There are no venti cups at Starbucks, no dish soap at the grocery store, and the holiday gift that was supposed to arrive by Christmas still has not shipped. It is the middle of March 2022 and the supply chain issues caused by the pandemic are still wreaking havoc across nearly every industry.
When you think of Liquid Screen Design, you probably immediately think of some amazing swag or a completely custom swag box that you received in the mail, but over the past two years we have become experts in the supply chain. The LSD team got together to share a bit about what we have learned and more importantly what you can do to make your life easier in 2022.
THE TRENDS AND WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2022
Everything last year was about shortages. Vaccine shortages to start 2021 were replaced by fears that we would struggle to buy home essentials, then turkeys for thanksgiving, and toys for the holidays. For most of the year, grocery stores, car dealers, and even coffee shops were emptier than usual. Some shortages were resolved quickly, others were not. So, are we facing another year of shortages, or will the supply chain crisis relax in 2022?
It’s worth noting that the shortages have happened for many reasons. At the beginning of the pandemic lockdowns there were sudden runs on essentials like toilet paper. To satisfy demand retailers ordered more desperate to satisfy demand, but once that demand was satisfied, they were left with an oversupply which in turn took up valuable shipping and warehouse space.
This is what happens when demand temporarily changes. The effect magnifies with each tier of the supply chain as every supplier adds an extra buffer to their order to be on the safe side. Very small changes in customer demand can therefore result in huge extra demand for raw materials. This is called the bullwhip effect. As with a whip, a small flick of the wrist can lead to a big crack at the other end.
Even though these initial changes to consumer behavior started to take place almost two years ago at this point, we are still experiencing the crack today and we don’t expect the reverberations to end any time soon. So, what do we do as consumers?
PLAN AND ORDER EARLY
If you are ordering anything, order early. If you think you are ordering it early enough…order earlier! Bryan Goltzman, Liquid Screen Design’s co-owner, said “My wife’s birthday is in October. This year when I ordered her birthday gift, I also ordered her a Hanukkah gift. I knew that if I wanted to have it in time, I was going to need to order months in advance.”
The same is true with anything you are ordering online weather it is from Nike or custom swag. The earlier the better. Shipping is taking forever with major inconsistencies across all the major shippers. Things are going in and out of stock so quickly, if you don’t act fast, they may be gone and the replacements might not come in for months.
“We are talking to costumers about custom swag every day”, says Lily Nelson, LSD Inside Branding and Swagging Consultant. “Our best advice, have a plan and be flexible. We know there are going to be outages and delays. So we prepare our clients and help navigate them through these rough waters. We can captain them through any issue that comes up so that their swag still comes through the way they want it and even more importantly on time.”
IN STOCK NOW DOES NOT MEAN IN STOCK IN 10 MINUTES
Arielle Epstein, LSD Branding and Swagging Architect who works closely with suppliers on the production side says, “It has happened countless times this year. Our client calls us to place an order. We call the vendor to confirm they have stock in the right color, we call the client back to confirm a quantity and they need time to confirm with their team a final count and by the time they get back to us, the stock is no longer available with the next shipment not coming back in for a few months. Now it is time to pivot and find a different option.”
If there is something specific you want, order it now and don’t give someone else the chance to swoop in front of you. Like shopping at a thrift store, if you see something you like, pick it up because you likely will not ever see it again.
According to Mariah Lax, LSD Inside Branding and Swagging Consultant, “The major trend of 2021 was to make the supply chain more resilient. However, building additional capacity, holding inventory, and safeguarding against disruptions is expensive which is being passed on to the consumer. We are seeing price increase up to 40% on some products.”
Ultimately, supply chains are driven by people, and 2021 showed the limitations of the system. As companies and consumers adapt, current knots will untangle somewhat. By understanding the supply chain and ordering early customers can save the hassle of changes, not have the worry of items not arriving on time or being out of stock for months, and keep the price increases at a minimum.
Call Liquid Screen Design Today
If you are interested in learning more about the supply chain or want to place a custom swag order give us a call at 612-234-7230 or email us at info@liquidscreendesign.com. We can help you navigate the strange and changing world of the supply chain and find you the right swag for your event or staff!
Katie Woznak is a Branding and Swagging Architect at Liquid Screen Design and can be reached at kwoznak@liquidscreendesign.com.
