Doing your holiday shopping? Better go back in time a few months...
What’s the holdup?
This is a complicated question that involves a compounding of pretty much every piece of the supply chain--labor shortages, backlogged ports, increased demand, and an outdated shipping system in the U.S.
- Significant delays began last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the impacts are still ongoing.
- During the pandemic, people shifted their consumption patterns from events and outings to physical goods. Increased demand has shipping traffic up 50% from pre-pandemic levels at the Port of Los Angeles, which handles 40% of U.S. imports.
- Ports are also dealing with major backlogs. Labor shortages are a big part of the problem, both at the ports and in the trucking industry, which is estimated to be short 80,000 drivers. Employee burnout and poor treatment, COVID-related deaths and outbreaks, and simply too much demand are all contributors.
- The executive director of the Port of Los Angeles says the U.S. is “decades behind” other international ports. A lack of information sharing and transparency throughout the supply chain, equipment shortages, and an industry-standard of just-in-time manufacturing make the U.S. particularly vulnerable to big shifts.
Are only certain products or industries being affected?
- Not really.
- Computer chip shortages are delaying technology companies from delivering everything from fridges to cars.
- Apparel, toys, and other cargo are sitting in shipping containers stuck at ports for weeks. There is both a global and domestic slowdown, so shipping delays are expected across the board.
- Bob Biesterfeld, CEO of one of the world’s largest logistic firms, said:
"Name almost anything and it seems like there's a shortage of it somewhere...Retailers are struggling to replenish inventory as fast as they're selling, let alone prepare for holiday demand."
Is it affecting costs?
- In short: yes. Shipping costs have massively increased and these changes will likely be reflected in higher product prices.
When is it expected to end?
- Economists say shipping delays could last into at least mid-2022, although they are generally expected to improve once the holiday season and Lunar New Year (February 1) are over.
What can I do to get my gifts, food, and other items on time?
- Consider buying less. Americans produce more waste during the winter holiday season than any other time of the year, but research has found that those purchases don’t make people any happier. Make sure your purchase is worth it.
- If you need something shipped, the earlier the better. Ordering your holiday-related items back in October was recommended by experts to ensure on-time delivery, but delays will vary.
- Shop in-person. Instead of having an item shipped around the world, check if it’s available at a store in your area. Consider supporting a local business, which may be unable to pay hefty costs to get around shipping delays (as larger retailers can).
-Casey Dawson
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We should be focusing more on this and adjusting to our century this should be the key point organize crimes in every city and town and townships affecting every mom and pop stores as well I like zeroing in on this should be the focus of all high courts Laura Coates as well as other Congress and house of representatives as well as states assemblies and lawmakers judges Diaz need to strengthen the law specially San Francisco California and others I like Seattle and on if San Francisco DA cannot prosecute to the highest of letter of the law he should be removed or any other goddess locks and causing the lawlessness of our nation as well as the hate crimes that are on the rise Truth be told all state legislators assembly Congress as well House of Representatives should join in this effort in condemning disbanding and obliterating crime organizations such as this smash and grab as well as robberies on the street on our streets and every city in town and Township robberies at gunpoint as well as the shootings that are happening on our freeways Kanye shit why is up and enforce national and international laws against crime organizations and organized crimes such as this link shows and state legislative should make stronger laws Diaz your follow suit and follow to the letter and enforce it to the fullest as if they were more I like ass enemies to stay organized crime and organizations hate crimes as well https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/retailers-ask-congress-for-help-after-smash-and-grab-robberies/
Bend over Louis DeJoy, so you can show us where our packages are, you pathetic shit stain! Benjamin Franklin should come back and kick your ass!
Has anyone gotten a package late due to the Fedex package dump in an Alabama ravine? "FedEx driver dumped packages into ravine at least 6 times, police say" https://www.businessinsider.com/fedex-driver-fired-dumped-packages-ravine-multiple-times-police-report-2021-12
Supply chain problems are not unique to nor are they limited to the US. All countries have had workforce impact and, therefore, supply availability impact from the pandemic. I wish people would broaden their understanding if economics and logistics to include factors beyond US governance and borders. I think the power, and the right, of the US and/or a single president to order the world in ways that satisfy our citizens’ demands or the best interests of our country regardless of those of the rest of the world is grossly over-estimated by many of us.
Not buying much, honestly. But Cali has f’d up the trucking sector lading to massive delays unloading the container ships. Thanks Newsom! Remember this when his name is on some future presidential ballot. Nuck Fewsom and Go Brandon too!!
@Jimk comes out swinging, but then narks on republicans lol. The real blame should be put on chIna
I do not believe it was the covert virus. In our country that stop the ships from being unloaded. These ships come from other countries, they also had the covert virus they were able to load the ships and the ships were able to get to California. So I don’t believe that. You’re trying to blame it on that but I does not work. I believe that our government did this on purpose to shut our country down. To raise prices and everything. To make our country suffer. And I blame that on Joe Biden. And the unions, Joe Biden shut our oil pipeline down first day he was president put 11,000 people and more out of work. Then he is buying oil from Russia. What side is he on the Russian side. Making money for them. Helping them with their pipeline. And who is Joe Biden hurting the American people. He gets on television and makes it sound like he cares about America. That’s easy to see through that it’s not true. He opens up our borders. The Supreme Court said he had to go back and do what Donald Trump did with our borders in Mexico. He has ignored that. He should be impeached for that. We have the worst vice president you ever could imagine. All she does is laugh in our faces every time she’s in front of the camera. She doesn’t even know what the hell she’s doing she’s a complete idiot. When she went to the borders that was the biggest joke I’ve ever seen. Our country is in serious trouble. Every time Joe Biden gets in front of the camera he talks about what happened to him in his family. Which was many many years ago. I’m sick of hearing about it. All Americans are suffering. He doesn’t give a damn about that. I’m sick of hearing about his troubles. His son Hunter Biden is making millions of dollars, he is a criminal, and nothing is being done about it. I guess if you’re around the The wrong side for America you get away with whatever. The Democratic Party is going down the toilet. They are working extremely hard with Nancy Pelosi to destroy our country. And there are Republicans involved just the same. The American people are definitely going to wake up. And see the truth about what’s happening in our country. And how they’re taking away our freedom. I’m not a Republican and I am not a Democrat I don’t want to attach my name to either party. I do not vote by party I vote by individual person who is running for president. I voted for Obama twice and was let down twice. He thinks the American people are stupid. And he’s the only smart one in the world. He’s wrong he’s not smart at all in several waysThere’s a very old saying in our country. You can fool some of the people some of the time. But you can’t fool all the people all of the time. More and more people in our country are waking up to reality. The destruction of our Constitution and our freedom are at stake.
Three orders are sitting who knows where and the companies can't even tell me a possible delivery date!
Shipping delays aren't real because I haven't experienced any!! *sarcasm See how stupid that sounds? I actually have only experienced one shipping delay in all the things I have ordered. And under the circumstances, with the pandemic of deJoy and deVirus I'm amazed. Good job to all who work in shipping.
Biden was going to unite the country and stop Wuhan virus. We can see how the unifying thing is working out. More people than ever have died from Wuhan. Now he's instituted travel bans which just a short time ago he said were racist. But the democrats just keep drinking the kool aide and making excuses or telling us it's Trumps fault.
Yes, including outright non-delivery of items reported to have been delivered. Dimocrat politicians controlled by unions, Dimocrat politicians that forced employees off the job due to mandates, and Dimocrat politicians that transfer blame to everyone that doesn't share their view, are compounding the problem. The CCP virus was intended to cripple all those that oppose communism and Dimocrat politicians are playing along.
I just finished reading an article from the Wall Street Journal concerning our education system. It stated 43 million adults are illiterate in this country. I see there must be a majority that reply to Causes. Heaven help us if we really had some issues. Are folks really this ignorant to claim a Party is the cause of shipping backlog, shortage of dock workers, truck drivers and factory workers, store clerks, warehouse workers. That in realty was and is ALL related to COVID-19 and it’s variants. After reading many of these reply’s, not only to this article, but many articles and reading how both Parties have and are failing this country. I am convinced many of that 43 million reply here and run our government. I guess Forrest Gump was right, you just can’t fix stupid. Our educators are quitting in record numbers due to the extreme stupidity of supposedly education experts. Now we have a two party system that has forgotten our Democracy and living and enjoying their Socialist environment. Heaven forbid we have a real catastrophe, because our population could not handle it.
Where in the world is my instrument made in China? I placed an order on October 25th and it is still backordered. I can only assume that it is in a container waiting to come ashore and be delivered in California. It is all about not having enough trucks to help unload the containers, related to a shortage of qualified truck drivers who are being slow-walked in waiting to pick up a container to be delivered. I see it as the great supply chain blockade of 2021, created by too many politicians involved in the supply chain management there in California. Is this a taste of what it would be like if California became its own Country? The bottleneck is not due to the Pandemic, or closed factories in Asia. It is at the West Coast Ports, regulated by West Coast politicians like Gavin Newsome. Thank God for Ron DeSantis!
Wish these delays could be corrected. I know the covid has contributed to the delays, but I also think the person who Trump appointed to oversee the USPS has also made it harder for mailing to get through before the covid. Maybe it is time to replace this person?
My medications have been delayed several times.
Product delays and shipping delays, yes. Lost items, including payment checks, by the DeJoy-destroyed USPS. I am understanding and pretty patient of the supply chain issues. I am less patient and understanding with the intentional destruction of the USPS by DeJoy.
What about the lack of dock workers. I thought it was all their fault. Can't wait to hear what the next reason will be. They are all entertaining aren't they?
I ordered new appliances in May promised to arrive by July. In July I got two pieces. More promised by September. Then to arrive October. Now November??? Keep the economy moving. Buy they say. But the products do need to arrive. Messes like at the Port of LA CA should not happen.
So far 😊
CAUSES ASKS: Have you experienced shipping delays? ME: Nope, but then I really don't have many needs, OR wants. Less is more.