I’ve noticed that there have been a number of SPD delivery delays with many FCs. Seems like Amazon can’t handle the load so UPS is just holding on to the shipments longer. Stuff that normally is checked in 2 days after shipping is now taking a week and half or longer. As to be expected at this time of year but for me, it wasn’t this bad the last few years.
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Amazon went out of their way multiple times to put a hard line in the sand (October something) for the last inbound of Q4. Shifting associates out of receiving and into customer orders. Two other issues have surfaced since:
- Amazon made the wise move to reconfigure some of their logistics facilities in Q4.
- Apparently, many facilities are way beyond their capacity. I have a feeling that isn’t all that true but due to the reconfiguring, the excess space they normally have isn’t available this year.
IDK if any of you noticed this but the limits for Dec were cut back once they were confirmed from where they were just the week prior. Another reflection of either full facilities or delays in the reconfiguring.
As for the UPS holds - Certainly a thing. They have been doing this for a couple years when things or tight.
We shipped our last shipment at the end of Sept to get us through the end of Jan with a min of 65 days left at that time. Needed to buy some capacity to achieve that but it worked well and was cheap (Under $150). Bidded for the Sept excess capacity very early on and got it for 80 cents a foot total.
This is the first time we have done anything like this and I have a feeling every year will be more challenging than the last in this regard.
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I remember that, and I did just that. Ate a crap ton of storage utilization fees for October. It’s down significantly in November but still at 22.9 weeks. It looks like I will get hit with that again in addition to peak storage rates. I’ll know in a few days.
I didn’t know the extent of the reconfiguration. But it figures Amazon would kill itself by not having the necessary space. I suspect it is to boost the use of AWD. But that’s just me and my conspiracy theories.
I noticed. Not happy, but I do not need as much space as they are giving me.
I still haven’t done that.
I concur.
For a number of items that were dud this year, I sent them to liquidations a few days ago. Hopefully, this will help bring me under 22 weeks for storage utilization, but I’m not holding my breath.
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I’d submit that your supposition is rather more than a mere conspiracy theory, as it so closely fits the facts on the ground (link, SAS).
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I have to admit, I was surprised at my latest SPD shipment to FBA. Shipped in mid-November; books I had recently sourced, including several diet and self-help books (good sellers for the New Year), so I wanted to get them in now to make sure that they were available by January.
Not only was it delivered next day, it was received on the second day, and all but a couple went live as fully available (you can buy it and get it tomorrow, etc), as opposed to the normal 3-5 week lag before delivery dates get right.
It might have to do with it being a FC I’ve never shipped to before; not sure if it’s new or not, but obviously not a cross-dock distribution hub. Also seems like it’s mid and west that are really backed up, so perhaps shipping to PA made a difference.
I just wish it could get consistent, so that we know what’s going on. Not so bad for me (I ship whenever I get books to send; no real planning), but I have to imagine that for people such as ASV or others selling fast moving items, it’s a nightmare.
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Did you run out of product or were you okay?
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Nah, it was one of 20+ pallets. But thanks for your concern.
I was just talking itshay to everyone at the office how incompetent Amazon is and how their receiving is broken, their return system is broken and an employee comes in and yells JACKPOT!!!
We did a quick huddle, and gave this gem to the employee with a 13 year old who gets straight A’s.
It says is has an RTX3060 in it, so I hope they have extra cash for a Steam gift card this holiday season for this young overachiever. 
Best Kubota steering wheel assembly ever! The morons at Amazon did not even open the customers return, as it still had the original Kubota packaging on the outside but had a PC box inside.
This is much better than the time they sent us back a set of collapsible silicone kitchen funnels (which I used recently) instead of orange lights from a BX tractor.
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Last week was 3 pairs of shoes instead of a wheel bearing set. Good job FBA, but next time send size 13, 11 and 9.5 in men’s sizes and no tan ever.
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Well, it looks like Yonkers, NY might be backed up. Shipment delivered almost a week ago and nothing after that.
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