1. Supply Chain
ECommerce companies that rely on imported goods must consider several factors that may alter their sourcing plans.
The traffic of ships, aeroplanes, trucks and means of transport multiplies during peak sales dates. This can negatively alter the delivery dates of goods.
Currently, the largest volume of supplies comes from Chinese ports, thousands of kilometres away, which is not a negligible factor.
Called "the world's factory", China accounts for more than 50% of the manufacturing of products in all sectors. With a growth of more than 25% year-on-year, the Asian giant is the largest supplier of products sold in most eCommerces.
Chinese ports have one of the largest outbound flows in the world. This incredible volume of container sailings loaded with Chinese goods is affecting most of the current shipping lanes.
According to many experts, logistical problems at Chinese ports and the inability of local ports to receive cargo may cause long delays. The pandemic has affected the availability of specialized personnel at ports of origin and destination, which has increased shipping costs by up to 30%.
On the other hand, the increase in maritime traffic has generated bottlenecks in the busiest trade routes. This has forced many vessels to choose more unobstructed routes which increases sailing times considerably.
The situation is not much different when arriving at the port of destination, the problems of land transport in Europe are increasing. Shortages of trained drivers, fuel increases and rising demand threaten delivery times.
