1. Impact on Factory Production
Pre-Holiday Slowdown
As the holiday approaches, factory workers begin returning to their hometowns. Production capacity gradually decreases, lead times extend, and cut-off dates for new or customized orders arrive earlier than usual.
Temporary Production Shutdown
From early February through late February, many factories suspend production entirely. During this period, domestic supply movement tightens and restocking without prior planning becomes difficult.
Post-Holiday Recovery
After the official holiday, factories do not return to full capacity immediately. Workforce restaffing and backlog processing mean production remains constrained into late February and early March.
2. Impact on Shipping
Many sellers assume that Chinese New Year causes major international shipping disruptions. In reality, the logistics impact is generally limited and manageable, especially when inventory has been prepared in advance.
- Customs offices, airlines, and logistics providers observe public holidays
- International logistics networks do not completely shut down
- Shipment delays are typically limited to 3–5 days
While minor delays are normal, logistics disruptions are far less severe than production and inventory shortages.
3. Impact on Agent Capacity
The effect of Chinese New Year on fulfillment largely depends on the capacity, experience, and responsibility of your fulfillment agent.
Professional and Well-Prepared Agents
- Plan inventory and fulfillment in advance
- Communicate timelines and risks clearly
- Coordinate factories, warehouses, and logistics
- Maintain continuous fulfillment during the holiday
With inventory prepared in advance, sellers working with professional agents typically experience minimal delays.
Inexperienced or Under-Prepared Agents
- Lack capacity planning
- Fail to communicate before the holiday
- Pause fulfillment without notice
This often results in fulfillment interruptions and prolonged delivery delays.
AplusFulfill’s Recommendations for 2026
- Plan and forecast early using historical sales data
- Identify key SKUs and stock inventory in advance
- Star production no later than mid-January
- Confirm logistics schedules during the festival period
Why AplusFulfill’s Support Matters
- Advanced inventory planning
- Warehouse preparation and storage
- Continuous fulfillment during CNY
- Factory and logistics coordination
- Reliable customer support
With the right preparation, sellers can protect both sales performance and customer experience during Chinese New Year.
Chinese New Year 2026 is approaching, bringing with it one of the most predictable — yet often misunderstood — seasonal changes to China’s supply chain. Also known as the Spring Festival or Lunar New Year, this period affects factory production, inventory availability, and fulfillment operations for several weeks surrounding the official holiday.
To help sellers navigate this period with confidence, AplusFulfill has developed a practical Chinese New Year stock-up and fulfillment plan tailored for e-commerce and dropshipping businesses. In this guide, we explain the real impact of the holiday and how you can protect your inventory, orders, and sales performance.
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