This has probably already been said, but...
A few times a week on FB I see similar posts: "These empty shelves at the LBS prove cycling is more popular than ever."
Mayyyyybeee.
Or maybe it proves the supply chain has been disrupted and new stock is hard to come by.
That's what most of the marketing and economic pundits have been saying for weeks. The pandemic disrupted the global supply chain. We can't evaluate much of anything accurately based on the appearance of retail store shelves and stock, or lack thereof.
Toilet paper isn't more popular than ever. People are still using the same amount (well, except for the Howard Hughes types who don't bathe but use toilet paper to touch anything and use it as napkins, bibs, masks, taking notes and, eventually, food). For the first couple of weeks hoarders skewed the market. Then layoffs and consequent reduced manufacturing capacity and delivery capacity further skewed the market.
By the end of the year people will be theorizing "Cycling is less popular than ever," based on availability. Too much, too little, whatever. And it'll still have more to do with the disruption to the global supply chain than with consumers.
There are opportunities for locally sourcing materials, locally made with local employees. But it won't last. Within a couple of years consumers will again crave cheaply made goods. Oh, they'll still pay $5-$15 for a glass of local craft beer. But they won't be willing to pay employees that much per hour. Or to pay $750 for a 100% US made product that China and other Asian manufacturers can knock off and churn out for $199.99. Partly because US and European corporations have caved into China's official policy of demanding that everyone relinquish all intellectual property rights, copyrights and patents in exchange for trade with China and cheap manufacturing of products that are often good quality, but cost more in terms of transparency, human rights and intangibles.