Long a critical business function, the term "supply chain" has finally entered the cultural mainstream.Everybodyҳ talking about it. My mom is talking about it! "Chris, with the supply chain like it is nowadays, donҴ wait until the last minute to buy your Christmas gifts this year." Thanks, mom.But with everybody from G20 leaders to my dear mother talking about stock shortages, itҳ time we stopped and askedňow bad is this supply chain crisis in terms of actual stock levels in stores?How ӳhortԠare stock shortages, really?Auditing & Surveying the Supply Chain CrisisOn November 4, 2021, Field Agent audited 13 categories across 203 stores (1,316 total aisles) operated by four different brick-and-mortar retailers: Best Buy, Kroger, Target, and Walmart.Our objective: to look generally at in-store stock levels across a diversified basket of goods, including groceries, household consumables, electronics, and toys.The results give us an idea about the size and scope of supply chain disruptions, as they're being felt by shoppers at the store level.Of course, retailers, brands, and shoppers arenҴ just dealing with the reality of stock shortages; theyҲe also dealing with the perception of them.So how bad is the supply chain crisis in shoppersҠminds, and how are they responding to them? To get at that story, Field Agent also surveyed 1,245 U.S. shoppers* about supply chain shortages״heir perceptions as well as their reactions.Letҳ dig in to the combined audit and survey results.**All survey respondents were U.S. adults at least 18 years of age and smartphone owners. The survey was executed through the Field Agent platform, November 5, 2021. Demos: Gender - Female (51%), Male (49%), Age - 18-24 (8%), 25-34 (31%), 35-44 (35%), 45-54 (18%), 55-64 (7%), 65+ (2%); Household Income -