It’s certainly no secret that the supply chain is currently under some serious stress. A combination of multiple factors, including supply and demand issues as well as growing staffing shortages, are already wreaking havoc, causing shipping delays and fulfillment problems. These disruptions are impacting everything from consumer electronics and paper goods to toys, automobiles and more. And one area where experts believe will see a significant shortage is in name-brand products.

By now, you’ve probably heard about the disruption in the global supply chain causing massive delays and shortages around the world. Unfortunately, this is all occurring just in time for the holiday season, which means there will almost certainly be some changes in the way we plan.

Simply put, if you haven’t started ordering your corporate gifts by October, you are playing a risky game. Here are a few helpful tips to avoid the holiday headaches and improve the odds of a smooth, timely delivery experience.

As we go through the sales and onboarding process with our customers, many will say, “sorry, but IT will have to send over a questionnaire.”  

While some might see this as a roadblock, our answer to this statement is, “Great!” The reason why is simple. 

“Fulfillment” is a funny word. When you hear it, you might picture something soothing that relates to personal fulfillment – anything that brings you closer to complete happiness. (Can we get an “Om…..”?)

But “order fulfillment” is a whole other story. In commerce, it describes a company, department or service that processes orders for products and delivers them.

If you’re the one placing an order, and the company providing this service gets it right, you get what you ordered when you expect it, and it’s in pristine shape.

Some might say that’s also a kind of “complete happiness.” For sure, if you don’t get what you’ve ordered, or get it too late, or it’s damaged, it’s often a complete nightmare. 

On the surface, shipping and fulfillment may seem like a pretty straightforward process. You package your product, stick a label on it and then send it off to your customers or employees. In reality, this critical component of the supply chain can become incredibly challenging and costly. Fortunately, there is a solution and it’s much easier and more affordable than you may think.