diff --git a/html/javascript/request.js b/html/javascript/request.js
index 85435d3..bd94d4f 100644
--- a/html/javascript/request.js
+++ b/html/javascript/request.js
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ function getCartItems(){
 function getUnavailableItems(){
 	var unavailable = new Array;
 	var unavailable_str = localStorage.getItem('unavailable');
-	if(unavailable_str !== null){
+	if(unavailable_str !== ""){
 		unavailable = JSON.parse(unavailable_str);
 	}
 	return unavailable;
diff --git a/html/javascript/shoppingCart.js b/html/javascript/shoppingCart.js
index c79b018..95a8ed1 100644
--- a/html/javascript/shoppingCart.js
+++ b/html/javascript/shoppingCart.js
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ This function gets unavailable items from local storage.
 function getUnavailableItems(){
 	var unavailable = new Array;								//make new array
 	var unavailable_str = localStorage.getItem('unavailable');	//get the string from local storage
-	if(unavailable_str !== null){								//as long as its not null
+	if(unavailable_str !== ''){								//as long as its not null
 		unavailable = JSON.parse(unavailable_str);				//make into array
 	}
 	return unavailable;											//return value is an array