USPS shipping delays impact local small businesses

[bc_video video_id="6180318457001″ account_id="5728959025001″ player_id="Hkbio1usDM" embed="in-page" padding_top="56%" autoplay="" min_width="0px" max_width="640px" width="100%" height="100%"] This year, small businesses have dealt with COVID-19 related closures and restrictions, and now they’re facing shipping delays. "Things are not right from a shipping perspective, and it’s really, really critical to our business while we can’t have as many clients in the store to be able to ship on time," said Laurie Molton, founder of House of Lolo, located on El Paseo. With an uncertain retail market, several shops have moved a majority of inventory online. But owners say delays through the United States Postal Service are impacting not only when customers receive their orders, but when stores get their inventory as well. "Being on a website, it’s very important to keep your product fresh and with new things constantly going. So when we have nothing new to put on the website it makes it a little complicated," said Morgan Rooney, manager of Blonde Clothing Boutique, located on El Paseo. The Post Master General cites operational changes, COVID-19 and financial losses as the reason behind delays. And while the USPS is the leading delivery service for online purchases, they also handle a large amount of social security checks and medication. According to Connecting Vets, the majority of Veterans Affairs prescriptions are fulfilled by mail, and they’ve recently experienced delays around the country. Fortunately, the Palm Desert VA Clinic tells NBC Palm Springs their "health care system has not received any Veteran complaints from the Palm Springs area, and the VA always encourages Veterans to order routine prescriptions in advance." But as for local business owners, they’re seeking other shipping alternatives. "We’ve actually changed who we’re shipping with, and who we’re having our vendors ship with as well, to ensure that we get the packages there," said Molton.