Will The Coming Shipping Obstacles Bring The End Of Skateboarding?

During the late fall thru winter of 2020, the corona virus brought on major complications to the US shipping services and beyond. Major lags through Fed Ex, UPS and USPS created headaches and millions of dollars in losses over just a few months.

Due to the fear so many have about shopping in public stores, online shopping has reached record highs. I have spoken with many skate shops who, in the spring of 2020, were forced to open online stores to help survive due to the mandatory shut downs spread across the world. Some of those same shops in the summer of 2021 are now KILLING it in online sales. One local skate shop I spoke with actually had to shut down it's store last week due to the excessive online sales. Their online store sold so much that they were unable to keep up while servicing their walk in customers at the same time. They had over 100 orders come in over a single weekend. That's fantastic for that shop and I appreciate so many from all over the nation supporting a local skate shop rather than going to a corporate chain's online store.

But, what will the future of online shopping bring? For many small, local shops it has brought in added revenue. But, it can also bring problems. With the heightened retail sales of ALL types in ALL markets across the nation and for that matter, the world; countries like China who are world producers of THINGS, the shipping industry is barely hanging on. Due to the increased production of all products, including direct part replacements and materials, shipping from countries such as China has been forced to find was to increase movements in order to hold up to demands. Unfortunately, many of those countries are less free than the USA and while the production companies struggle to keep up, they are fighting against mandates and government ordered shut downs. For instance, according to CNN Business, the Ningbo-Zhoushan port just south of Shanghai has been shut down since August 11 due to a Covid-19 outbreak. This port is the third largest port in the world and the shut down had forced major shipping lines to adjust shipping routes and adjust the way they conduct business. In response to adjusting the way shipping is conducted, it appears that safety regulations have been sidestepped to try to keep up. In 2020, 3000 shipping containers were lost at sea and as of April 2021, 1000 for the year had already been lost. Add in the oil vessels sinking, shipping from overseas has not only had major logistical and economical impacts but major environmental impacts as well with the added tons of plastic and oils being introduced to our oceans.