Get Your Dropshipping Business Ready for 2024 Chinese New Year

If you source products from China, it's crucial to understand the ins and outs of the Chinese New Year. The Chinese New Year will bring a halt to businesses across most of China.

But don't worry!

Here are some tips from DSers to help you prevent potential complications for your eCommerce and dropshipping business.

When Is Chinese New Year in 2024

This year's Chinese New Year will take place on February 10th. Similar to the Christmas and New Year holiday season in Western countries, suppliers in China usually take a week off to spend time with their families. Therefore, most manufacturers will shut down during this time.

This year, the public holiday in China will start from February 10th to February 17th, 2024. But keep in mind that some suppliers and manufacturers may extend their holiday a week earlier or later.

What to Do to Ensure Inventory and Delivery Time

By delving into detailed discussions with your Chinese suppliers, thoroughly assessing their working schedules, inquiring about inventory specifics, and communicating transparently with your customer base, you can fortify your e-commerce and dropshipping business against potential disruptions during the Chinese New Year.

1. Schedule Assessment

• Reach out to your sellers promptly and conduct a comprehensive assessment of their working schedules during the Chinese New Year period.
• Inquire about specific dates for their closure, reopening, and any potential delays in resuming full operations post the holiday season.
• Discuss the potential impact of their schedule on your supply chains, including order processing and shipping timelines.

2. Inventory Inquiry

• Request detailed information regarding the current inventory levels held by your manufacturers.
• Seek clarity on the types and quantities of products available in stock to understand how well-prepared your suppliers are for fulfilling orders during the Chinese New Year break.
• Inquire about any strategies or measures they have in place to mitigate potential inventory shortages.

3. Communication with Store Visitors

• Based on the accurate and detailed information obtained from your suppliers, craft informative communications to keep your store visitors well-informed.
• Specify the expected duration of delays, if any, and provide reassurance regarding the steps taken to minimize disruptions to the customer experience.
• Utilize various communication channels, such as email newsletters, pop-up notifications on your website, and social media platforms, to ensure widespread dissemination of this information.

Bonus Tips to Prepare for Chinese New Year

1. Change your product listings into a pre-sale status, a strategic move that sets the expectation for customers to anticipate a slightly extended processing time for their orders.

2. Temporarily hide products that are likely to experience notable delays from your customers, ensuring a smoother shopping experience.

3. After customers have placed their orders, send them friendly email reminders to keep them informed about potential delays.

4. Take the time to respond to customer inquiries about delays with patience and understanding, addressing their concerns and providing clear and helpful information to ensure a positive customer experience.

5. Being proactive yields better results than reacting after the fact. Take the initiative to inform your customers about any potential delays rather than waiting for issues to arise, ensuring transparency and maintaining trust in your business.

6. Leverage dropshipping tools like DSers and use its Supplier Optimizer feature to seamlessly identify and switch to a new supplier who will continue operations during the holiday period, ensuring a smooth and uninterrupted supply chain for your business.