A huge spike in online shopping this year, thanks to the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic, have put a strain on shipping this holiday season. And that strain is being felt by suppliers and distributors in the promotional products industry.

ShipMatrix, which analyzes shipping package data, has predicted that about 7 million packages a day could face delays from now until Christmas. And though the frenzied pace of online shopping will likely slow once the gift-giving season ends, don’t expect things to change too much in the new year. E-commerce and individualized drop-shipping are the new normal.

ASI executive editors Christopher Ruvo and Theresa Hegel talk about some of the challenges the promo industry is facing right now, when it comes to shipping, and lay out several actionable strategies firms can take to deal with potential delays.

Podcast Chapters
0:50: Why shipping is a challenge right now
3:25: How shipping issues are affecting promo
8:47: Strategies for dealing with the situation
12:30: Will shipping strain continue into Q1?
14:15: Potential delays with getting products from China

You can read Ruvo’s full story on promo’s shipping and delivery challenges here.

Watch the episode on YouTube