Today’s Supply Chain Issues

Blog 0 Comments

It’s evident the havoc the COVID-19 pandemic has brought on businesses, and the worst part is that it continues to harm several livelihoods globally. Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of many businesses and governments, there seems to be a long way out of this dark tunnel. One area of business that has suffered is the supply chain. Even though many ecommerce retailers have not been left out of this global nightmare, there was some glimmer of hope at the turn of the summer that material movements and shipment would pick up again to ensure a smoother fourth quarter. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case. 

 

A strain on the supply chain

Currently, various processes and steps in the supply chain have been affected. Social distance protocols led to several factories closing down, which heightened fears about the arrival of products at the turn of March 2020. 

 

Now every aspect of the supply chain is affected:

 

  • Warehouses shut down impromptu: Facilities in various countries like China are closing rapidly and for days with little to no warning. With the UN now estimating that Asian countries source 42% of all global exports, the shutdowns have affected businesses down the line.

  

  • Loading and delivery: Manufactured products require delivery to warehouses before being shipped and loaded onto cargo carriers en-route to the US. Unfortunately, the number of cargo containers available is decreasing, with loads stuck on ships sitting on the ocean. Driver shortage issues currently make the situation even worse, with countries like the US experiencing a massive labor shortage.

 

  • Price increments: The less a product is available on the market, the more its price will rise as demand for it increases. This is due to the shortage of staff.

 

  • Shipping time and speed: All the obstacles mentioned earlier will affect shipping time and speed. If you can’t afford to charter private cargo carriers, your products will probably delay, and that’s not what your customers want. 

 

A growing awareness of the shortage

Today, the effect of the global shortage of various consumer products is felt worldwide. The subject is making headline news on print media, TV media, and social media platforms. Unfortunately, it looks like shortage issues will continue even as the yuletide approaches. The chances are that major store shelves are going to stand empty.

 

But even in the growing sense of global awareness, ecommerce retailers need to realize that consumers still want the products they purchase online delivered immediately. So, how can things be made better?

 

What ecommerce retailers can do

While ecommerce retailers cannot do much about the global supply chain issue, they can review their inventories for the coming holidays. 

Start by stocking up only on products that’ll have high demand during the season. Next, ensure that your clients understand the new delivery deadlines to ease expectations. Indicate your cut-off delivery dates across all your platforms to ensure that there is no misunderstanding. 

 

Are you new to ShipJoy fulfillment? Kindly schedule with our team of experts today, and learn more about how we can help you pack, pick, and deliver your orders. We offer a pay-as-you-go service with no minimums and no setup fees.