The Steady Rise of Supply Chain Issues

Whether it’s new shoes or a desk, everything seems to be taking ages to be delivered to our doorstep. Why? Three words: supply chain issues. Peaking at the beginning of the pandemic and gradually getting worse, companies have struggled to produce and ship products, despite going on three years since life was more “normal”. When the pandemic hit, factories were either forced to shut down or had to drastically cut back on production due to staff being home sick or in quarantine. This has caused considerable snowball effects, especially now with people returning to work, university, etc. 

When it comes to furniture supply chain issues, this has been quite a unique case. Once the pandemic hit, orders for furniture didn’t stop, like purchases for vacations did. In fact, they began to rise, as the population became sheltered at home, eager to make changes to their interior decorating or simply incorporate more office furniture into their homes since they were now working from home. After initially shutting down factories and stores, the pandemic sparked demand for goods as home-bound consumers funneled stimulus money into shopping sprees rather than trips and dining out. These stressors have also been heavily felt by interior designers, because delayed furniture means delayed payment.  Shortages of various raw materials, transportation issues and labor shortfalls are leaving many businesses in a pinch, and sometimes just completely out of luck. The crisis is prompting some businesses to get creative in how they move their products - changes that should make it easier to deal with future setbacks, such as another twist in the pandemic. So, how does Waddell come into play with supply chain issues? And how are we still showing up for customers in this uncertain time? 

Setting the Bar Higher

As a family-owned company, Waddell has strived and succeeded in keeping the way we do business close to home. Our time-honored traditions have stayed the same, resulting in quality products made with sustainably sourced and ethically made materials – all right here, in the USA. Because we’ve held this standard as a cornerstone of our mission, here at Waddell we feel thankful that we’ve been able to dodge a major outcome from the pandemic: shipping and supply chain issues. 

With most companies experiencing shipping issues, we are thankfully leading the industry with our superior lead times, which have been a great help in getting what you ordered to your door in a satisfactory time. With all of our nuts and bolts coming from American soil, we are still able to produce quality pieces without relying on international export, as many businesses are currently. 

With a plethora of benefits to buying American made products, here are a few reasons why we hold ourselves to this standard and continue to choose crafting our display cases in this way, even when other paths could be more convenient.

• • Lower damage rates - ever ordered something you were really looking forward to receiving, only for it to arrive broken or damaged? Us too. Thankfully, Waddell has the lowest damage rates in our industry, and our products arrive to standard. All of our products are shipped in our worry-free packaging, all of which is custom molded to each product to ensure they protect your purchase. And if for any reason they don’t, we expedite them out and replace them.

   

• • Products made with higher quality materials - high-quality materials speak for themselves, and we choose materials that stand the test of time (also meaning less chance of getting damaged in transit) while bringing a beautiful touch to your space.

   

• • Not as impacted by supply chain issues - because we are made in the USA, the products we ship don’t have as many stops to make before making it to your door. Instead of making multiple hand-offs in multiple locations, shipments that go to and from the USA arrive to you in a timely manner. This is especially convenient for designers, dealers and builders, all of whom typically work with tight turnaround dates for projects and assignments.

   

• • You support local - the pandemics effect on international trade has made buying local more important than ever. By purchasing products made in the USA, you are keeping your dollars close and supporting American jobs. Jobs are created or retained, and with the pandemic, supporting local jobs creates a meaningful ripple effect that is felt in many homes across the country. Additionally, supporting local businesses has less strain on the environment.

    

• • Increases demand for local products – by purchasing American-made, you create a demand for it. The boost of supporting domestic business creates and encourages more exports. Local business owners often have incentive to support other local businesses, patronizing local establishments for both business and personal reasons. Chain businesses, on the other hand, tend to get their supplies from corporations, as well as having store managers and employees that aren’t as personally invested in buying local.

   

Our Commitment Going Forward

The big question for many companies is how all this complexity can be handled, particularly in terms of design, planning and execution. These challenges are new in many respects, so past experience cannot be relied upon to generate solutions. In times like this, Waddell strives to lead the pack, and continue to create and deliver for our customers. Staying resilient and adaptable to the ever-changing world has been the conduit for us to make great products, and while we know the era of predictable unpredictability isn’t going away any time soon, we are taking it as a reminder to continue to seek out the option that brings the most good for you and for us.