Omicron and delivery eCommerce: Why you expect order delay

Have you still been waiting for the delivery of an order you placed ten days back? As we are at the beginning of 2022, there are several reasons why shoppers should expect more such delayed orders and several reasons why delivery ecommerce is the way to go.

Delays in the delivery of an order can be understandably frustrating. And more so when online shopping seems to be the only resort. This is because the rising cases of the Omicron variant of COVID have made brick-and-mortar stores less accessible. Since most people believe this time to be the heyday for eCommerce businesses, it is quite puzzling to think how and why their services are lagging.

Such businesses are colloquially dependent on Delivery eCommerce and shipment logistics. However, most eCommerce companies have reduced their staff by fifty per cent from the last few weeks as a preventive measure for omicron. Despite the increased consumer demand, the eCommerce COVID impact has a very unpredictable and dual nature.

Here are some common COVID-era problems with Delivery eCommerce that can delay order fulfilment:

1) Disrupted Schedules:

Shipping scheduling is a practice of pre-planning shipments and deliveries based on the supply chain and client demand. It is standard practice for Delivery eCommerce to boost productivity. This way, companies can provide reassurance to their partners and customers. However, numerous operational challenges prevent the schedule from being followed. They are as follows:

Challenges in implementing a congruent process (process efficiency)
Keeping up with last-minute orders, cancellations, and product returns and exchanges
Managing unforeseen delays
Being unable to come up with a dynamic schedule

2) Port Congestions:

The term “port congestion” is widely used to describe the situation in which ships must queue outside a port to load or unload cargo. Ports have a set amount of dockage, and demand frequently exceeds capacity.

While global supply chains are still recovering from the damage wrought by lockdowns from 2020 to combat COVID, the sudden surge in Omicron cases have made matters worse.

Port congestions prevent Delivery eCommerce from shipping products from one part of the country to another through docks. At the same time, roads or railways may not be a great alternative depending on the geographical whereabouts. Hence, if your eCommerce website shows the source region of your order, you can have a fair idea of how much time it may take.

3) High-Demand Bottlenecks:

High-Demand Bottlenecks are not just a festive season phenomenon. So far, only till mid-Jan, Delivery eCommerce has taken a big hit owing to them.

A November 2021 article by Forbes predicted that shipping bottlenecks are about to persist well into 2022. We are now witnessing the same due to a shortage of labour, containers and truckers, and a slow capacity growth due to high Omicron cases in major cities. The simultaneous increase in consumer demand has been quite overwhelming for eCommerce businesses.

4) Increased Freight Transit Rates:

What’s worse for consumers is that shipping has not only slowed down but has increased its charges in the last few weeks. The precautionary travel restrictions across countries (and even states) have led to skyrocketing freight transit rates. And while they remain unchanged in 2022, last year’s increase in fuel prices have negatively contributed to the issue.

Takeaway:

The beginning of 2022 is certainly not an excellent time for hoarders and shopaholics worldwide. Brick-and-mortar stores are not very helpful due to the shortage of available stock and safety concerns of people. At the same time, Delivery eCommerce is struggling to meet ends. Hence, slow and sustainable consumerism is the need of the hour. After all, consumers do not have much choice.