Where I work relies on a shipping container of product to be delivered every few weeks. These deliveries are typically “just in time” restocking because we don’t have the warehouse space to keep months and months of inventory. Yesterday at work, I learned from my boss that we can’t schedule a container for delivery in the month of may at all.
We have one container that just got in the country, that would usually be delivered 1-2 weeks after it clears customs. And 2 more waiting for pickup in china to be put on a boat. We can’t get anyone to schedule delivery in may at all. We can’t get anyone to schedule a pick up of the other two containers.
And they won’t even talk about June.
It’s as if the shipping companies are shutting down may first, and won’t schedule after it. And they won’t tell us why.
Could this be some sort of bottleneck catching up from the Suez canal blockage?
I just texted an old friend who works professionally in logistics, if they get back to me I’ll report back
It’s caused by the global lack of shipping containers, as covid buying has changed purchasing/shipping trends, and there are now some fields which have necessary products available to purchase/sell, but are having delays in buying enough amounts of shipping containers to send them out
I honestly don’t know. All of our stuff comes across the pacific to LA. And I know LA and other west coast ports have been overwhelmed with traffic. But this is the first time I’ve ever had anyone simply tell us no.
I’d expect them to take the delivery, and tell us it’s going to be slow. Or that they can’t guarantee when it’ll get here, but they will still take it. Because that’s how it’s been for the last year. Fedex and UPS refusing to even schedule a pick up is so weird to me