China Shipping Crisis | Toy retailer The Entertainer is urging consumers to get their Christmas shopping early

With shipping from China reaching a crisis point that has seen costs skyrocket to all time highs amid a shortage of containers within the global supply chain, the UK’s independent toy retailer, The Entertainer is making its message to the consumer clear.

Costs, shortages, and delays have hamstrung companies across the industries worldwide in recent months, and analysts suggest that the crisis is likely to continue into 2023, with rumbles of legal redress against shipping companies, and allegations of ‘cartel action regarding freight rates’ thrown in.

And while the world reels from the activity – brought on by a pandemic that saw shipping ports operating at reduced staff levels, causing delays on shipments, coupled with a buying boom from consumers spending online – the high street toy retailer The Entertainer is urging its customers to complete their Christmas shopping early once again this year, in order to avoid disappointment.

The call echoes those made by the retailer at the mid point of 2020, when online shopping surged in the midst of lockdowns and restrictions. Now, however, with all remaining restrictions due to be lifted across England by next week and as The Entertainer encourages families to make Christmas 2021 ‘better than ever’, it issues the warning to get those orders in early, as the toy industry navigates its latest logistical headache.

Gary Grant, founder and executive chairman of The Entertainment issued the call out to shoppers this week.

“There are lots of brands that we’re excited about for Christmas 2021, including PAW Patrol, following the movie this summer, and CoComelon, Super Mario, LOL Surprise, Barbie, and Bluey,” he said.

“But the shipping crisis in China is causing uncertainty as to what will be available and when. So above all, we urge our customers to shop early for Christmas this year to avoid disappointment.”

Earlier this month, the vice president of the Taiwanese branch of DB Schenker, a major player in supply chain management and logistics solutions said that global shipping reliability was at an ‘historic low.’

Antoine Bouin of Schenker Taiwan, said: “Empty container shortages are worsened by port congestion in Europe and the US, and recently, by China’s Yantian port backlog. Port congestion, berthing delays, flow imbalances and the slow return of empty containers have caused shipping lines to skip some of their regular trips and pushed global shipping reliability to an historic low.”

China Shipping Crisis | Toy retailer The Entertainer is urging consumers to get their Christmas shopping early

With shipping from China reaching a crisis point that has seen costs skyrocket to all time highs amid a shortage of containers within the global supply chain, the UK’s independent toy retailer, The Entertainer is making its message to the consumer clear.

Costs, shortages, and delays have hamstrung companies across the industries worldwide in recent months, and analysts suggest that the crisis is likely to continue into 2023, with rumbles of legal redress against shipping companies, and allegations of ‘cartel action regarding freight rates’ thrown in.

And while the world reels from the activity – brought on by a pandemic that saw shipping ports operating at reduced staff levels, causing delays on shipments, coupled with a buying boom from consumers spending online – the high street toy retailer The Entertainer is urging its customers to complete their Christmas shopping early once again this year, in order to avoid disappointment.

The call echoes those made by the retailer at the mid point of 2020, when online shopping surged in the midst of lockdowns and restrictions. Now, however, with all remaining restrictions due to be lifted across England by next week and as The Entertainer encourages families to make Christmas 2021 ‘better than ever’, it issues the warning to get those orders in early, as the toy industry navigates its latest logistical headache.

Gary Grant, founder and executive chairman of The Entertainment issued the call out to shoppers this week.

“There are lots of brands that we’re excited about for Christmas 2021, including PAW Patrol, following the movie this summer, and CoComelon, Super Mario, LOL Surprise, Barbie, and Bluey,” he said.

“But the shipping crisis in China is causing uncertainty as to what will be available and when. So above all, we urge our customers to shop early for Christmas this year to avoid disappointment.”

Earlier this month, the vice president of the Taiwanese branch of DB Schenker, a major player in supply chain management and logistics solutions said that global shipping reliability was at an ‘historic low.’

Antoine Bouin of Schenker Taiwan, said: “Empty container shortages are worsened by port congestion in Europe and the US, and recently, by China’s Yantian port backlog. Port congestion, berthing delays, flow imbalances and the slow return of empty containers have caused shipping lines to skip some of their regular trips and pushed global shipping reliability to an historic low.”

Industry caught in Suez Canal block; KAP Toys calls on ‘Leviosa spell’ to lift Harry Potter Sorting Hats

The toy industry is among the hundreds of global businesses to be caught up in the Suez Canal as the beaching of the container ship Ever Given runs into its fourth day, with suggestions that a solution could be weeks in the taking.

Officials at the scene have deliberated plans to move the vessel, a container ship that has run aground on the sand banks of the 250 meter wide canal, that include removing the cargo, oil and water from aboard the ship in order to lighten its load.

The suggestion made by the Suez Canal Authority as it works a plan to refloat the ship and resume traffic on one of the world’s key trade routes, could take a matter of weeks to complete.

The 220,000 tonne, 400 meter long vessel currently has 13 ships behind it. At least 150 ships in total have been delayed by the blockage, the canal service provider Leth Agencies said, including ships near Port Said on the Mediterranean Sea and Port Suez on the Red Sea.

Among the hundreds of containers stacked aboard the ship and the thousands of businesses now impacted by the blockage is the UK’s own KAP Toys who currently has a 40-foot container of Harry Potter Sorting Hats aboard the vessel.

KAP Toys’ managing director, Nathaniel Southworth, told ToyNews: “If there are plans to lift the cargo off the ship I’m sure the Wingardium Leviosa spell would be the Hogwart’s recommendation! We just hope for everyone affected that normal service is resumed and impacts kept to a minimum.

“Whether this delay will result in stock shortages we just don’t know but we want it sorted because it is one of our best sellers and Harry Potter fans love their Sorting Hats.”