At GICS we offer a vast and extensive range of over 30 000 products from Tactical Gear, Clothing, Uniforms and Holsters to the latest Airsoft products. While we do our best to ensure we have adequate stock of the most popular products, it is unfortunately impossible for us to keep stock of all products all of the time.
With this in mind we have put together a brief explanation of how our ordering cycle works and the process which can be expected when placing a Special Order or Back Order with us.
Our Stock Ordering Cycle:
While we try to stick to regular ordering intervals with our suppliers, it is not always possible to predict when we will be ordering from a given supplier as there are many influencing factors. These include:
1. How much stock we have on hand at the time.
2. What stock the supplier has on hand at the time.
3. Manufacturer production cycles.
4. What backorders we have from relevant suppliers.
5. Even the time of year can play a deciding role when a specific supplier order is placed and the resultant lead time until we receive the goods.
As distributors of many leading international brands, when buying directly from the manufacturer, we are often subject to minimum stock order quantities. As a result, smaller orders are often neither possible, nor feasible.
With the above in mind, our ordering cycle on average for any given overseas supplier is anywhere between 1 to 6 weeks from the time a shipment arrives to the placement of the next order. We often have multiple orders pending from the same supplier, but once an order has been actioned, we can seldom add to the order. This excludes the lead times of the suppliers themselves as well as relevant shipping and other supply chain related delays such as outgoing and incoming customs and other authority inspections, carrier delays etc.
As some of the brands we offer manufacture stock to order, the lead time from these suppliers can vary greatly. It can also be compounded by high demand which we are (At the time of writing this.) experiencing with US based manufacturers such as ATI, HiViz, Condor and G-Code to name a few. A Supplier’s lead time can vary anything from 1 to 8 weeks, add to this transit time and the bigger picture of just how challenging it is to import products begins to emerge. There are also those instances when the manufacturers themselves do not have stock of items, in which case there is little we can do but place the stock on backorder and wait for it to become available.
Put simply, in order for us to import just one single item requires several weeks of work, importation documents, licenses, permits, inspections and audits as well as the item(s) themselves passing through several phases of handling in the supply chain.
Common Questions:
When an item(s) is out of stock, many customers say that they will wait until the specific item(s) is back in stock. We have a very efficient stock ordering and allocation system, but we cannot reserve and allocate stock to a customer if an order is not placed. If an order is not placed on the system, we cannot reserve a specific item(s) for a customer and as a result many customers are disappointed when they hear that a new shipment has arrived, but the item they wanted is not available or sold out.
In order to avoid potential disappointment, we urge you to place an order and request a Sales Order Number. This way your stock will be reserved for you and you have a Sales Order Number to reference when following up on order progress.
Another common request from customers is that we courier items from overseas suppliers. In extreme/urgent circumstances, we are willing to do this if logistically possible, but the additional cost will often result in the product(s) costing substantially more than what they normally would and as a result, this is rarely acceptable to the customer. (Supplier minimums make this even less feasible in most cases)
Back Ordering Items:
If we are sold out of or do not have stock inbound for a specific item you were looking to purchase from us, we will offer you the option of placing the item on Backorder. We will ordinarily require a minimum of a 50% deposit on Backordered items in order to reserve incoming stock for you. In special circumstances we may require full payment on placement of order.
Special Order Items:
Special Order Items are products which we ordinarily wouldn’t hold stock of, either because the item is rare/limited or of interest to only specific customers and considered “specialist” items. Items like this are only ordered from our suppliers when a customer places their order and pays a 50% deposit or in some cases full payment may be required.
We do not ordinarily stock “special order” items and we cannot guarantee that they will become available in stock unless specifically ordered.
We hope that the above information helps to explain how our ordering works and why, from time to time, we experience longer lead times than we would like to receive stock. Supplying quality products and equipment is what we do and long, delayed lead times frustrate us as much as it frustrates you.
At GICS we believe that You, our Customers, are our most important asset and as a result, we welcome and encourage feedback and suggestions that will assist us in providing You with the best possible experience and service when dealing with GICS.
Please email us at info@gicombatsupplies.co.za with any comments or feedback.
We look forward to being of service to you.
At your service,
The GICS Team
Email. info@gicombatsupplies.co.za
Website. www.gicombatsupplies.co.za
