LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — "I'm very concerned about delivery times," said Marty Cooper of Manheim Township.
Cooper needs a new dryer for her new house, but the woman's recent experience purchasing a couch has her feeling cautious about the time it could take to get the appliance.
"It is going to be -- they believe -- February by the time it [the couch] gets in," explained Cooper.
She decided to visit A&K Appliance in Lancaster County where she can buy a dryer and bring it home on the same day; she can also shop on a budget.
"With places like Home Depot and Lowes, they can't give up all their demonstration models because they will have nothing to show the next person, and that's why they're going to make you order and wait," explained Cooper.
As Peter Todd, the general manager explains, A&K is a "scratch and dent" business. That means that while the appliances are new, some have minor scratches and dents -- which can drive down the price for customers.
"What you see is what you get. You can take it home," he said. "If you have a truck you can take it in or wait for delivery; that's what sets us apart."
With more people eating at home during the pandemic and doing laundry, essential appliances have undergone more wear and tear.
More people have also used the additional time at home to renovate their houses and buy brand-new appliances.
"Even though American manufacturers are back ready to do work, there is a shortage of certain parts," explained Todd. "There is kind of a shortage on one end impacting the other end."
In addition, some supplier companies have less drivers than before the pandemic.
"Infrastructure of shipping and distribution, everything is affected in some fashion. That affects the industry overall," he said.
That shortage of drivers is also impacting how many used fridges workers can safely recycle.
"Now, we're having a hard time getting tanks to do that with. If we can't get tanks, we can't evap the refrigerators which means we can't dispose of them, and we won't be able to take them," added Todd.
