No one saw the pandemic coming and once it arrived few anticipated the far reaching impact it would have on global supply chains.Nearly 97 percent of companies have been impacted by supply chain issues caused by COVID-19, according to the Institute for Supply Chain Management.Sifting through the chaos of the past year - and watching the current situation unfold - several key supply chain stress points are clear.Logistics ShortagesFrom carriers to warehouses, the logistics sector is reveling in surging rates but is struggling with equipment shortages. More than 50 percent of air freight is transported via cargo holds of passenger planes, where capacity has plummeted. Shipments awaiting transportation, plus an overall surge in e-commerce, has led to unprecedented shortages in warehouses. It’s also taken its toll on labor. The growing demand for warehouse workers and transportation staff (particularly drivers) was initially driven by e-commerce, but was heightened during the pandemic where a combination of rising e-commerce demand. Workers in these areas have been under unrelenting stress trying to keep up with grueling schedules, while also being ‘frontline workers’ with greater health risks.Further, the shift to e-commerce has meant moving more small parcels to a wide variety of destinations versus bricks and mortar, where fewer large shipments are delivered to either distribution centers or stores.Solutions:Amazon and others are trying to increase the use of robotics in warehouses.Greater reliance on 3rd party logistics providers (3PL) who can create international or domestic networks amongst multiple services. This provides more flexibility and agility.Supply-side UncertaintyA strong demand for imported consumer goods is having to square off with uncertain supply as most key manufacturing nations (outside of China) wrestle with new spikes in COVID cases. While nations such as the UK, the US and much of Europe have high levels of their populations vaccinated, much of Asia has not been vaccinated, leaving them vulnerable to new outbreaks. The result is ongoing spikes in new COVID cases that prompted intermittent lockdowns across the region. The COVID crisis in India has left brands scrambling to shift production out of the country. Adding to the tension, the February coup in Myanmar and the issues surrounding Xinjiang cotton in China have left brands juggling resources in effort to get orders produced.Solutions:The push to more diversified and agile supply chains has been accelerated by the pandemic.Although brands were looking to shift out of China, the nation has proved that it is not only fast and efficient - it is also resilient.Working with manufacturers who have factories in multiple nations is becoming more important.Uncertain Buying PatternsThe traditional peak seasons and low seasons have shifted to erratic buying that became a never ending peak season on the back of surging consumer demand in key Western markets. While many analysts expected that spending on goods would slow as the services sector (especially entertainment and travel) reopened, for now spending looks set to remain strong. However, as we’ve seen, that could easily change.Solutions:This has resulted in brands looking to develop collections that are transeasonal. Many brands are reducing their number of SKUs.Accelerate digital technology to shorten lead times.