This article will look at some of the implications of Panic Buying on the retail supply chain. These implications include higher costs, difficulties in sourcing, and inconsistency in inventory management. In addition to the impacts on retail supply chains, this article highlights some of the factors that should be considered when assessing Panic Buying. Read on to learn more.
What is Panic Buying?
Panic buying is a phenomenon that affects consumers, causing them to buy large amounts of a particular product in a short period of time. It can occur for a variety of reasons, including a time-sensitive issue, disruption in production, or an unexpectedly low price. The situation can also be exacerbated if a manufacturer or retailer announces a limited-time sale or discontinuation of a product. Because panic buying is a consequence of a shortage, retailers must try to keep stocks at the highest price possible, which is usually a price that carries negative consequences for the supply chain.
When panic buying happens, it causes a shortage of household goods. Many consumers buy toilet paper and other toiletry items out of sheer panic. A Tennessee man recently bought 17,000 bottles of hand sanitizer, hoping to sell them for a profit. Other products affected by panic buying include groceries, household goods, and health and personal care products. For example, rice and canned meat sales have increased by more than 50 percent in the US since the beginning of the year.
As the number of Coronavirus cases increases, more households start to panic buying. Managing the retail inventory in such circumstances is extremely difficult. To address this problem, retailers may restrict the number of items a consumer can buy, in order to avoid hoarding. In addition, retailers may limit the number of items they sell per consumer to keep prices under control. However, there is a delicate balance between the demand of panic buyers and the supply of products.
Panic buying is not a permanent issue. While it causes short-term supply shortages, it can also cause longer-term problems. This causes retailers to scramble to meet demand and ramp up production. This reactive response can lead to an excessive inventory problem in the long term. So what is the solution to panic buying? In short, a smart supply chain visibility tool can help retailers avoid the negative effects of panic buying.
Difficulty in Sourcing
The supply chain of retail businesses is suffering from a Difficulty in Sourcing due to Panic Buying. While major retail brands and distributors have better supply chains than smaller ones, small businesses must balance the demands of panic buyers with the needs of casual consumers. Luckily, there are some progressive ideas that can help alleviate this problem. Read on for some of them.
The retail supply chain starts with procurement. Most retailers identify the needs of their customers and order products accordingly based on historical data. However, in times of crisis, panic buying can cause unwarranted shortages of products. Furthermore, the supply chain is impacted because retailers are forced to over-order in fear of stock-outs. This cycle leads to more over-ordering, which further compounds the problem.
The negative effects of panic buying can be widely varied. While some consumers can’t purchase items because shelves are empty, others may get into debt due to the panic buying frenzy. However, it’s important to understand that over-buying also negatively impacts supply chains and warehouses. Larger retailers may have more control over their supply chains than smaller businesses, but this can negatively impact the overall profitability of the retail industry.
As a result of the recent Panic Buying, more companies have been forced to increase prices. For instance, when the price of a product drops, consumers often go on a buying spree. These purchases aren’t always necessary, but they can still cause problems in the supply chain. Moreover, consumers often go into panic mode if there’s a chance of a shortage or price increase.
Inconsistent Inventory Management
Panic buying occurs when consumers buy large quantities of a product, often out of fear of shortage or price increase. Recently, the Coronavirus outbreak prompted millions of people to begin stockpiling essentials. During such times, online shopping has increased significantly, and retailers and manufacturers face challenges in keeping shelves stocked and the supply chain efficient. Government officials have warned consumers against hoarding and have assured them of enough supplies. However, panic buying disrupts the retail supply chain, making it difficult to plan ahead.
Although the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a spike in sales of non-perishable household goods, it is still not clear whether the situation has caused panic buying. According to Nielsen data, panic buying has been reported in a number of industries, from newspapers and magazines to grocery items. However, panic buying has also been linked to price gouging. This can negatively impact relationships with consumers.
While shortages have caused havoc across the globe, it is important to keep a lid on prices. The effects of shortages are affecting retail sales, especially for basic goods. Goods arriving from the pandemic zone cost more, and shoppers are hoarding. The first wave of the pandemic is expected to hit in spring 2020, but the worst part is that retailers will have to sell these products at a higher price than usual to make up for the depleted stock.
Despite the increasing difficulty of implementing the solutions for this problem, the retailers are looking for other ways to meet this challenge. These include implementing more sophisticated inventory management systems. Costco is one such company, but it has not yet implemented them. As a result, it is unlikely that the company will see any significant improvement in its inventory management system. If this happens, the entire supply chain could be hampered, resulting in instability and higher costs.
Higher cost of Logistics
Panic buying, also known as over-stocking, is a common trend among consumers who fear a shortage or price increase. This phenomenon has hit the retail supply chain particularly hard this year when millions of people began stocking up on essentials in the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak. In addition to putting pressure on traditional retail stores, online shopping has also increased substantially, causing significant delivery issues. While government officials have warned against hoarding, the surge in demand is still causing a strain on supply chains.
Because of the widespread effects of this trend, it is hard to pinpoint the exact causes of the spikes and resulting in permanent increases. The global disruption has made it difficult to identify increases in “normal” logistics costs. Moreover, the supply of trucks, ships, and containers must stabilize before they can be increased by standard increments. As a result, panic buying in the retail supply chain is a blight on the retail supply chain.
The global supply chain is already suffering from massive disruptions due to increased demand, supply shortages, and transportation delays. Global manufacturing activity has slowed down because of the pandemic, and container and worker shortages are straining transportation capacity. Shipping from Asia to the United States now takes twice as long as it did before. Meanwhile, retailers are scrambling to replenish the inventory they depleted during the pandemic in preparation for the holiday season.
In Australia, there is a recent example of panic buying. In some cases, the media plays a major role in how consumers perceive the availability of goods. As a result, they react to such reports by buying in excess. Panic buying can lead to price gouging and damage relationships with consumers. It is therefore vital to be prepared for unexpected situations and make plans that anticipate this influx.
Lack of Visibility
The recent disruptions in the retail supply chain demonstrate the importance of real-time data aggregation and transparency. While visibility is crucial to sense and respond to a crisis, it isn’t enough to actually change the physical supply chain. As a result, retail businesses must rely on smart supply chain visibility tools to keep pace with a chaotic market. Without proper data aggregation, a lack of visibility in the retail supply chain can lead to costly mistakes.
In the recent panic buying crisis, panic buying has driven consumer behavior. As news reports spread about the lack of petroleum in gas stations, consumers are frightened into buying more products than they actually need. While these situations are rare, they have the potential to create unrest. Planning ahead becomes more complicated and unpredictable when the consumer is unpredictable. Lack of visibility in the retail supply chain due to panic buying is a significant contributing factor to poor inventory visibility and increased delivery times.
While the panic buying phenomenon can cause short-term supply shortages, more often than not, it can affect the entire supply chain. For instance, the lack of visibility in the retail supply chain can lead to long-term disruptions, which are more difficult to remedy. Panic buying has also led to a rise in online shopping for essentials, which has further hampered the visibility of the entire supply chain.
As a result of panic buying, the retail supply chain suffers major swings in inventory. The sudden demand magnifies as it moves upstream. Empty aisles are a direct impact on the customer, while lack of visibility makes it difficult for retailers to replenish inventory quickly enough to meet the demand. Panic buying also puts tremendous strain on the supply chain, as manufacturers and distributors scramble to decide how to allocate inventory.
