JOHNSON CITY, NY — Cars packed the Oakdale Commons parking lot as residents rushed in to get last-minute holiday shopping completed before the holidays.

Some shoppers battle the “Black Friday buzz,” while others have a different approach to the holidays.

“Yeah, I like to think that I have it all together, but unless there is something there is really specific I know I need, I’m usually last minute and just grab whatever I can and make do,” Chenango County Resident Mikaela Sepulveda told 12 News.

Shopper Mary Soboleski is still wondering how Thanksgiving is already a month behind us.

“I usually try to start early but this year I haven’t done anything,” Soboleski said.

Why is this year different?

The normal safety net for last-minute shoppers, known as Amazon Prime, is not distributing packages at the same rate as in previous years. Workers from the International Brotherhood of Teamsters are on strike.

While some are voicing frustrations, others used it as an opportunity to shop locally.

“I think it is so important,” Sepulveda said. “I think online shopping is convenient but gain, supporting local businesses, supporting the working class just in general and people who do work in retail that need the jobs and the money.”

With the shopping season wrapping up in just a week, those who plan to order online need to do it today. According to CBS News, Thursday is the last day for guaranteed delivery of the post office’s priority mail and tomorrow is the cut-off for two-day shipping at FedEx and UPS.

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