What Is Happening To Freight and Product Supply?

 

Shipping Container On Water

 

As if life hasn’t been hard enough over these past two years! On top of the challenges of Covid, lockdowns, and the division between vaxxed and unvaxxed, we now have to face unprecedented (yes that’s that word again) issues with international freight and product supply.

 

In a normal world, supply should equal demand, however in these strange times demand has far outweighed supply and we are now seeing significant product delays in many factories across the world! Where our poor stockists are looking towards the Christmas rush season to recoup some of that much needed cashflow, they now face yet another hurdle with delayed stock.

 

To add insult to injury, international freight is now skyrocketing. Due to the increased demands, lack of suitable containers and ships to carry product southward to Australia, freight has increased significantly in cost, sometimes three times what it was this time last year. We are finding that in some cases our freight charges far outweigh the value of what is contained within. That is if our freight partners can secure a container to begin with!

 

This freight issue luckily is non-discriminatory and those big box retailers (like Kmart who we all love to hate!) are in the queue with the rest of us, experiencing exactly the same issues. We fear consumers will be faced with more and more bare shelves in the lead up to Christmas!

Empty Shelves

Original image credit: News.com.au/Benedict Brook

 

Luckily it's not all bad news for Rayell stockists. Rayell is holding more stock than ever and luckily a good deal of this stock was brought in just as the prices were starting to rise, which means that we can pass those products on to you at our regular pricing. You may see some changes in pricing along the way, but we do recommend getting in quick to avoid the price rises and delays in stock arrivals.

 

Stock delays in the coming months are a given, as has been widely reported throughout the media. We would encourage you to get in quick, secure what stock you can and hopefully have a very prosperous run to the end of the year. 

 

Of course, if there is anything that the Rayell team can do to assist, we are here to help! 
For lots of lovely goodies to tempt your Christmas shoppers, head to rayell.com!