Ordering before Chinese New Year? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: rt
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 21, 2015, 08:30:53 am
content: How far before the New year shutdown do you look to order from Chinese suppliers (aliexpress, dx, etc)?New Year is Feb 19th this year I believe.rt

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 21, 2015, 03:01:56 pm
content: Depends on how long it normally takes for you to receive stuff. It's rarely more than 2 weeks for me, so I'd order anything I wanted before the end of January.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 21, 2015, 09:55:14 pm
content: Depends what you're ordering, as there is a pre-CNY rush. Anything that needs making (e.g. PCBs) can be risky as corners can be cut getting it out before shut-down

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 21, 2015, 10:17:40 pm
content: Totally agree with Mike on this, I would get your orders in now. China pretty much closes for two weeks for anything that needs making, much like the Western world does over Christmas and New Year.I already placed a few orders that are on longer lead times last week preempting the inevitable delays. The first year I did manufacturing being parochial I never realised the impact it can have to schedules, it is part of the baptism of fire.

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 22, 2015, 02:46:51 am
content: Quote from: Howardlong on January 21, 2015, 10:17:40 pmIts traditional for many activities to resume on the 15th day of the new year. The people building our house, for example, will stop on New Year's Eve and resume on the 15th day of the new year. A lot of factory work is the same. Most people get at least a week off.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 22, 2015, 09:50:21 am
content: Quote from: coppice on January 22, 2015, 02:46:51 amI'm told that a problem is that a lot of factory workers go home to their home towns/villages but many don't come back, so restarting after the holiday can be slow as they have to find & train new staff.

author: rt
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 22, 2015, 10:09:48 am
content: Thanks for the feedback.Normally we haven't had any issue with deliveries with orders going in up to 2 weeks before CNY. Shipping by courier hasn't been an issue as it is out of the country in a couple of days.The current situation involves a client being slow to confirm quantities so we are wondering how close to the wire we can go!As Mike said the issue is often with the restart time after new year and we don't want to be down to the wire in early March looking to get a rush order when the factory is not re-opened properly.The risks of a non-local supply chain.rt

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 22, 2015, 10:25:32 am
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on January 22, 2015, 09:50:21 amThat's true, especially for factories in Guangdong, but things will restart after the 15th day of the new year, even if output is down.If migrant workers are getting fed up with being so far from their families, a home visit is the time they are likely to give up and stay there. The cost of living in Guangdong has risen enormously in recent years, but migrant worker's pay hasn't. Even on their break days its hard for them to go out and have fun, as everything is so expensive to them in the community outside their dormitory. Staying home must look very attractive, even if there are no jobs there.

author: Corporate666
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 23, 2015, 05:23:03 am
content: I would suggest asking your supplier directly. I remember a year or two ago trying to be smart about it and placing an order 2 weeks before CNY with 10-day processing, only to be told that they were closing a week earlier to do some upgrades/equipment maintenance, and they were booked for 2 weeks solid anyway with all the companies ordering before CNY and I'd have needed to get my order in 3 weeks prior to get it done in time.