What New & Expecting Mothers need to know about the current glpbal supply chain crisis

ABOUT THE WORLDWIDE SUPPLY CHAIN CRISIS

Lately there have been headlines in the news about shipping containers piling up outside of US ports, about shortages of truck drivers domestically and abroad [1]. There are also raw material shortages on basics needed for consumer goods like paper [2] and silicone— the material we use for our best-selling baby bottle nipples and many of our other feeding products!


A SUPPLY CHAIN CRISIS COULD LAST FOR A WHILE

All the various supply chain crises happening across the globe right now are all in one way or another related to unexpected economic changes caused by the pandemic. And in the long term, these issues will resolve. 


However, industry experts don’t know how long that could take, and some predict it may be 2023 before stability returns [3].

ABOUT THE WORLDWIDE SUPPLY CHAIN CRISIS

Lately there have been headlines in the news about shipping containers piling up outside of US ports, about shortages of truck drivers domestically and abroad [1]. There are also raw material shortages on basics needed for consumer goods like paper [2] and silicone— the material we use for our best-selling baby bottle nipples and many of our other feeding products!


A SUPPLY CHAIN CRISIS COULD LAST FOR A WHILE

All the various supply chain crises happening across the globe right now are all in one way or another related to unexpected economic changes caused by the pandemic. And in the long term, these issues will resolve. 


However, industry experts don’t know how long that could take, and some predict it may be 2023 before stability returns [3].

WHAT NEW & EXPECTANT PARENTS NEED TO KNOW

We don’t mean to alarm new or expectant parents, as we know that you have enough to worry about. But we do want you to be armed with up-to-date information to ensure that you’re able to purchase what you need to feel prepared for baby.


At Mason Bottle, we aim to provide parents with fact-based feeding information. In navigating the multiple crises occurring in consumer goods, our goal is to provide the same fact-based transparent approach. 


So we’ve put together this list of five recommendations for new and expectant parents navigating the current economic crises:

WHAT NEW & EXPECTANT PARENTS NEED TO KNOW

We don’t mean to alarm new or expectant parents, as we know that you have enough to worry about. But we do want you to be armed with up-to-date information to ensure that you’re able to purchase what you need to feel prepared for baby.


At Mason Bottle, we aim to provide parents with fact-based feeding information. In navigating the multiple crises occurring in consumer goods, our goal is to provide the same fact-based transparent approach. 


So we’ve put together this list of five recommendations for new and expectant parents navigating the current economic crises:

5 TIPS FOR NEW & EXPECTANT PARENTS NAVIGATING THE SUPPLY CHAIN CRISIS

1. BUY ESSENTIALS EARLIER WHEN POSSIBLE

Consumer advocate groups like US News and World Report have already recommended Americans get their holiday shopping done earlier due to possible stock outs in the next few months [4]. 


We would urge new and expectant parents to also think further ahead about purchasing pregnancy and baby essentials for the same reasons.

1. BUY ESSENTIALS EARLIER WHEN POSSIBLE

Consumer advocate groups like US News and World Report have already recommended Americans get their holiday shopping done earlier due to possible stock outs in the next few months [4]. 


We would urge new and expectant parents to also think further ahead about purchasing pregnancy and baby essentials for the same reasons.

2. IF YOU'RE HAVING A SHOWER, CONSIDER MOVING IT SOONER

Similar to #1, if you can get stocked up for baby sooner rather than later, it can provide extra peace of mind. Parents spend a lot of time researching big purchases like carseats, strollers, cribs, etc… The sooner you get these items, the more likely that your top picks will be in stock.

2. IF YOU'RE HAVING A SHOWER, CONSIDER MOVING IT SOONER

Similar to #1, if you can get stocked up for baby sooner rather than later, it can provide extra peace of mind. Parents spend a lot of time researching big purchases like carseats, strollers, cribs, etc… The sooner you get these items, the more likely that your top picks will be in stock.

3. WHEN PURCHASING EARLY, BE AWARE OF RETURN WINDOWS

At Mason Bottle, we accept returns at any time, regardless of when they were purchased because we know that baby doesn’t always arrive when expected. 


Some retailers, like Amazon, offer a Holiday Return Policy that allows for returns until January 31, 2022 on items purchased between October and December 2021. Other retailers may be offering similarly flexible policies due to the holidays or the current supply chain issues, so it’s worth investigating/asking about.

But most stores have standard return windows of 30-60 days. So be sure to weigh the benefits of knowing you’ll have what you need on hand vs. risks of not being able to return at certain stores.

3. WHEN PURCHASING EARLY, BE AWARE OF RETURN WINDOWS

At Mason Bottle, we accept returns at any time, regardless of when they were purchased because we know that baby doesn’t always arrive when expected. 


Some retailers, like Amazon, offer a Holiday Return Policy that allows for returns until January 31, 2022 on items purchased between October and December 2021. Other retailers may be offering similarly flexible policies due to the holidays or the current supply chain issues, so it’s worth investigating/asking about.

But most stores have standard return windows of 30-60 days. So be sure to weigh the benefits of knowing you’ll have what you need on hand vs. risks of not being able to return at certain stores.

4. PRICES MAY BE LOWER NOW THAN IN THE FUTURE

Currently many brands are seeing skyrocketing costs as supplies in shipping, packaging, and raw materials run low. This may mean that retail prices will rise on consumer goods as companies struggle to make ends meet while paying these higher costs. 


Experts are predicting fewer holiday deals due to low inventory [5], so know that it may be less risky to purchase now than to wait to see if any discounts are offered for BFCM.

4. PRICES MAY BE LOWER NOW THAN IN THE FUTURE

Currently many brands are seeing skyrocketing costs as supplies in shipping, packaging, and raw materials run low. This may mean that retail prices will rise on consumer goods as companies struggle to make ends meet while paying these higher costs. 


Experts are predicting fewer holiday deals due to low inventory [5], so know that it may be less risky to purchase now than to wait to see if any discounts are offered for BFCM.

5. BUY SECONDHAND

There are a few items that are best to buy new, such as carseats, but in this economic downturn, reusing and repurposing is a great way to save money and circumvent the supply chain crisis. This is also a great way to encourage the circular economy, shop ethically and reduce your environmental footprint. BabyList has published a great article on the ins and outs of shopping for used baby gear and tips on where to find used items [6].

5. BUY SECONDHAND

There are a few items that are best to buy new, such as carseats, but in this economic downturn, reusing and repurposing is a great way to save money and circumvent the supply chain crisis. This is also a great way to encourage the circular economy, shop ethically and reduce your environmental footprint. BabyList has published a great article on the ins and outs of shopping for used baby gear and tips on where to find used items [6].

WHAT MASON BOTTLE IS DOING TO NAVIGATE THE SUPPLY CHAIN CRISES

At Mason Bottle, we want our customers to have consistent access to the same high quality products and customer service we’ve always provided. Here’s what we’re doing to navigate the global supply chain crisis:

At Mason Bottle, we want our customers to have consistent access to the same high quality products and customer service we’ve always provided. Here’s what we’re doing to navigate the global supply chain crisis:

  • 1. We're making massive investments to stay in stock.

    We’re purchasing our glass jars, our silicone products, and our packaging in the largest quantities ever.

    As a small business, it’s expensive for us to purchase so much inventory at once, but we want to make sure our customers have what they need for their babies when they need it.

  • 2. Our biggest discount for the rest of 2021 is 15% off. Learn why.

    With all the investments we are making to stay in stock in the near term—and to continue as a business for the long-term—we cannot offer our customary discounts for the rest of 2021.

    We don’t want customers to be left wondering whether a better discount will be available for Black Friday or Cyber Monday. So we’re publishing our best discount code right here for the rest of 2021 to give customers transparency and the ability to plan purchases further ahead: 


    For 15% Off: use the code TAKE15 at checkout


    *Not valid for our First Year Feeding Subscription, which already has both 20% off and free shipping discounts built in as perks of membership.

  • 3. We are guaranteeing supply for First Year Feeding Subscribers.

    If you are a member of our First Year Feeding Subscription, we can guarantee that none of the products you need for your baby’s first year will go out of stock. The reason we are able to do this is that when someone subscribes, we are able to plan our inventory 2-9 months in advance, and can set aside stock for those orders we know are coming.

    If you see that the First Year Feeding Subscription is out of stock, that means we’ve already hit our capacity to meet that guarantee. We recommend locking in subscription now, as it’s easy to cancel or delay shipments at any time.

  • 4. Our commitment to product quality and customer service hasn't changed.

    Since we are purchasing larger quantities of our products from the same manufacturers, we want our customers to rest easy knowing that the quality of our products will not be changing. We are still offering the same, sturdy, non-toxic & chemical free products we always have. 


    We also want our customers to know that we are available 24/7 to assist in answering any questions or concerns. You can access our 24/7 live chat via the "Live Chat" button in the bottom right corner or email us at care@masonbottle.com.

If you would like to purchase any of our products, you can view our entire collection of Mason Bottle products here. 

If something is showing as "Out of Stock" we encourage you to subscribe to Back In Stock notifications. That way, you will be notified when we add more stock to the store and can make your purchase then. 

SHOP HERE

If you would like to purchase any of our products, you can view our entire collection of Mason Bottle products here. 

If something is showing as "Out of Stock" we encourage you to subscribe to Back In Stock notifications. That way, you will be notified when we add more stock to the store and can make your purchase then. 

SHOP HERE

References

[1] Egan, Matt. (2021) “The Global Supply Chain Nightmare is About to Get Worse” CNN Business. Available at: https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/12/business/global-supply-chain-nightmare/index.html (Accessed: 13 October, 2021)


[2] Yap, Chuin-Wei, Boston, William, and MacDonald, Alistair. (2021) “Global Supply-Chain Problems Escalate, Threatening Economic Recovery. Wall Street Journal. Available at: https://www.wsj.com/articles/supply-chain-issues-car-chip-shortage-covid-manufacturing-global-economy-11633713877 (Accessed: 13 October, 2021)


[3] Yergin, D & Tirschwell, P. (2021) “Op-Ed: Supply Chain Delays Won’t be Easily Fixed and Trouble will continue into next year” CNBC.com Available at: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/01/supply-chain-delays-wont-be-easily-fixed-and-trouble-will-continue-into-next-year-commentary.html (Accessed: 14 October, 2021)


[4] Williams, Geoff. (2021) “3 Reasons to Start Your Holiday Shopping Now” US News & World Report. Available at: https://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/spending/articles/reasons-to-start-your-holiday-shopping-now (Accessed: 13 October 2021)


[5] Dickler, Jessica. (2021) “How to Tackle Holiday Gift Buying with Fewer Deals and Low Inventory” CNBC.com.  Available at: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/10/06/how-to-tackle-holiday-gift-buying-with-fewer-deals-and-low-inventory.html (Accessed: 13 October 2021)


[6] “Used Baby Gear: Everything You Need to Know” (2020)

BabyList.com.

Available at:

https://www.babylist.com/hello-baby/used-baby-gear

(Accessed: 14 October 2021)