You will have read about the Novel Coronavirus and the alarming number of people infected (currently more than 71,000), as well the current death toll as a result (2000+). The origin of this respiratory virus seems to have been the city of Wuhan in Hubei Province in China. Whilst the news outlets have plenty of information about the virus, we’d like to answer the most asked question pertaining to the impact on our industry & our ability to deliver to you.
Do we expect shipping delays as a result of the restrictions Chinese authorities have placed on the movement of people within China?
Undoubtedly there will be delays in the manufacture of goods post Chinese New Year (CNY). Most factories are not yet fully operational and many have not yet opened at all, as all factories throughout China require government permission to reopen. This can only occur after an inspector visits the factory to ensure that the factory has the required protective gear on hand.
The additional challenge factories are facing, is that workers predominantly based in the Hubei Province, are limited in their ability to travel. At present, many factory workers have been unable to return to work and therefore, in many cases, the production of orders has not commenced post (CNY). There is currently major uncertainty as to how many weeks or months it will take before factories can resume normal activity. We are receiving daily updates from our counterparts in China & the latest information we have received is that the potential date for re-opening is only March/April.
The majority of our replenishment that was due to arrive now unfortunately did not leave China before the outbreak and is currently in the harbour waiting release from the government. All new orders placed with our Chinese CMT’s are being met with uncertain delivery dates and therefore we do expect items on our system with arrival dates of April and beyond to be delayed. Our shipping team will continue to update arrival dates with the most accurate information the factories are able to supply, so please keep track of these changing dates.
Sapphire’s Contingency plan:
In a case where we are awaiting a shipment of either fabric or item to arrive & we have sold out we will offer you an interim option with what is still available from our various factories. Where possible we will try our utmost best to supply an item to the same quality & price, however this cannot be guaranteed as it’s dependant on the item we are able to supply at the time. During this time if you require any assistance or have any questions please feel free to contact any of our team members so that we can assist you accordingly.
If you have any questions, please contact us with the form below:
