Inventory Shortages in Pro Audio Industry
In the past few months, many of you have likely noticed a shortage of inventory in your respective pro audio equipment industries. If you are not an industry insider, or if you are simply new to this world, it can be difficult to understand why this is happening. We want to assure you that there is no conspiracy here. This is simply a matter of supply and demand – there are just too many people who need products over and above what suppliers are able to provide. These shortages will last until all those who require them receive the items they need
There have been several popular pieces of equipment that have experienced shortages recently:
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Speakers (QSC, JBL, Better Music Builder)
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Microphones (Shure, Sennheiser, VocoPro)
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Accessories (TV Stands, Mic Stands)
- DJ Controllers (Pioneer)
New Products and Technology
New products and technology will continue to be important for the pro audio equipment industry. In fact, it's one of the few industries where new products have a higher than average chance of success because there are fewer competitors in this market and customers are more willing to try new things.
The challenge for product manufacturers is that they need to keep up with these fast-paced changes while maintaining their reputation and brand image. It's also important that they anticipate what's coming down the pipeline so they can position themselves accordingly—and not get left behind by their competition!
Buying Up Products to Flip on Ebay
As these shortages are expected to continue, some sellers are taking advantage by buying up large quantities of products to resell at a hefty markup. And, as you might imagine, it's not just the equipment that's in demand: there are also plenty of people looking for new or used microphones and preamps that they can flip on eBay for a profit.
This trend is not a good thing for musicians who want to buy these products; the high demand means that prices on the secondary market will remain inflated even if production picks up again soon. But there's another side effect: with more and more money being put into reselling gear instead of using it, we could see fewer people actually making music—which would definitely be bad news for the karaoke and DJ industry!
Pandemic Effects
As a result of the global pandemic, you may have experienced unprecedented demand for the products you're looking for. This is because many manufacturers had to shut down for months with no production and many employees were sick and could not work. The result is a delay in production with staff shortages.
These supply chain issues have made it difficult for everyone looking to purchase a new wireless microphone, powered speakers, or DJ lighting.
Supply Chain Damage
The supply chain is broken. Manufacturers are having a hard time keeping up with demand and there's no parts for some equipment because they're not building new equipment.
Many products are being discontinued due to no parts. Some parts are now obsolete or not even parts available to manufacture the equipment.
Some equipment manufacturers are having a really tough time keeping up with demand.
You may have noticed that some equipment manufacturers are having a really tough time keeping up with demand.
If you've tried to find a piece of pro audio equipment recently, you’ve probably noticed it's not always easy to get your hands on the gear you need when you need it. In fact, it can be downright impossible. There are many manufacturers having a really tough time keeping up with demand and this is causing shortages in certain areas of the industry.
Please be patient while manufacturers are getting back into optimal production mode. It is expected to get better by 2023 however with rising costs, the wait will only cost you in the long run.
Our recommendation is: If you find what you're looking for, get it while you can.