It might seem like the Christmas period is still far away, because autumn hasn’t even really started yet. However, logistics companies invite you to start thinking about preparing for Christmas early this year. As the saying goes, “the slower you go, the farther you go” is very relevant to the preparation stage. Whether you’re a logistics specialist or a manager in a business, you need to be aware that there are various risks in the run-up to Christmas that could make it difficult for your business to receive a shipment on time. In the article, we explain the main recommendations so that the preparation for Christmas in your company goes without worries.
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Tip number one – start with the cargo planning now!
Christmas is only a few months away. Logistics specialists strongly recommend to act in time if you want to stock your online store or physical store shelves with various goods for the Christmas season. First of all, in the fall, various popular countries, such as the USA, Canada or China, may impose new restrictions due to the spread of the virus, and as a result, the time of receiving goods may be significantly extended. Observing the current situation in the field of logistics, businessmen are invited to use sea transportation from China to Europe, because currently price changes differ depending on the route, but in popular Far Eastern directions, the price difference reaches up to 40%.
Second, there is a labor shortage in many countries, especially in the US and Europe. Thirdly, the workers of several airlines are on strike for a long time. People’s expenses are growing disproportionately to income, so strikes are really expected more and more. They usually take place directly in large companies, such as Lufthansa, SAS, Hamburg port terminals, where there are large unions that are ready to fight for fair wages. Logistics specialists anticipate strikes in other companies related to international transport as well.
This type of force majeure will significantly affect the processing of cargo before dispatch and will prolong the delivery. That is why the cargo should be ordered already in September. Regardless of whether you, as an entrepreneur, this Christmas will be only the first or already the tenth, we invite all entrepreneurs to act in time and order cargo without worries. Using MyDello, it is possible to save both your time and costs by 15-20%.
Tip number two – Black Friday is coming before Christmas
Every year on the last Friday of November, the popular “Black Friday” sale takes place in several countries, forcing a number of retailers to prepare even faster for the sales boom. According to the long-term experience of logistics specialists, a high demand for air transportation can be observed in the month of November, because it is a relatively fast delivery time – during this period, transportation costs can rise rapidly, because in November businessmen will “fight” with each other to place their cargo on the cargo plane.
Tip number three – diversify your suppliers
Given the above, the US and China may potentially be the countries that could significantly impact freight flow and delivery times. Why is this important? If there are significant developments in one or the other country, you have alternatives – a member state of the European Union, from which it is possible to order, for example, strings of Christmas lights or Christmas trees.
Cargo planning needs to be thought about much faster, because no one in China has so far canceled the policy of zero cases of Covid-19, which is implemented with the highest responsibility. If new outbreaks of the virus are recorded among the population, all businesses in the area are severely restricted or even suspended. Neither production nor transport or transport infrastructure companies (ports, airports) are exceptions. As a result, overloads are formed in the non-closed transportation nodes, because loads from the closed sections are transferred there.
Entrepreneurs are invited to evaluate – the closer to the end of the year, as there are greater risks related to both Covid-19 and airline employee strikes. It is very likely that no one will be able to avoid these risks, so it is more and more important to implement cargo planning now.
Regardless of whether you are a representative of a small, medium or large company and with or without a logistics specialist in your team, one of the most effective solutions for ordering cargo is the through MyDello. The platform will significantly facilitate your freight orders, allow you to easily review and compare the costs of freight shipments, as well as track the shipment 24/7. MyDello is staffed by experienced logistics specialists from Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania and will be able to find the best solution for you in different situations individually. The online platform is free to use.One platform, all freight modes, instant quotes. Find out more.