Chinese New Year: What It Means When You’re Ordering From China
Chinese New Year (also called Lunar New Year) is China’s biggest holiday of the year. It’s a time when millions of people travel home to be with family — and because of that, factories, warehouses, and offices across China shut down or slow way down.
For anyone ordering products from China, it’s an important date to keep in mind.
So what actually happens?
Around Chinese New Year:
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Factories stop or slow production
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Workers leave early and return late
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Emails and approvals take longer
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Shipping and logistics get congested
Even though the official holiday lasts about a week, the disruption can last several weeks before and after.
What does this mean for your orders?
If you’re ordering goods from China:
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Orders placed close to Chinese New Year may be delayed
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Shipping space becomes harder to secure
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Transit times can be longer than usual
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Prices may increase due to demand and limited capacity
In short: things still move, but much more slowly.
How to avoid problems
A few simple tips:
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Order earlier than usual
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Don’t rely on last-minute production
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Expect delays if shipping during or right after the holiday
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Build extra time into your plans
The bottom line
Chinese New Year happens every year, but it still surprises a lot of people. If you plan ahead, it’s easy to manage. If you don’t, it can mean delays and frustration.
Knowing the timing — and preparing early — makes all the difference.
