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The Real Cost of a Late ETD & How to Change Strategy
Late Estimated Time of Departure (ETD) isn’t just a reschedule, it’s a real supply chain risk. It’s a no-brainer, if the ETD changes everything else does too. The warehouse doesn’t get the stock → stores are not ready with your product → your launch falls flat. In the apparel & fashion world, where customers expect more than ever, that kind of miss just doesn’t fly.
Let’s break down why late ETDs cause so much trouble and how to stop them before they do.
Why a Late ETD Hurt More Than You Think
Delayed Product Launches
In fashion, timing is everything. Miss your delivery window, and you miss the moment. That means lost sales, misaligned campaigns, and leftover stock that gets marked down too soon. You can’t pause a season if the goods aren’t there.
Inventory and Warehousing Issues
When orders don’t depart on time, goods can sit too long either at the factory or in your own space. That means extra holding costs, clogged storage, and off-balance inventory. While some stores wait for stock, others are overflowing.
Damaged Relationships
Trust is everything, late ETDs drop trust fast and your clients start to question your reliability. Delays don’t just cause stress, they weaken long-term relationships across your supply chain.
How to Prevent Late ETDs
1. Confirm POs Early
Delays often start with a late green light. Provide orders early so suppliers can plan properly and get suppliers to confirm orders on time. It gives everyone more room to breathe and fewer chances for bottlenecks later.
2. Track Milestones
Break each order into clear production milestones and provide your supplier with proper tools in order for them to keep you up to date. You’ll catch issues earlier, and still have time to adjust.
3. Keep Communication Tight
Keep communication with your suppliers tight. If a trim is late or a machine breaks, you want to hear about it before it becomes your problem.
4. Use One Source of Truth
If updates are scattered across emails and spreadsheets, something will get missed. Implement a platform that keeps your data up to date, order changes, and convos in one place.
Staying ahead of late ETDs doesn’t mean micromanaging every order, it just means keeping your process tighter, and more transparent. For more insights, read the Article: Fibre2Fashion - Avoiding Late Shipments
