Global Supply Chain Crisis 2021: Megathread - A cozy thread for watching the supply chain fall apart just in time for the holidays

[veri]

Retail workers near me look sadder than usual. Asking them questions has them about ready to jump out of their skin.

there’s always been a discussion as to whether retail or foodservice is worse. i think one of the reasons why grown adults have no grasp on how the jobs work is that when a customer asks a dumb question the worker is just expected to give the nicest and most vague answer possible. if you explain the problem in a way a 5 year old couldn’t understand you run the risk of being complained about or asked even more questions. that or if possible you’re expected to bend over backwards to meet whatever specific demand the customer has.

“the customer is always right” is taken too literally and leads to this impatience and entitlement as well. i genuinely think that because of this mindset there are people out there who cannot imagine the idea of a store or restaurant running out of something. they think you can just call in a delivery or replenish empty stock in minutes. you’re not allowed to tell them they’re being unrealistic though. you just have to apologise no matter how much they get mad or insult you.

 

[T0oCoolFool]

Friend works at walmart. We were talking about shortages. She said that the shortage of items is only part of the problem. She said the reason why so many shelves are empty at her walmart is because they literally do not have enough staff to get it out of the backstock area and onto the shelves. She said there were shelves that stayed empty for days simply because they don't have enough workers.

Also, she said that pickup orders are taking priority and that's just making things worse. Also said several people have gotten fed up and simply walked off the job.

My local facebook group is in a tizzy because the local schools have discontinued items due to food shortages. No more chicken sandwiches, idk what else is gone but apparently everyone's mad because now school lunch sucks more than usual.

Again, I live in the South.

 

[Billy Beer]

Britfarmers:

If you're as autistic as me you may have noticed that the 4 pint milk bottle bottles have felt a bit flimsier lately. Well, I've just now (literally just now) come back from cleaning up a milk spillage in my fridge. I wiped away the milk etc, then squeezed the milk bottle to find out where the leak is coming from. The wierd thing is, the bottle kept the pressure, as if there was no cut or slice.

Upon closer inspection, and as mad as this sounds, because it got me scratching my bonce, but the milk is 'seaping' out of the bottom. There is no cut or tear. Squeezing the bottle doesn't make milk spray out fast or reduce the pressure in the bottle. So, it's one to be aware of.

Silly bollox here has stopped taking receipts from supermarkets because of getting in to a bad habit with covid "do you want a receipt" raather than giving me one by default. Always keep those receipts baby.

 

[mr.moon1488]

Friend works at walmart. We were talking about shortages. She said that the shortage of items is only part of the problem. She said the reason why so many shelves are empty at her walmart is because they literally do not have enough staff to get it out of the backstock area and onto the shelves. She said there were shelves that stayed empty for days simply because they don't have enough workers.

Also, she said that pickup orders are taking priority and that's just making things worse. Also said several people have gotten fed up and simply walked off the job.

My local facebook group is in a tizzy because the local schools have discontinued items due to food shortages. No more chicken sandwiches, idk what else is gone but apparently everyone's mad because now school lunch sucks more than usual.

Again, I live in the South.

I recall a while back someone posting a video where a lot of Goodwill locations are now having to put unsorted boxes out for sale for flat rates. It was apparently for the same reason.

Here's the video, but I can't find the original post.

This was from a year ago so it seems like the worker shortage is a problem that is slowly getting worse.

 

[Maurice Caine]

Why is this happening again? São Paulo is kind of falling apart right now and I suspect this might be one of the untold reasons.

 

[Zbk3VmLfujjzjxBd43tL]

Calling it now, the next "Great Resignation" will be a lack of people willing to do retail. Middle-age Americans are among some of the most entitled, scummiest, insufferable customers to deal with- particularly when they can't get their way/their preferred product on demand. If the current system has stressed truckers and waiters to the point of mass-resignation, the stress on stores is only going to lead to nobody wanting to stock empty shelves during the winter season. Hell, Walmart may even pave the way by firing half their employees since they won't have as much product to stock shelves with in the first place.

We could actually see widespread grocery store automation by 2031 at this rate. If you've ever worked retail, you know that the average store is full of do-nothing, redundant jobs where easily 30-40% could be automated (probably more, but corporate has a conservative mindset on that). Whichever chain automates first is going to be posting huge earnings with what they'll save on labor costs. Even a chain like K-Mart could rise from the dead by embracing automation in this environment.

Now the interesting part is what they'll do in the meantime since most store automation aside from the self-checkout is pretty much in the prototype stage. How high will the wages be for working retail? It's already looking actually decent for once, even accounting for inflation.

 

[Honka Honka Burning Love]

Also, she said that pickup orders are taking priority and that's just making things worse.

This is true, Dougie is so erect over the thought at "COMPETING" with Amazon he is actively harming the company at store level. On an average day there are more people fucking around with Online Orders than there are in any other part of the store and the Store management are Not Allowed to pull them from that area to help do basic shit.

Oh and for extra special fun, the Online Aspects are so horrible and shoddily designed that I give away hundreds Dollars in Gift cards a Day for mistakes that get made by the Online Division.

 

[teriyakiburns]

We could actually see widespread grocery store automation by 2031 at this rate. If you've ever worked retail, you know that the average store is full of do-nothing, redundant jobs where easily 30-40% could be automated (probably more, but corporate has a conservative mindset on that). Whichever chain automates first is going to be posting huge earnings with what they'll save on labor costs. Even a chain like K-Mart could rise from the dead by embracing automation in this environment.

Now the interesting part is what they'll do in the meantime since most store automation aside from the self-checkout is pretty much in the prototype stage. How high will the wages be for working retail? It's already looking actually decent for once, even accounting for inflation.

And oh look, here's Amazon with a ready-made and tested system for store automation. Just sign on the dotted line and don't be surprised when you end up paying through the nose a year from now.

 

[Stoneheart]

She said that the shortage of items is only part of the problem. She said the reason why so many shelves are empty at her walmart is because they literally do not have enough staff to get it out of the backstock area and onto the shelves. She said there were shelves that stayed empty for days simply because they don't have enough workers.

Thats the reason why they couldnt compete on price in germany. Aldi can stock their normal sized supermarkets in an hour.

 

[teriyakiburns]

Thats the reason why they couldnt compete on price in germany. Aldi can stock their normal sized supermarkets in an hour.

And they can do it with a fraction of the staff as well. I think Aldi are the only place that hasn't had a staff shortage in the UK, because they never have more than four people working in the building at any given moment.

 

[Stoneheart]

I think Aldi are the only place that hasn't had a staff shortage in the UK, because they never have more than four people working in the building at any given moment.

They also pay pretty well and they mostly hire internally. you can start at a cashier at aldi and become middle management all on company dime.

 

[Agent Abe Caprine]

Plastic santa will be the reason most shit isn't on a shelf.

Never trust a serial home invader.

No more chicken sandwiches

Considering how bad the patties used in schools are, for the best. They barely taste like chicken.

 

[Fomo Hoire]

Lindt USA custom Truffle boxes are missing some flavors that I don't think are seasonal flavors. I'm not sure what the full flavor list is supposed to be, but I don't see Cappuccino, anymore. Matcha seems to only be available in the giant 800pc crates.

 

[contradiction of terns]

Why is this happening again? São Paulo is kind of falling apart right now and I suspect this might be one of the untold reasons.

The supply chain crumbling is the result of many bad decisions made by many people, both in places of power and in wagie cagies. I can give you a longer, more autistic answer, but only if you really want me to.

 

[Knight of the Rope]

I can give you a longer, more autistic answer, but only if you really want me to.

Yes, give us the long-winded autistic answer, please.

 

[contradiction of terns]

View attachment 2591843

Yes, give us the long-winded autistic answer, please.

Oh Jesus, well, ok, I mean, you asked for it, so don't be angry.

This was the inevitable end point of the Covid restrictions. If anyone didn't see what was happening like 3 days in (when Trump declared it a National Emergency, and yes, I mean officially started, not when @Drain Todger has been telling us it started) and expect the pipes to clog, IDK what to tell you. Hell, Covid restrictions are still part of the problem; are we not seeing this in everything from doctors in NY quitting to the humble but noble truck drivers saying 'Fuck off with that shit'?

I was going to talk about the current protests in Las Vegas anyway because it was cool, but it works perfectly here, so let's frame this in the context of that. There are currently regular protests in Las Vegas and the casino workers want two things which are actually the same thing. They are asking, much like the truckers, for the mask and vaccine mandates to be lifted. I honestly didn't think I'd see the day when the indignity of it all reached critical mass, but there you have it. Nobody wants this shit except the journoscum (and some of them seem to be starting to question whether they really want it, IMHO), the politicians, and the rich people. In this case we'll define wealth by income brackets and whoever here thinks they're rich, lol, hate to tell you, you're still in the wrong bracket with us poors unless you're Satan himself, Bill Gates, in which case press S to spit, I guess.

We need a full lifting of restrictions and lockdowns ASAP, and for the journalists to admit it's just a super gnarly cold/flu and fuck off with the vaccination shit. I say this as someone who has been vaccinated for everything known to man and if your political opinions get in the way of this for some reason, then your political opinions are dumb. This is about 'do you want to starve or not', and I don't know about you guys, but I'm not willing to give my life for the Rs or the Ds.

Immediately lifting restrictions, encouraging employers to drop all requirements other than 'can you reliably clock in and do the job', maybe getting the National Guard out to the ports to help, and a few other things could still reverse this, but if it's allowed to death spiral it's gonna be bad, and I say that as someone who is not inclined to doom-posting. Like, please look around the site and you will see I am generally rainbows incarnate. Consider that I'm still saying "It could be fixed!"

So, there you go.


Edited for typos. Also, this prediction is US specific. Sorry.

 

[Kendall Motor Oil]

there’s always been a discussion as to whether retail or foodservice is worse. i think one of the reasons why grown adults have no grasp on how the jobs work is that when a customer asks a dumb question the worker is just expected to give the nicest and most vague answer possible. if you explain the problem in a way a 5 year old couldn’t understand you run the risk of being complained about or asked even more questions. that or if possible you’re expected to bend over backwards to meet whatever specific demand the customer has.

“the customer is always right” is taken too literally and leads to this impatience and entitlement as well. i genuinely think that because of this mindset there are people out there who cannot imagine the idea of a store or restaurant running out of something. they think you can just call in a delivery or replenish empty stock in minutes. you’re not allowed to tell them they’re being unrealistic though. you just have to apologise no matter how much they get mad or insult you.

Know a guy who worked for Walmart and Costco since the virus. It has been a lot more stressful the past year and a half with labor shortages. Apparently Costco is worse in terms of entitled customers due to the higher income demographic and the fact that you pay a membership. Those customers constantly cause problems for stockers and complain to managers over the slightest thing. You are expected to be a punching bag because managers are too scared to tell rude customers to leave. It seems Costco corporate would rather fire employees who stand up for themselves than tell customers to not abuse employees. They'll tell you to wear a mask and call the police on you for not doing so but won't defend an employee when a customer is abusing them.
Walmart, like most retail establishments, has the worst people promoted to management. The shortages and virus rules seem to have pushed enough people over the edge to just stop working for them. We all know retail managers won't do the work.

"I know you have some in the back."
"Nigger, do I need to explain what just-in-time shipping is to you? There is no back."
"I want to speak to your manager."
Maybe it's a sign of the decadence we find ourselves in and how there are entire groups of people who haven't suffered inconveniences.

---

Immediately lifting restrictions, encouraging employers to drop all requirements other than 'can you reliably clock in and do the job',

They can't find enough "warm bodies" to put on the factory lines in this area due to poor pay, poor treatment, poor hours, and now unemployment insurance. Like mentioned above, the virus just widened the cracks. If the vaccine mandates are enforced, it may get worse here. This area went from economic boom to stagnation due to broken supply lines and virus restrictions. The mask and testing policies are causing a lot of stress and exposing the disconnect between upper management and workers. I am told stories of petty managers using the virus as an excuse to be abusive towards workers they have grudges against.

 

[contradiction of terns]

Know a guy who worked for Walmart and Costco since the virus. It has been a lot more stressful the past year and a half with labor shortages. Apparently Costco is worse in terms of entitled customers due to the higher income demographic and the fact that you pay a membership. Those customers constantly cause problems for stockers and complain to managers over the slightest thing. You are expected to be a punching bag because managers are too scared to tell rude customers to leave. It seems Costco corporate would rather fire employees who stand up for themselves than tell customers to not abuse employees. They'll tell you to wear a mask and call the police on you for not doing so but won't defend an employee when a customer is abusing them.
Walmart, like most retail establishments, has the worst people promoted to management. The shortages and virus rules seem to have pushed enough people over the edge to just stop working for them. We all know retail managers won't do the work.

"I know you have some in the back."
"Nigger, do I need to explain what just-in-time shipping is to you? There is no back."
"I want to speak to your manager."
Maybe it's a sign of the decadence we find ourselves in and how there are entire groups of people who haven't suffered inconveniences.

---

They can't find enough "warm bodies" to put on the factory lines in this area due to poor pay, poor treatment, poor hours, and now unemployment insurance. Like mentioned above, the virus just widened the cracks. If the vaccine mandates are enforced, it may get worse here. This area went from economic boom to stagnation due to broken supply lines and virus restrictions. The mask and testing policies are causing a lot of stress and exposing the disconnect between upper management and workers. I am told stories of petty managers using the virus as an excuse to be abusive towards workers they have grudges against.

Dude, it is embarrassing it has to be said, but it's time to sing kumbaya and figure out how to all get on one side of these issues. And I mean that as a general-state-of-things remark.

Jannies and middle management get the bullet.

Edit: In Minecraft only.

 

[Kendall Motor Oil]

I don't think that's possible with the massive amount of propaganda and a society separating into multiple economic levels. Going from wagie to white collar in a blue collar family was quite eye opening. The amount of dehumanization I see from white collars making six figures toward blue collars and service workers is astounding.
You have some "well off" people giddy at the thought of blue collar people dying or being financially ruined by the virus and the policies created from it.

 

[contradiction of terns]

I don't think that's possible with the massive amount of propaganda and a society separating into multiple economic levels. Going from wagie to white collar in a blue collar family was quite eye opening. The amount of dehumanization I see from white collars making six figures toward blue collars and service workers is astounding.

Well, if Evergrande actually does sink the stock markets, then you can welcome Depression 2: the catfood boogaloo, because you're staring down the barrel of a Dustbowl level event as far as America's breadbasket is concerned.

I mean this in the sense of 'if the farmers can't afford to farm, or are going broke or losing their farms, or if the big meat companies go under.'