In an ideal world Coronavirus will aid ecommerce by providing quarantined individuals more time to do some feel good retail therapy. In a likely world, consumers panic and posts start popping up on forums questioning whether their packages will be contagious and deadly.
Amazon’s movers and shakers show how consumers are responding to news of the virus. In both the USA and the UK the sale of surgical face masks are trending. If you’re a seller of health goods, business will be booming. If you’re a seller of non-health stuff why not throw some surgical face masks in your online store?
Due to Coronavirus, China have rapidly become quarantine central and major manufacturing cities are at risk of becoming part of that quarantine. If this happens, plants and production will likely begin slowing down and delays in shipments are inevitable. Although it shouldn’t affect Amazon directly (yet) it could affect third-party sellers who sell on any marketplace.
Thankfully the virus missed some of the major sale points at the end of last year but right now the best thing you can do is communicate affectively with consumers and suppliers to know exactly what is happening and how it might affect business.
Unfortunately, as the virus is not of the zombie kind, we are still unable to use Amazon Lumberyard on life critical or safety critical systems. The service terms state:
“this restriction will not apply in the event of the occurrence (certified by the United States Centers for Disease Control or successor body) of a widespread viral infection transmitted via bites or contact with bodily fluids that causes human corpses to reanimate and seek to consume living human flesh, blood, brain or nerve tissue and is likely to result in the fall of organized civilization.”
– AWS Service Tems
News about virus outbreaks may be worsened by hearsay and be wary of misinformation.
One Response
I was at a trade fair yesterday and some of the companies their have been told to expect big delays in getting their goods as some factories start to close because of it.
If this thing gets out of control you can expect to see many more closing and then there is the issues with getting good sout the country… how long before carriers start stopping accepting goods?
Sounds bad….. but that is because it could get very bad. I’m hoping it won’t come to that…. But making plans already as already we have had an email from a Chinese supplier saying that although they aren’t affected yet, part of their supply chain has been and they will keep us advised as to any delays.