Due to the recent and rapid spread of Wuhan coronavirus, you are highly likely to have heard about the new infection identified in Wuhan, which is the capital city of Hubei province in China.
Because of the epidemic, there are lots of Chinese cities under quarantine, which causes warehouses, postal services, and other organizations to shut down temporarily.
We have written this article in order to explain what you need to do if you are running a dropshipping business and more specifically, dropshipping from China.
One of the biggest concerns is if the Wuhan coronavirus could be transmitted via parcels
The coronavirus, can’t survive on objects and surfaces for a long time.
It’s mainly passed from person to person, since the virus has to find a carrier.
China is a well-known major exporter of goods, valued around $2.0 trillion in 2018. So it’s definitely understandable that some people are concerned about items that might be carrying the virus which has now infected more than 40,100 people nationwide.
WHO (World Health Organization), has commented on the case concerning the Wuhan coronavirus, and informed the people from other countries that they should not be worried about a potential infection with the virus from delivered package. In their statement, they’ve mentioned that the packages from China do not constitute a danger for other people. The coronaviruses can’t live on a surface like letters or parcels for a long period of time.
Also, recently China post stated that all parcels from Wuhan will be undergoing an additional process of decontamination. For more detailed information, please contact the official organizations. So far this has included steps such as placing lockdowns on Chinese cities, temporarily shutting down public transport – including airports, train stations, closing factories, and restricting travel to certain areas.
We are hoping that this situation will be resolved as soon as possible, so no other people will be exposed to the threat of the virus.
I'm a dropshipper. What should I do?
Since almost all warehouses, had to shut down temporarily, we recommend you to take actions in advance in order to avoid disappointing your customers and prevent any potential damage to your account.
With many manufacturing and logistics facilities shut temporarily, we recommend you to prepare for delays and take that into account before continuing to take orders. It is a good idea to check with your supplier, but assume that your items will not be shipped promptly.
If you have current orders that you think that might not be fulfilled, we recommend you to contact the customers and inform them of the situation.
Dropshipping and Coronavirus - How to act?
So if you’re a dropshipper, you should adapt your business to the undergoing situation concerning the Wuhan coronavirus.
Since we have already understood that 2019-nCoV is not dangerous to your customers. Then how it can affect your business? Currently, most production and logistic facilities in China are renewing their operations, which is why business owners might have experienced delivery delays.
Here are some things that you have to take into consideration in order to avoid the potential negative effects that the coronavirus might do to your dropshipping business.
1. Contact your suppliers
First, contact the dropshipping suppliers you are dealing with. It’s recommended to seek for an explanation regarding the recent events. If they are not operating as usual, you can ask them when they are planning to go back to their official work schedule or if they are familiar of other suppliers that are able to provide you with similar products.
2. Contact your clients who have pending orders
We all know that customer service is a key to a successful dropshipping business. If you are aware of some potential delays, make sure that you contact the buyers and inform them of possible postponed deliveries. Even though it’s understandable, there could be some unhappy clients, but just remember to keep it cool and remind them that you could always issue them a refund if the transaction hasn’t gone as expected.
3. Look for the suppliers who have warehouses in Europe or US
Another good idea is to look for other dropshipping suppliers who have operations in other countries apart from China. In that way you will be able to avoid considerable delays and hopefully, cut the delivery time.
To sum it up
We have already found out that the Wuhan coronavirus is not dangerous for people receiving orders from China. In such cases it’s crucial to remain cautious about your business and take the necessary actions in order to protect any potential damage that the undergoing situation might cause to your business and clients.
