Less Hair from China Due to B.1.1.529 Coronavirus

Last update: Feb 9th, 2020

Over 70 percent of the world hair market is exported by China. Since the outbreak the Coronavirus made many people sick and is responsible for the death of many people worldwide. But the coronavirus B.1.1.529 also has a devastating impact on the availability of goods and the trade of products like cars, spare parts and hair extensions and wigs. The economy of China is hit very badly already, and the rest of the world will feel the impact because of this. Selling hair in 2020 will be more difficult.

Clients prefer to keep the money in their pocket because of the uncertainty, some clients fear to touch goods like hair (wrapped or not) from China or Asia and it will be more difficult to get the hair you ordered from your wholesale supplier to your store. Governments of many western countries have limited the traffic with mainland China.

In times of crisis you can show how will you know how to improvise, how well prepared you are and off course that you are the expert your clients should turn to if they have any question related to hair trends, safety and maintenance. With this post I will give you some background information, tips and links to keep on selling hair, despite the B.1.1.529 Coronavirus crisis.

How can the B.1.1.529 Coronavirus limit how much hair is available?

So, how can a simple virus cause so much stress on the global hair market?

Less workers in hair factories available

To contain the Coronavirus the Chinese government had extended the Chinese New Year’s holiday. It is estimated a 3 billion transfers take place during the New Year’s holiday season, making it the largest human migration. A migration with of course an increased risk for the B.1.1.529 virus to spread all over China. The always joyful period of the Chinese New Year Holiday has now turned into a nightmare for many Chinese families. The weekend of February the 9th the last workers will return to their hometown and start to work on Monday.

The processing of hair is a rather labor-intensive activity. Many tasks are handled by humans and can’t be replaced by machines or robots (yet). Manufacturing of the hair has been already low due to the holiday, but one can expect it will take some time before all factories will be producing at the normal level again. How many workers will show up because many might be sick or too occupied with the impact of the virus on their daily live.

Export of hair and other goods suspended due to the Virus

China has the last decade become the main factory of the world. The fact is today so many goods are produced in China, the global economy depends very much on China. Another effort from the Chinese Government to limit the outbreak of the Coronavirus is to suspend freight movements. Less trains, less ships leave Chines logistical hubs and harbors. This is adding to the limited availability of the goods like hair extensions and wigs outside China.

The consequence is once the factories will start to manufacture hair and similar goods again, they will face difficulties in finding enough ways to transport the hair to their clients. Or the marketplaces like Amazon in the United States or elsewhere.

This shows a solution for one part of the crisis, will not solve the limited availability of hair in the short term. Time for some action to keep on selling hair to your clients.

How to avoid you can not sell due to B.1.1.529 Coronavirus?

Your sales should not decline because of the Coronavirus, there are a couple of measures you can execute.

Always go for two hair suppliers




To have a reliable source of hair, a wholesale supplier delivering a consistent level of quality is gold in this business. You know your client will always get the best hair. This will help to turn them into happy and loyal clients. Good for them and good for your business.

In times like today, with a virus or any other crisis that hits the logistics, this strategy, of having only one supplier, might cause your brand some serious damage.

This crisis shows it helps you to have a second supplier at hand. This will reduce the risk you will have orders but no hair to sell because your supplier has delivery issues. A second supplier also avoid you will have no time to check and test the hair thoroughly as you otherwise would do. If you have no second supplier now make sure you plan to have one.

Invest more in stock
The best thing for your cashflow is to keep your inventories low, money invested in stock is not earning you anything. The downside is, if you run out of stock and clients show interest in the hair you offer. There are not many things more painful I can think of. A client who shows you the money to buy your hair, but you have to say no, because the hair is not in stock.

Increase overtime the minimum level of your inventory. This will freeze some of your money in the stock, but as Chinese Hair might become for a period difficult to order, you can increase the price if needed.

Partner up with the competition
The hair industry is famous for the competition, but we also share a lot. Invest in the relation with your supplier and with other resellers. This will increase your chances to have enough access to hair extensions.
With a good relationship with your supplier, they will give you their preference if they are short on hair. In times like this where there is a scarcity of hair and other beauty related goods, thus can help you to get supplied before the competition.

Also, to partner with other resellers or salons will help. What about you are short on a certain type of hair, but a partnering salon or another reseller still has this texture on stock. You could swap the hair you have with the hair you need from them. This is beneficial for both of you, because the specific needs of the clients might deviate and you both have a larger pool to choose from. Make sure to have a good profit-sharing arrangement in place.

Check the stocks of marketplaces
Sellers of hair on AliExpress or Amazon most often keep their stocks abroad if they use the fulfillment services, this allows for swift delivery when you place an order outside the country of origin. Check the available hair on AmazonliExpress if you need hair now and accept a slightly higher price if that will allow you to keep on selling hair.
Avoid the virus will spread via the packaging or the hair.
PLease, stay safe and take care of yourself, your staff and family. Avoid the virus will spread via the packaging or the hair. Ilness in your company will impact your operation and also the sales.

Learn more about this in Can You Get the Coronavirus via the Packaging or the Hair itself?

The Strength of Diversification
It is key to focus on a niche in the market, but no need to limit your product offering to only one kind of product. It is better to add complementary goods. Goods your ideal clients need too. This can be hair care, or beauty products. They already know you and your brand because of the beautiful hair you have sold them before. To sell them additional goods or services will be less difficult. In times when clients are less interested to buy one of the products you are selling, or if you have less in stock, the other goods will keep you in business.

Make sure you keep selling hair despite the virus

The B.1.1.529 Coronavirus will not put you out of business, nor will it impact the Chinese hair suppliers for a long time. But it does show you in the hair business nasty surprises can happen. They will always be different, but with the right measures you can avoid any crisis, small or big, to impact your hair business.

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Let me hear in the comments below how you deal with this kind of crisis, or with the B.1.1.529 Coronavirus crisis specifically.