Supply Chain Holiday Blues: Questions & Answers for Marketers.
It’s not just the title track of the 2021 Holiday Season. This year’s supply chain issue is a heavy dose of reality that has retailers scrambling to meet demand and end the year in the black. As marketers, we’re kind of caught in the middle with more questions than solutions. Our Q &A tackles some the broad questions behind this unprecedented Holiday marketing season. Why isn’t the supply chain keeping up with demand? The pandemic is ultimately to blame but there is no simple answer. Three key factors have led us to be unprepared for the uptick in demand. Just in time inventory management: Rather than keeping warehouses full, companies have switched to having raw materials and finished products arrive exactly when they need them. It’s a way of running leaner by eliminating excess inventory. Unfortunately, it leaves little room for surprises like a pandemic. Lack of warehouse workers and truck drivers:...
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