Stiletto, lipstick and clothing vendors anticipate Christmas with tight inventories and high costs

Retailers are launching holiday ad campaigns that seek to bring shoppers to stores, amid supply chain problems that are driving up costs for consumers.

Big brands like Etsy and Ralph Lauren are spending more on marketing and using other tactics to boost holiday sales, betting on face-to-face purchases after closings and lockdowns imposed last year to contain the pandemic.

However, the high costs of shipping goods and hiring workers mean that customers will likely find lower inventories and higher prices for products from lipstick to heels to clothing, the companies told investors in recent earnings reports.

Tangier is launching early advertising campaigns and Christmas tree lighting events sponsored by local businesses to bring audiences to its shopping centers. He’s also turning to on-site marketing, partnerships with retailers, and backlit signs to keep people interested while they shop.

Etsy will launch localized online events and gift guides for holiday shoppers this year, said the CEO, Joshua Silverman, at a conference on Wednesday. The firm targets new buyers in the fourth quarter with digital TV and video ads and coupons.

Supply chain delays have also forced retailers to adjust their inventories, with some giving up on major Christmas marketing campaigns.

Ralph Lauren, which has increased its advertising since the first half, expects outerwear such as padded jackets to sell well this holiday season after strong third-quarter results, the company said in a call with investors.

Estee Lauder and Steve Madden are stocking the stores with products for the season of Christmas, including best-selling fragrances and glitzy party-ready shoes, respectively.

Tracey Thomas Travis, CFO of Estee Lauder, argued that the company is “in great shape for the holidaysAfter making your products and ordering gift sets in advance.

With tight inventories, shoppers can see fewer discounts on shoes and clothing. Edward Rosenfeld, CEO of Steve Madden, noted that the shoe brand would launch fewer promotions compared to pre-pandemic levels during the holiday season.

The parent company of Michael Kors, Capri Holdings plans to increase the prices of its bags, the CEO said Wednesday John Idol on an earnings conference call.

“When it comes to the end of the year holidays, we will not be in the inventory position that we would have liked to be”, He acknowledged Idol, adding that the company still anticipates being able to meet demand.