People are fed up with hearing the “shop early” line by this point, as port congestion affects holiday shopping drastically. With COVID playing a major role in port and terminal delays, many things that have been ordered, even months prior will inevitably be delayed due to the global shortages COVID has caused.
As of November 19th, port congestion is real and just getting worse. President Biden even extended the hours for the port of Los Angeles. However, there are several reports of wood shortages, affecting many items to be transported such as puzzles, books, as well as other nic-nacks to supply chains. Many worry, and are starting to question, how the supply chain and shortage problems will affect everyone’s holiday shopping.
California gateways right now are in their busiest season, handling roughly 40% of all domestic imports. Trucks transport two-thirds of the cargo at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The ocean carriers and terminals claimed that there aren’t enough truck drivers willing to work at the ports, which is why containers are sitting around on the dock for so long.
“President Joe Biden will unveil a plan Wednesday to try to ease West Coast delays at the ports of Long Beach, California, and Los Angeles by expanding round-the-clock operations” Political reporter, Christina Wilkie writes. Some of the nation’s leading realtors and shippers have committed to expanding overnight in off-hours operations in Long Beach and Los Angeles, which are central to this plan. Shipping companies such as FedEx and UPS will increase their hourly operations, encouraging ports in Los Angeles to run smoother.
If you haven’t already, it’s a good idea to start ordering gifts now to avoid major delays as shipping issues fluctuate, causing plenty of backed-up orders. Maybe taking the “Shop Early” line seriously can really help Christmas after all.