{"id":4901,"date":"2021-03-20T10:50:00","date_gmt":"2021-03-20T10:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mdlst2020prod.wpengine.com\/blog\/?p=4901"},"modified":"2022-08-25T16:08:47","modified_gmt":"2022-08-25T16:08:47","slug":"why-us-suppliers-are-the-solution-for-your-store-during-the-coronavirus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.modalyst.co\/blog\/why-us-suppliers-are-the-solution-for-your-store-during-the-coronavirus\/","title":{"rendered":"Why US Suppliers are the Solution for Your eCommerceStore During the Coronavirus"},"content":{"rendered":"

With the recent outbreak of the novel coronavirus, US and international dropshippers have been left struggling to maintain their supply chains.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, more than ever, it\u2019s become clear that you need to diversify your supplier and product mix.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In this article, we\u2019re going to show you <\/span>how coronavirus affects eCommerce, and how you can generate revenue by diversifying your suppliers.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take a look!<\/span><\/p>\n

How Does the Coronavirus Affect eCommerce?<\/b><\/h2>\n

In the beginning, dropshippers<\/a> whose suppliers were in the Hubei province, including the city of Wuhan that was struck by the epidemic, had problems with delivery.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Factories were closed for longer than expected, even with the Lunar New Year in mind.<\/span><\/p>\n

Even AliBaba, the biggest supplier platform, <\/span>struggled with shortages<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

And even if your suppliers weren\u2019t in the Hubei province, you\u2019d have still been impaired. Some of the most important product components are produced in Hubei, and then shipped to where your suppliers are located.<\/span><\/p>\n

Today, we\u2019re facing an even bigger crisis.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The world is connected, so if one part of the world is affected by a crisis<\/b> (be it a pandemic, or a natural disaster), and you have business ties to them,<\/span> your business will be affected, as well.<\/b><\/p>\n

And while China seems to be handling the issue well so far, <\/span>dropshippers are still affected<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Not all logistical operations are fully operational at the moment – there are still truck driver shortages and <\/span>cargo issues<\/span><\/a>, which affects the shipping in your dropshipping business. <\/span>Cargo terminals are shutting down<\/span><\/a>, affecting deliveries.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s becoming increasingly clear that it\u2019s dangerous to depend on one supplier only, or suppliers from one country.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

At the same time, consumers are turning to eCommerce because it\u2019s the safer alternative to physical shopping.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While consumers are mainly stocking up on groceries and sanitary products at the moment, there is no doubt that <\/span>the rate of eCommerce usage will grow exponentially,<\/b> even as we move out of this crisis.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you set up your supplier<\/a> and product mix<\/a> right, your dropshipping business will be able to survive this crisis and come out stronger.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How to Diversify Your Product Mix in the Age of Coronavirus<\/b><\/h2>\n

Right now, your main question is probably: <\/span>But what if the whole world goes on lockdown?<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

This is highly unlikely.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Even with different lockdowns in place in Europe, the US is still one of the biggest economies in the world.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In fact, <\/span>Amazon is hiring 100,000 new employees to help them fulfill orders.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

The geographical spread of the US also means that not all areas will be affected equally at the same time. If you add US suppliers from different areas to your product mix, you\u2019ll stay operational.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Benefits of Adding USA Suppliers to Your Dropshipping Supplier Mix<\/b><\/h2>\n

The first benefit of using suppliers based in the USA if you\u2019re dropshipping<\/a> within the States is that <\/span>domestic suppliers mean faster shipping.<\/b><\/p>\n

When you ship from China, the average delivery time is 14 days. But within the US, your customers could have their products within a day or two.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The US is well-connected logistically, so running out of stock is not likely.<\/span><\/p>\n

Additionally, if there is <\/span>a stricter lockdown<\/b> that impairs delivery times from overseas regions like China, having suppliers based in the US will allow you to stay operational.<\/span><\/p>\n

Depending on your niche, you may experience<\/span> higher demand levels.<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In that case, you may not be able to rely only on US suppliers, but you should definitely add them to the mix. The more suppliers you have, the better.<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, you can\u2019t deny <\/span>the psychological effects of this crisis<\/b>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As different flare-ups occur in different countries, your US consumers will be more likely to trust businesses that operate within the US.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Long-Term Outlook: Coronavirus and eCommerce<\/b><\/h2>\n

Ultimately, the main benefit of diversifying your supplier mix is <\/span>the ability to maintain your operations.<\/b><\/p>\n

Even in worst case scenarios where one of the countries your suppliers are located in goes into lockdown, you\u2019ll still have <\/span>back-up suppliers<\/b> to keep you operational.<\/span><\/p>\n

And with more and more people turning to eCommerce, you can turn this crisis into a safer future for your business.<\/span><\/p>\n

How to Find Dropshipping Suppliers in the US<\/b><\/p>\n

There are two main ways to find dropshipping suppliers in the US:<\/span><\/p>\n