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April's
Articles for Giftware News:
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Mercury in Retrograde...
The Week of August 13, 2007
(And we are waiting for it to pass!)
Shipping is little talked about, but a key component of business
success. Nobody knows better than the gift and textile industry
what seamless shipping and on-time deliveries can mean to the
success of a business. A good traffic agent, a trustworthy broker,
firm relations with freight forwarders and Mercury rising earn
their worth many times over.
There are many discussions on the value of "Just-in-Time" deliveries—and
this thinking is certainly the leading trend in the garment industry.
Think Zara—the trendy Spanish apparel company who turns around
product in a question of weeks. Practically speaking, this should
help the cash flow—with goods paid for only seconds before
going on the shop floor.
Still, there is also something to be said for padding deliveries
to accommodate the vagaries of…well, Mercury?
Early this shipping season, we had sea freight leaving the port
of Mumbai in India—our vessel was late reaching us because
another vessel was damaged and needed help. Our ship went to the
rescue of the crew and brought them to yet a third ship. It was
interesting to see that the origins of the three vessels represented
countries of three different religious majorities—Hindu,
Muslim and Christian—"Hey," we laughed [delivery was still
on time], "Global collaboration, and we are in the middle of it!"
Why is everybody having wars? We have experienced that this is
not how the world is working. We are helping each other!
That was delivery one.
Delivery two—we weren't chuckling quite so much when we heard
that a second container leaving the dry dock in Delhi and transiting
to Mumbai met with a road accident—container damaged—goods
off loaded and restuffed. As they say, net, net—we missed
the boat.
Delivery three—a shipment destined for our Montreal office
could not be loaded in Mumbai due to monsoon storms and high seas.
Finally, late, the cargo ship chugs its way to Halifax. From Halifax—that
beautiful Eastern seaport in Canada—the custom-cleared goods
move to the rail system and head west. Montreal-bound, our little
container was making its way to us—we were already counting
the tiny knitted sweaters and pretty back-to-school dresses for
little girls. Oh—the first fall window we were thinking—get
to the moms when they are still on holiday! [I know I always bought
my boys their new fall clothes while hanging out in the Laurentian
Mountains, North of Montreal—admiring the first store windows
full of corduroys and plaids.]
Seriously, when was the last time you heard of a train derailment?
Well, guess what? There was one last week—somewhere in the
hinterlands of New Brunswick—a bear, a moose, a flock of
Canada geese—we still don't know—derailed a train and
caused the halting of our container to Montreal.
From complaining about the heat, I went to being thankful for
the steamy temperatures in New England and along the Great St.
Lawrence Seaway. If only I could turn one cotton camisole into
three—I thought.
Delivery four—well, there had to be a fourth, right? This
one didn't have anything to do with the weather—or rescues,
or accidents. I think of it as human error—I guess if Mother
Nature gets to make mistakes, well, people do, too. Our goods—waited
by us with held breath [really, stocks were dwindling in both
a satisfying and a frightening way] —were finally en route
to Burlington, Vermont, from New York—that is until we got
a phone call from Indianapolis telling us our product was sitting
in a warehouse there!
The cartons apparently were switched at the destuffing center—which
I now know as the CFS—Container Freight Shipment Center.
[That is really something I didn't want to know.] Luckily for
us—honest folks in Indianapolis spotted the mistakes, and
after many phone calls and more than a few palpitating hearts,
the goods are again Burlington bound.
Hallelujah—here comes the teal shawl, collared sweaters,
the nutmeg jacket, the tweedy pants, the black dotty dresses—just
a few wheel turns away—they are almost here.
If you are wondering about Mercury—when it is in retrograde—that
is when the planets are unaligned. It's not a good time to set
sail—put that in your shipping calendars.
Which brings me to my next project—inserting a month between
July and August—I could use the holiday and the goods—and
the oceans and the storm clouds obviously need the time.
Remember, when the moon waxes, set sail. When the moon wanes,
check for gales.
From a safe harbor,
April Cornell
Burlington, Vermont |
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