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Why Everything Is Sold Out
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Why Everything Is Sold Out

How the pandemic broke online shopping

Amanda Mull
The Atlantic, 2020
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8

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Recommendation

Amanda Mull of The Atlantic untangles the United States’ supply chain in discussion with Steve Rowen of Retail Systems Research. COVID-19 caused disruptions in global manufacturing, creating havoc in the finely tuned domestic supply chain. This stems, in part, from “just-in-time” inventory practices that demand a constant flow of goods while reducing retailer risk and inventory. Absent a crisis, this method proved profitable – but not so in 2020. The pandemic decimated the workforce at factories that make, assemble, package and ship worldwide. For good or ill, most US consumer goods are now created half a world away. 

Take-Aways

  • The pandemic didn’t break the supply chain; it stressed a system of delicate balance.
  • Product availability issues begin with manufacturing, much of which stopped due to the rolling spread of COVID-19.
  • The ubiquitous “just-in-time” inventory bandwagon doesn’t function during disasters.

About the Author

Amanda Mull is a writer at The Atlantic.

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