Covid 19 coronavirus Delta outbreak: Should you be ordering your Christmas gifts now?

With supply chain issues continuing to affect imports into New Zealand, it might be time to start Christmas shopping early. Photo / Getty Images

There are just 110 days until Christmas - and if you want your pressies to arrive on time, you may want to think about ordering them now, experts have warned.

You may have noticed your online shopping orders are taking longer than usual to arrive amid lockdown - and shipping isn't likely to get any faster in the next couple of months.

It's only September, but experts say that with the pandemic continuing to wreak havoc on ports both overseas and at home, it might be time to take action.

Cargo Owners' Council chairman Simon Beale says global supply chain issues are to blame for delays.

Speaking to Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking this morning, Beale says it's not getting any better.

"It's still an issue, congestion and delays are an issue around the world and getting stuff from A to B is a challenge. Getting it on a ship is a challenge and getting it into the country is a challenge.

"And there's a hell of a lot of changes between when you're looking at getting it into the country and when it actually arrives, so there's a lot of product that sits around for a long time."

He said it's not only a problem with ships and containers but with the cost that comes with them.

Beale said it's possible that when you head out to do your Christmas shopping, the shelves could be a bit sparse as overseas Covid outbreaks continue to put pressure on ports, creating congestion here in Aotearoa.

Retail NZ chief executive Greg Harford says New Zealand retailers are already concerned about having enough Christmas stock.

"It's a combination of issues," he tells the Herald.

"There's production issues overseas in factories due to lockdowns and Covid infections, there's issues with getting product to New Zealand in the first place and then with getting that product off the ships and into the ports of Auckland.

"It's harder for retailers to know that they will have their product on time."

Harford jokes that in the retail world, the Christmas shopping season officially starts on September 25.

"There are shortages as we head into the Christmas season. So if you're looking for a particular gift or summer renovation tools, you should definitely get your order in and shop early."

Harford also recommends being flexible if you can't find exactly what you want - some brands will ship faster than others.

And if you're worried about your orders arriving on time, you may want to try shopping local instead.

With local businesses already struggling with lockdowns, it could be the perfect time to stock up early on New Zealand-made goodies for your loved ones and support local at the same time.