As local governments institute “shelter in place” policies and items continue to disappear from grocery shelves, the news that Amazon is suspending shipments of non-essentials to its warehouses sounds alarming.
After all, we’ve become accustomed to buying anything we need on Amazon and having it in our hands quickly, often within a day. And in the locked-down world that we live in now, online shopping is one of the few things we can do.
But don’t panic. You’ll still be able to order that air fryer or pair of sneakers. And if you’ve already ordered a yo-yo, Amazon will not cancel your order.
So take a deep breath and continue browsing electronics and books as you hunker down in your home. You just may have to wait longer for certain items as warehouses run out of stock, or sellers who offer products on the e-commerce giant’s platform ship products themselves.
However, those who sell products on the e-commerce giant’s platform, face some real challenges from the warehouse restrictions.
Let’s review the facts as we know them.
Amazon warehouse changes in response to COVID-19: A reality check
Amazon is implementing new warehouse restrictions in an effort to address shortages of essential supplies as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The changes are in effect through April 5.
Here’s what an Amazon spokesperson told us:
“We are seeing increased online shopping and as a result some products such as household staples and medical supplies are out of stock. With this in mind, we are temporarily prioritizing household staples, medical supplies and other high-demand products coming into our fulfillment centers so we can more quickly receive, restock and ship these products to customers. We understand this is a change for our selling partners and appreciate their understanding as we temporarily prioritize these products for customers.”
Amazon said it’s accepting products that are already on their way to its fulfillment centers. The new policy, which applies to both sellers and vendors, took effect Monday.
Feeling the pinch
The company reportedly notified its vendors and sellers on Tuesday that it would only accept shipments of essential items to its fulfillment centers through April 5. Items deemed essential include baby products, household items, groceries, and pet supplies, according to Reuters.
Amazon sellers who offer products that don’t fall into the essential category face the potential of being unable to restock if their products run out in the warehouses.
However, they still have the option of delivering the products themselves. Amazon sellers, unlike Amazon vendors who sell wholesale to the company, use Amazon’s systems to sell, stock and deliver their products.
The changes come as merchants of all kinds struggle with the economy fallout from the pandemic.
Considering the vast number of Amazon sellers – Reuters says third-party sellers account for more than half of the sales on Amazon – there are a lot of individuals and businesses who will be impacted by the new warehouse restrictions.
How this plays out is a continually-evolving storyline, and there’s no doubt the world awaits the answers.
