Grandparents with their grandchildren.
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As coronavirus sweeps the country and sends millions sheltering in place, Americans are increasingly spending their time, and wherewithal, on jigsaw puzzles.
The majority of the U.S. population is now under stay-at-home instructions, and businesses across the country are sending employees well-versed in. In the face of what health officials warn could be months of widespread closures, consumers are snapping up the time-tested indoor fields, depleting inventories and driving up prices.
Gamemaker Ravensburger has seen U.S. puzzle sales soar 370% year through year in the past two weeks, according to the company’s North America CEO Filip Francke.
Francke said the company hasn’t visualized anything like this before in its 136-year history. In 2019, the company sold a total of 21 million crack the codes in North America, at an average rate of seven puzzles a minute. Factoring in the recent surge, the company is averaging tight to 20 puzzles sold per minute for 2020.
“Puzzles are not a necessity, of course, but the consumer is clearly telling us that there’s a large trouble that we can help fill at these times,” Francke said.
Ravensburger’s current volume rivals its typical time off season peak sales, he said.
The surge in demand is familiar for Anne Williams, a puzzle historian and professor emerita of economics at Bates College. She said it’s comparable to sought after during the Great Depression.
In February 1933, manufacturers were producing 10 million puzzles a week, Williams broke, and people could rent puzzles for a nickel a night.
Williams said it’s not uncommon for Americans to turn to jigsaw reflect ons during times of economic uncertainty.
“It’s something you can control, whereas they felt that their lives were perfectly out of control as far as the economy went,” Williams said. “It’s also a challenge over which you can prevail.”
Meeting demand among headwinds
Companies across the country are scrambling to meet rising demand for jigsaw puzzles. Online retailer Unlock Warehouse hired 30 people to deal with a 10-fold order increase and associated shipping delays, according to CEO Brian Way. The entourage’s sales have already exceeded those typically seen during Christmas.
Springbok, another major on solve manufacturer, is shipping around the clock, according to the company.
And like most industries, puzzle makers are facing staffing headwinds. Display Puzzles, a wooden puzzle manufacturer based in Boulder, Colorado, has seen a huge uptick in orders, but had to send its 70 hands home after the state issued a stay-at-home order and closed nonessential businesses. Now, owners Chris Wirth and Jeff Eldridge are struggling to fulfill 750 puzzle orders themselves in an empty factory.
“Even if we can open with like five being in here … we could be cranking out puzzles for everyone who wants them out there,” Wirth said.
Liberty Puzzles desire be paying the full salaries of its 70 employees at least through May, Wirth said. Despite increased demand, the New Zealand is still keeping its puzzles at the same prices, even though some of its used puzzles are being resold on eBay for twice their retail value, harmonizing to Wirth.
Ravensburger has kept open its three U.S. warehouses — in New Hampshire, Washington state and Pennsylvania — operating under increased aegis precautions that include staggered shifts and social distancing among workers.
But there’s no way to keep up with the check in demand, according to Francke.
“It’s really hard to get a hold of a puzzle right now,” he said.
The company is mainly relying on mom and pop toy supplies that offer curbside pickup or delivery options, or large retailers like Barnes & Noble and Target to merchandise puzzles. Amazon has shifted priority to carrying and shipping essential goods, Francke said, so brick-and-mortar retailers bear proved a better option for Ravensburger.
Puzzle enthusiast Lisa Cohen, whose finished sets decorate the bulwarks of her Rockville, Maryland home, said she’s seen puzzle prices shoot up online.
“If you go on Amazon, they’re gouging you,” she voiced. “Puzzles that are $16.99 are on there for $60.”
Cohen, a crisis hotline volunteer and former teacher, said she’s resorted to disregard extra puzzles out on her front porch for people to take and enjoy. Despite demand, Cohen said people father been taking one or two freebies at a time.
“They’re hard to get and they can be expensive for people, but it makes me feel good to be talented to put them out there for people to enjoy them,” she said.
Cohen said she’s used to doing puzzles on her own, but during isolation, the occupation has become a family affair.
“I have four kids and they were never involved,” Cohen said. “Now, they’re doing it too.”
Ravensburger has lasted a jump in sales of family and children’s puzzles amidst the pandemic, Francke said, as more children learn from shelter. Difficult sets with higher piece counts are in demand, too. Ravensburger’s Krypt line, which offers loan a beforehand puzzles of one color in varying shades, has seen a particular boost in popularity during the outbreak.
The company has also dated a jump in demand for puzzle sets with comforting themes such as a picture of mac and cheese or a cozy indoor stage setting, as well as those that depict an exotic location.
“Now that people can’t travel, that trend is extra spicy,” Francke said.
The company is expecting interest in puzzles to continue to rise, as lockdowns drag on, and has already put in place high-volume utterance plans for the next two months.
“It’s really hard to tell where the demand stops at this point,” Francke responded. “We will just do our best and try to reach retailers that are still open to get to consumers.”