Order Early to Avoid Price Increases
The COVID-19 pandemic has created a global crisis that has affected every aspect of daily life. Not only has it taken a devastating toll on our personal lives, but it has had a dramatic impact on businesses and the economy.
Even as things are slowly beginning to improve, new challenges continue to make it difficult for businesses to plan and move forward with predictability and confidence. Unexpected events, like the severe winter storms in Texas and the stranding of a giant cargo ship in the Suez Canal, have led to major disruptions in the supply chain. As this affects the flow of raw materials and finished goods, it is leading to shortages of both – here in the U.S. and around the world.
Combined with an existing scarcity of supplies due to pandemic lockdowns and restrictions, as well as rising energy and feedstock costs, the result is escalating prices. Although we are not predicting gloom and doom, consumers can expect to start seeing prices rise across a wide range of goods and services.
Vendors are Implementing Surcharges and Price Increases
Some of Traffic Safety Direct’s vendors have already implemented surcharges or price increases on items like paint products and steel sign posts. However, we believe this broad-based inflation will be affecting almost every commodity. From plows and plastic products to bollards and signs – we anticipate that the majority of our products will be affected in some way.
And there may be more increases to come. For example, products made with steel may be at one price now, but there could be substantial increases down the road. The only questions are exactly when this will happen and how much of a price hike we will see.
Protecting Customers from Rising Prices
At Traffic Safety Direct, providing optimal customer service includes working hard to keep our prices competitive. Needless to say, we are monitoring this situation closely as it impacts a variety of our core product lines. For instance, steel is used for essentials like our wide selection of u-channel, round and square sign posts, as well as our traffic-stopping, concrete-filled security bollards.
Rest assured that we are doing everything in our power to offset these increases to our customers. Purchasing prior to price hikes and stocking up on our most popular products now will allow us to continue to offer the lowest prices possible for the longest period of time. However, it is important for you to be aware of the situation, particularly if your business involves quoting on jobs. Use caution when quoting prices on any long-term projects and be sure to account for potential increases.
Stock Up Now to Save Money and Avoid Delays
While it may be difficult to plan ahead, keep in mind that as the fear of higher prices grows, the demand for these products usually skyrockets as consumers rush to beat the increases. Due to the volatility in raw material prices and uncertain availability, this can result in even longer lead times and more severe shortages.
If you anticipate needing a specific product for a planned summer project, order early to avoid the risk of a delay. It would also be wise to consider ordering larger quantities than you currently need to save money.
If you have questions or concerns about the pricing and availability of any of our traffic safety products, contact the Traffic Safety Direct team. We value your business and greatly appreciate your ongoing support as we work through this difficult time.