Bumper sales causing supply shortages for some Aussie retailers

There's a bright spark among the economic devastation of 2020.

While unemployment has surged, those with a job have been spending on their homes, giving a handful of major retailers a bonanza they were simply not expecting.

Retailers like Harvey Norman, JB Hi-Fi and Bunnings are recording bumper sales and profits but that's leading to another problem: supply.

Harvey Norman founder Gerry Harvey says the soaring sales some retailers have experienced here are happening all over the world and that means factories simply can't keep up with demand.

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"Our biggest problem is probably getting enough stock," Mr Harvey told 9News in an exclusive interview.

"There's a lot of product we're selling at the moment - 10 weeks, 12 weeks, 18 weeks, 20 weeks (wait times).

"The demand then on all these factories across the world is huge. Never been seen before."

With no travel on the cards, Australians who do have money to spend are pumping it into their homes.

That's translated into bumper profits for some retailers.

Last week Harvey Norman revealed in a trading update its sales soared 30 per cent over July and August compared to 12 months earlier.

Profit before tax for July and August also rose significantly, coming in at $178.1 million compared to $62.3 million in the same two months last year, a 185.8 per cent increase.

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"I've been in retail 60 years. I've never seen anything like this," Mr Harvey said.

The spending splurge started just as the Aussie dollar surged from a 17-year low earlier this year against the US dollar to a two-year high more recently.

A dollar in the 70 cent range helps keep prices of imported goods lower but it's starting to slip back.

"There's a potential for the Aussie dollar to have a six handle in front of it in the next few weeks," Commsec economist Ryan Felsman said.

"Consumers in that environment would look to purchase their goods and services ahead of Christmas as quickly as possible, if that was to materialise."

Whether the product arrives in time is another matter.