Shipageddon and Holiday Delivery Services 

November is annually regarded as the happy kickoff to online shopping’s busiest time of  the year.  However, because of the covid-19 pandemic the notion of “shipageddon” is taking center stage. In-store holiday deals, normally reserved for in-store shoppers,  have been now extended to online shopping. That translates into higher inventory and delivery service demands. 

For shopping retailers and delivery services Black Friday is now Black November. Cyber Monday is going to be Cyber Month. Without question most shoppers have covid-19 anxieties and analysts agree that more holiday shopping will be done online (Deloitte). “Shipageddon” is the buzzword term that represents the projected increase in demand given the pandemic precautions. 

Fulfillment services companies face more pressure than ever before to deliver online purchases. The panic inducing term “shipageddon” speaks to the ominous potential shortfall that could affect our economy.  A major software company in the shipping industry, ShipMatrix, told NBC News that up to 7 millions packages a day, between Thanksgiving and Christmas, could face delays. 

Inventory Shortages in the Holiday Season

Yes, there may be inventory shortages around the holidays but this is not uncommon. There are always those presents in high demand that we wish we would have ordered sooner. Likewise US retail e-commerce sales should rise above the 18% predicted growth (eMarketer) given the national shift in priorities.

Each year the fulfillment services industry prepares for increased online shopping demand. Of course unforeseen market conditions, like this word-wide pandemic, clearly present challenges. However, scalability of services is inherent in our service model and we are ready to meet the challenges of growth.

Shipping giants like Amazon, UPS and FedEx have certainly been preparing and will be extending their normal seasonal hires to accommodate “shipageddon.” My Fulfillment Company is also working around the clock to provide fulfillment center excellence, flexibility and convenience at competitive prices. Now more than ever, by trusting My Fulfillment Company, SMBs can save time, money and effort.

Last month, New York Times technology writer, Shira Ovide, stated the issue succinctly in her piece, Brace for the Holiday ‘Shipageddon,’ “The problem is simple: Many of our buying habits completely changed in the pandemic, and our delivery networks cannot keep up.”

My FulFIllment Company is here to help

If you are a business owner who relies on shipping, storage and packaging services from a fulfillment distribution center like My Fulfillment Company do not hesitate to contact us with concerns about seasonal holiday needs.

Media outlets will continue to drive consumer awareness with more stories about “shipageddon” and we are here to help demystify your concerns to provide the best advice, planning and services possible. So as more headlines, articles and video segments cover shipping concerns, remember this is our business and passion, we are here to help.