Lunar New Year: what eCommerce brands need to be ready for
The Lunar New Year is one of the key seasonal events influencing global trade. Celebrated widely across Asia, including China, Vietnam, South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia, it creates multi‑week slowdowns that ripple across manufacturing, logistics and online retail. For global eCommerce brands, the 2026 Lunar New Year, with its extended shutdowns and capacity constraints, will present familiar yet intensified challenges.
With factories reducing activity ahead of the holiday, labour shortages affecting logistics operations and surging demand for freight capacity, businesses must prepare to safeguard stock availability, delivery performance and achieve customer satisfaction.
Key dates in China
- Late January 2026: factories begin slowing production; workforce departures increase.
- Early–mid February 2026: ports operate with reduced capacity; logistic providers experience pressure.
- 17 February 2026: Lunar New Year.
- 17–23 February 2026: official public holiday period with significantly reduced operations.
- Late February – mid March 2026: gradual resumption of normal logistics and factory capacity; operational delays may persist some weeks.
- 3 March 2026: Lantern Festival marks the formal end of the Lunar New Year cycle and marks the return to full activity.
Manufacturing shutdowns begin weeks before the holiday
Reports show that Lunar New Year pressure historically causes substantial spikes in air and ocean freight rates, driven by limited capacity and heightened demand. Ports experience congestion prior to the official closure period and again once operations resume, when accumulated backlogs meet reduced workforce availability.
As a result, transit times become unpredictable, cross‑border eCommerce fulfilment experiences delays and logistics networks face reduced operational efficiency.
What this means for eCommerce operations
Production downtime of two to four weeks, paired with extended recovery periods, can cause inventory shortages and prolonged restocking delays. Lead times may extend 4–6 weeks, especially for brands relying on single‑country sourcing. Industries most affected include consumer electronics, textiles, toys and automotive parts.
Air freight in particular experiences reduced capacity and flight cancellations due to seasonal pressures. In the weeks before Lunar New Year, surging eCommerce demand forces many brands to push shipments forward, contributing to air cargo constraints and slower fulfilment.
Also, peak‑season surcharges, higher spot rates and limited freight availability lead to increased shipping costs across major Asia–Europe and Asia–North America routes. These cost increases can significantly impact profit margins for cross‑border eCommerce sellers.
Preparing your eCommerce supply chain
- Forecast demand early: plan inventory 6–8 weeks ahead, especially for seasonal items.
- Increase buffer stock in fulfilment centres: maintaining inventory within regional hubs (EU, UK, MENA, US, or APAC) ensures faster last‑mile delivery.
- Communicate with customers: transparent communication builds trust, especially when encountering delays due to upstream disruptions.
How Noatum Logistics eCommerce Solutions can help you
We know that Lunar New Year disruptions are not just seasonal, they represent a critical operational challenge for global eCommerce. Our team is equipped to help brands navigate this demanding period with resilience and agility with:
- Strategic inventory and demand planning.
- Global fulfilment network.
- Flexible multimodal transport solutions.
- Real-time visibility and data insights.
- Experts in key Asian markets.
Lunar New Year holiday schedules vary across countries, which can impact supply chains and delivery timelines. Connect with us to understand regional differences and ensure your eCommerce logistics are planned seamlessly!
Sources
https://incrementumdigital.com/blog/ecommerce-news/how-does-chinese-new-year-2025-affect-shipping-impact-factories-factory-closures-dropshipping/
https://wpic.co/blog/china-ecommerce-calendar-key-festivals-holidays/
https://resilinc.ai/learning-center/white-papers-reports/resilinc-special-report-chinese-new-year-2026-supply-chain-forecast-and-preparedness-report/
https://ctl.mit.edu/news/chinese-new-year-and-its-impact-global-supply-chain
