Online merchants are bracing for operational disruptions and delivery delays after the National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for the East Coast. Not only are sellers concerned about disruptions in shipping and delivery, but with the kind of storm expected, power outages lasting days or even weeks are not uncommon.
Sellers on the East Coast may wish to put their listings on hold prior to the storm, and sellers elsewhere may wish to treat East Coast orders with caution over the next few days.
Sellers discussed the possible impact of the storm and how they should prepare for it in several industry discussion boards. Some Amazon sellers advised placing listings in “inactive” status before the storm.
AccuWeather said “Impacts from the powerful storm will be felt all across the Northeast and into portions of Canada, but the worst of the storm is expected to focus on the area from New York City to Boston to Portland, Maine. The blizzard will unload heavy snow and winds howling past 35 mph.”
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio used Twitter to warn people not to drive into the city on Monday – “Even if the skies are clear in the morning, do not drive in New York City tomorrow. Expect roads to be unsafe by evening.” He also used YouTube to get the message out, warning there could be up to 3 feet of snow.
New York Governor Cuomo urged commuters to consider staying at home on Monday. Officials in other states also issued warnings to residents.
What are you doing to prepare? Comment on the AuctionBytes Blog.
