But that’s becoming increasingly hard to accomplish considering there are so many supply chain issues at play.
So, what are the supply chain issues at play? And how can you, as an e-commerce business owner, avoid them?
Supply Chains in the Age of the Pandemic
With millions of people ordered to stay home for over a year, it stands to reason that our supply chains would be impaired by this huge loss of production.
But with the pandemic being almost two years old now, we’re starting to see the most significant manifestation of these supply chain impairments.
For instance, in China (a global leader of production, as you’re well aware) the country is about 45 days behind on production. Shipping is equally delayed or, in some cases, running even more behind.
This massive delay in production and shipping has created complications all over the economy, and we’re seeing that play out in the concern over everything from rising inflation on staple goods to an inability to get semiconductors for electronic goods to even something as simple as meeting this year’s Christmas shipping demands.
These price hikes and delays are concerning for both consumers and you, the e-commerce owner.
But the good news is that there are solutions to help you avoid these supply chain throttles.
Adapting and Thriving to the Pandemic Reality
You’re already ahead of the game just by reading this piece: you understand there’s a problem. Many e-commerce business owners who aren’t planning for this new reality are in for a rude awakening in the next few months.
The key here is to set realistic expectations for customers. While they value speed, they value reliability above all else—especially when it comes to getting their holiday shopping done.
That in mind, ensure your delivery times are as accurate as possible so you won’t alienate existing customers or annoy new ones when their deliveries don’t arrive on time.
And if you want to avoid these issues altogether, start planning well in advance of when you’ll actually need the goods. Factor in that extra month or so shipping time and store the goods you expect you’ll need as soon as possible. That way, you can outdo the competition by being one of the few e-commerce companies with the ability to provide pre-pandemic-level shipping times.
APS Helps You Overcome These Supply Chain Challenges
As a premier e-commerce fulfillment company, APS Fulfillment, Inc. has already taken steps to ensure our clients are ready to face this supply chain issue head-on.
We moved our facility closer to the port to cut down transit time, as well created a network with many port brokers to expedite the movement of products once they arrive.
That’s just one example of how APS can help your business stay ahead of the pandemic-related delays.
We also feature state-of-the-art warehouse management software (WMS) that makes inventory management and goods tracking easy. We’ll also support your business and automate the warehousing, prepping, shipping, picking, and packing of your orders!
With APS Fulfillment’s real-time processing, we can confirm your order, have it picked and packed, and shipped with one of our trusted partners, in just 24 hours. Even during this uncertain time, you can count on APS.
There are a wide range of benefits to working with a third-party logistics company that uses the best-quality software systems to manage your warehouses. Other product fulfillment companies may offer a similar set of services, but APS Fulfillment, Inc. goes the extra step. We take great pride that our quality control procedures are state-of-the-art, and we guarantee 24-hour turnaround times for our service orders.
Get in touch with us and one of our consultants will tailor a fulfillment plan designed to grow your business. Book a consultation by calling (954) 582-7450 or email [email protected].
