commerce analytics company Profitero told USA Today. The term “kid desk” spiked 3,783% on the platform while “computer desk” was up 257%, according to the newspaper.

In a statement to USA Today, IKEA said it’s experiencing some delays.

“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. “Due to system updates and high demand, there is a chance that an item with low stock may not be available for purchase.”

Such is the case at other retailers.

“It’s nearly impossible. The supply chain line is completely empty,” said Cathy Daniell, a senior buyer for Walker Furniture in Las Vegas, told KTNV. She noted that the shortage is extending beyond just office furnishings to all furniture.

“All these raw materials are going to so many other places, whether it’s the medical industry. It doesn’t matter. They cannot get the raw materials to make products,” she told the outlet, adding that most vendors estimate delivery in six to 14 weeks.

Daniell expects the supply change to normalize around the holidays, according to KTNV.

The delays are certainly having an effect.

A school system in Maine had to delay the start of school by a week because they were waiting to receive 1,500 desks and chairs for students after deciding to switch from tables due to COVID-19 concerns, WABI reported.

When shoppers do find desks, they’re often more expensive.

“We checked Office Depot, Staples, Target, Walmart, At Home, Homegoods, Wayfair, Amazon,” Tara Barrera in Arizona told KVOA. “We went through everybody. To find a desk that is reasonably priced, not $300, $400, or $500 for the kids to use, you could not find one. Everything was sold out.”

She ended up with a set of computer tables, not desks, from IKEA, according to the outlet.

This story was originally published September 16, 2020 at 12:02 PM with the headline "Need a desk? Good luck — they’re in short supply as students return to online school."