Last night, I watched a documentary about Bob Ross who was the host of ‘The Joy of Painting’ for 31 seasons. He always spoke in a soft calm voice. I hope you read this letter in a soothing tone as well because it’s honestly difficult to paint a happy tree right now when it comes to the global supply chain. Currently, our entire industry is being stretched. This isn’t a Blezoo-specific thing, it’s an everybody thing.
Remember what happened in the Suez Canal when that sideways ship clogged the waterway? That’s a perfect analogy for the world right now.
You’ve probably encountered this in your personal life as well; materials have gotten more expensive, and there’s been a shortage of everyday items like cars and bikes. Promotional products and apparel have not been spared because people love swag more than ever before.
THE DAILY DRIP
My inbox receives daily updates from our suppliers and it has been a steady drip of price increases. Mostly due to the increased cost of materials and the cost of shipping containers. To give you an idea, not too long ago, it cost $4,000 to bring a container over from Asia, and now you see quotes of $20,000+. That additional cost gets baked into every product we consume, so it’s no surprise to see price increases. Believe me, our factories are fighting for Blezoo’s business, and for them to send a sweeping price increase means they are being pinched quite hard. No one likes to be the bearer of that type of news.
A NEW HOPE
The good news is that in a world of scarcity, those with an abundance mindset win. I’m here to tell you that at Blezoo, we live and breathe abundance, and have daily conversations about how we can best serve you. We know that the supply chain challenges will ebb and flow over the next year and will not be this way forever, and at the same time want to put you in the best position to succeed. Even if it means shooting straight and telling you that an item is out of stock or losing an order because we can’t deliver it in 2 weeks like we used to.
I wrote a blog post in June where I suggested how to handle supply chain issues, and I want to highlight 3 main ways we can help serve you:
#1) PLAN & ORDER (WAY) AHEAD
The time is now. If you have a need then a first-mover advantage is the most tried and true tactic. This has never been more true heading into Q4.
#2) BE FLEXIBLE
Our creativity can hit the bullseye in many different ways. If you’re flexible, we can get there, together.
#3) STOCK UP ON RECURRING NEEDS
Order more than what you need because if you have to reorder there might be a long delay.
To be honest, I only had time to watch half of that Bob Ross documentary last night and I don’t know how it ends. Just like I don’t know when these supply chain challenges will end or what will happen between now and then. All I know is that we’ll still be here, still sharpening our saw, and still strategizing how we can help you succeed in ANY environment.
I appreciate you.
With utmost sincerity, urgency & gratitude,
CEO, Blezoo
