MSE News: Heatwave leaves sweltering shoppers struggling with fan shortage

WestonDave

The big stores plan their procurement months ahead - they'll decide how many fans to buy (based on average sales), get them, stick them on the shelves and when they are gone they're gone. They don't have the flexibility to get any more and frankly they don't care - if they ordered 1000 fans and have sold 1000 fans, that's brilliant as there are none having to be reduced in the sale to get rid of them.

However the independents often can get them - I know at least two near me that had new stock in yesterday even though all the big chains weren't getting any more in. If the importers etc have any, it will be the smaller shops that are asking for a few more when they've sold out, not the likes of Argos and B&Q.

(Same applies to winter - if you want rock salt, sledges, snow shovels - try the independents as they'll be nimble enough to get stock when the big players have sold their predetermined quota.)

Kite2010

It's not just consumers, someone from another site was trying to order some fans from Office Depot and all the ones they had left in stock were the top-end £200 ones.

The shops don't want to risk getting lots of extra fans in just in case they arrive after summer goes away

fionajbanana

My parents have a fan which is 23 years old. Please if you have fans - don't sling them out if not in use for two years

MrsBartolozzi

Go to B&Q then!

We got ours there and there were loads of different types to choose from, with good stock levels, many reduced by about 50% too. I was really surprised they'd not sold out, but got a decent tall 16" one reduced for £12-odd. Cheap and cheerful, but can't fault it.

Torry_Quine

The mentality of buying things only when needed seems rather strange to me. My fan was bought a few years ago now and so came out as soon as needed. Haven't people needed one before.

Newflash, it will be cold in winter so buy your electric blanket now. :rotfl::rotfl:

Lifeforms

I found argos pretty much empty stock wise when I went to buy one, any one, on wed this week, but checking homebase online they had loads still in stock. Those are the only two in my area that comes to mind selling fans at a reasonable price. There were a few stores cashing in selling some at stupid prices.

I had one upright fan, but needed one for the bedroom as well, haven't had to use a fan in 3 or 4 years now, and when i moved a few years i threw out a couple of really old ones that didn't properly work, so people still need fans as replacements, but also as additional ones in this weather!

So check the DIY stores, they're not the most thought of places as it's not really a DIY thing. However most DIY stores are not DIY only now.

emweaver

I bought 2 from B&Q online to be delivered Friday so I waited in for them. 4pm Friday afternoon they ring me to say they were refunding me as sold out. Very annoyed as a wasted day.

emweaver

geri1965 wrote: »

I don't understand why people don't have fans already. It's not like we've never had hot weather before.

I have four fans. Granted, I haven't had to use them much in the last couple of years but I knew they would be used again some day!

The hot weather has caught me out in some respects though. I cannot find a decent pair of cropped trousers for love nor money.

Maybe their fans broke, just starting out in their first home?

angelsmomma

fionajbanana wrote: »

My parents have a fan which is 23 years old. Please if you have fans - don't sling them out if not in use for two years

I have a square Tefal hot or cold fan that I bought in 1978 when we had no central heating.

I bring it out every year to use the cold fan. It still works like new.

vivatifosi

Yes but look on the bright side. It's a great time to buy snow shovels.