If you thought last year was a bear to get through, then you may want to fast forward to 2023. Even as the logjam that has affected our ports for the past year seems to be waning, signs are already pointing to another troubling year for the upcoming holiday season. That’s because China is experiencing a new wave of COVID-related cases, which is particularly bad in the port city of Shanghai. Currently, 25,000,000 people, or roughly three times the city of New York, are in complete lock down, unable to mill about on the streets, go to work or even obtain groceries at their local markets. The government claims it is doing its best to control the virus but thus far things do not seem to be improving with cases on the rise and its inhabitants literally on the verge of revolt. Keep in mind that Shanghai is one of China’s principal export centers, so when their vast manufacturing sector and trans-oceanic ships end up sitting idle, this has a dramatic effect on the rest of the world, all desperate to get goods and other finished products for the holidays. Stories are already being written about how this is all coming at an inopportune time, as the rest of the world struggles in the wake of their own pandemic relapses. While goods seem to be flowing again for the first half of this year, we expect that the tap will be turned off for the latter half of 2022, with many items likely slipping into early 2023 or later. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but unless COVID isn’t struck down soon, its going to be another tough year for retail, as inflation continues to push up the consumer price index and the pandemic, now in its third year, will slow the rate at which products make it into the global market place.