to not understand Covid as a shipping delay excuse?

[FlimFlamJimJams]

Peak quarantine - made complete sense that there were delays in shipping/packing considering everyone and their auntie were placing orders on top of reduced staff, social distancing in warehouses etc.

But I don't understand how companies can still be using it as an excuse now. I've placed three orders for art materials this week with different retailers - each one has emailed some spiel about "During the current Global pandemic, dispatching your order may take a little longer than usual" etc
Why? It's been 2 and a half years.

Whilst I understand there are still manufacturing delays whilst people play catch up - there's surely no reason why a company can't dispatch in stock items on time?

Where is the item coming from? Lockdowns in China are still a real thing.

I was thinking this only this morning. I do think some companies have assumed that people have got used to the pandemic level of service and therefore there's no incentive to go back to pre-pandemic days.

You seen anything in the news about China recently?

If your stuff is coming from there, they are closing down cities of millions, locking people in their houses (or wherever was a contact, check out the riots in Shangkai ikea when they tried to lock them in) and separating families to quarantine small children.

Yes. Still.

Where are you ordering from? China is still enforcing last-minute lockdowns of millions of people with literally no notice. If your stuff is coming from there (or the companies stock comes from there) then yes, there'll be delays due to COVID.

Then your a bit dense quite frankly

COVID is still a huge issue in many countries where most consumer goods are shipped from, alongside that covid is still an issue regarding staffing levels globally

Even if not coming from China staff shortages because people are isolating is still a thing. Warehouse staff, couriers, posties etc can't wfh if they get covid

Staff are going off sick with covid still.... reduced staff.

Did you not know this?

Calling people dense when you don't know the difference between your and you're isn't a great look.

During the current Global pandemic, dispatching your order may take a little longer than usual I agree they need to consider changing this to something like, a little longer than pre-pandemic. As this is now the usual.

@Magenta82 a typo is a bit different to fundamentally not understanding a basic concept

Get a life

I think some websites and auto emails are just poorly updated. I went to a fairly major attraction the other day that had a website still talking about the rule of six and the importance of social distancing on their (outdoor) site.

Are the orders actually delayed or is it just a standard email?

The irony of this post is quite funny. Thank you.

It's not coming from China, it's a UK based company shipping items that they keep stock of (ie. not something that they've manufactured).

Where does the stock come from though?

There are issues with stuff being manufactured abroad and huge supply chain issues with components and pharmaceuticals.

It could be just they have a lot of staff off sick, or it could be they haven't bothered changing the 'there may be delays due to Covid' message since 2020. I'd put money on the latter.

In a few weeks time, when the kids have been back at school longer, it could well legitimately be the former but not right now.

There are mass staff shortages across all sectors. Even if things not made overseas they may rely on parts from elsewhere. There's a huge computer chip shortage. There's war in Europe. It adds up.

UK-based doesn't mean everything is shipped from the UK.

Royal Mail have been particularly slow with deliveries during the past couple of months. I suspect a combination of all the bank holidays we've had during the last few weeks/strikes/covid have all played a part.

Yeah strikes and the queen dying and covid. Very slow for some deliveries.