Prepare Early for Chinese New Year 2026: A Stock-Up Plan for Dropshippers

Chinese New Year 2026 is approaching, and with it comes the most significant annual disruption to the global supply chain.

The Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival or the Lunar New Year, falls on February 17th (Tuesday) in 2026, with official holidays from February 15th to 23rd. Just one day earlier, on February 14, Western ecommerce enters the peak of Valentine’s Day demand—placing sellers directly at the intersection of rising consumer demand and declining supply capacity.

To help our partners navigate this period smoothly, Ship To The Moon is officially opening its Chinese New Year stock-up plan, including free warehouse storage for participating dropshippers. This article is intended to clarify what the real holiday slowdown looks like and how to prepare for it effectively.

The Chinese New Year Slowdown: A Clear, Practical Timeline

One of the biggest misconceptions around Chinese New Year is that its impact is limited to the government-announced holiday. In reality, factory and logistics shutdowns actually begin 1-2 weeks earlier than the official holiday. Resumption of work after the holiday takes several days or even weeks, meaning the overall supply chain disruption lasts far longer than the official holiday. The disruption unfolds in distinct phases, each affecting supply chains differently. See the detailed breakdown below.

1. Pre-Holiday Slowdown

Late January to early February

This is when the slowdown quietly begins.

Factory workers begin returning home to prepare for the Spring Festival, the world’s largest annual migration—chunyun, the Spring Festival travel rush, which is expected to reach 3 billion passenger trips in 2026.

For factories, production won’t stop overnight, but capacity will gradually decrease. Some factories reduce shifts; others completely stop accepting new orders, especially for customized products.

At the same time, domestic trucking capacity tightens, and exporters rush to ship before closures, putting ports and carriers under strain.

What sellers experience

• Longer production lead times
• Earlier cut-off dates for custom or private-label orders
• Growing uncertainty in domestic logistics schedules in China, potentially delaying delivery and fulfillment

2. Full Production Shutdown

Around Feb 10–26

By this point, most factories are fully closed. Even if the official holiday has not yet begun, production lines are largely inactive.

This is also when Valentine’s Day demand peaks—a difficult overlap where demand remains strong but supply has effectively stopped.

What sellers experience

• No new production
• No order modifications or replenishment
• Inventory shortages for fast-moving SKUs

3. Post-Holiday Recovery Period

Late February to early March

The holiday ends on paper, but reality moves slower. This is due to the Lantern Festival (Tuesday, March 3, 2026), which traditionally marks the end of Chinese New Year celebrations.

Workers return gradually. Raw material supply chains restart unevenly. Factories reopen with limited staffing and immediately face backlogged orders accumulated before and during the holiday.

Priority is often given to large clients with long-term contracts.

What sellers experience

• Delayed production restarts
• Longer fulfillment queues
• Extended lead times for new orders

4. Full Operational Recovery

Mid-March onward

Only after several weeks do most factories and logistics providers return to normal operating levels. For 2026, full recovery is expected after mid-March, aligning with the end of the 40-day Spring Festival travel season.

At this point, production stabilizes—but sellers who waited may already have missed key sales opportunities.

How the Holiday Shutdown Impacts Sellers—And How to Prepare

Understanding the timeline is only half the equation. The other half is preparation.

Impact on Dropshipping Sellers

• Inventory gaps during Valentine’s Day and post-holiday demand
• Slower international shipping due to constrained capacity and congestion
• Supplier prioritization favors larger buyers
• Customer service pressure from delayed deliveries and refund requests

These risks compound quickly if inventory planning is delayed.

How to Prepare Your Supply Chain

Experienced sellers treat Chinese New Year the same way they treat Q4: with forecasting, buffers, and discipline.

Key preparation steps include:

• Review historical sales data to forecast demand in February and March; it is recommended to reserve 30-40% extra inventory based on average monthly sales.
• Establish safety stock to avoid overstocking; develop inventory plans based on actual demand.
• Identify SKUs that need to be stocked in advance; standard lead times need to be significantly extended, allowing 30-45 days for production.
• Choose products that align with Valentine’s Day themes and seasonal appeal; plan marketing activities in advance.
• Finalize production plans as early as possible—especially for customized products, as factories have longer lead times for customized products, resulting in earlier order cut-off times.

A practical planning cadence:

• Early January: Confirm stock-up SKUs
• Mid-January: Finalize production and inventory quantities
• Before January 25: This is the final date to place inventory orders, but we recommend placing them earlier.

Why Ship To The Moon’s Stock-Up Plan Matters

To support dropshipping sellers through Chinese New Year 2026, Ship To The Moon offers a dedicated pre-holiday stock-up solution, designed specifically for dropshipping and cross-border ecommerce.

Our program includes:

• Free warehouse storage for qualified stock-up inventory
• Stable order fulfillment while factories are closed
• Support with inventory planning and demand forecasting
• Early coordination for custom and private-label products
• Direct access to experienced agents for timeline alignment

Instead of pausing sales during the holiday, our partners continue shipping—while others wait for factories to reopen.

Final Call: Prepare Once, Sell Through the Holiday

Chinese New Year is predictable. The slowdown happens every year. What separates successful sellers from the rest is preparation.

With Valentine’s Day arriving immediately before the holiday and real production halts starting weeks earlier, early inventory planning is the most reliable way to protect revenue.

We strongly encourage sellers to participate in Ship To The Moon’s Chinese New Year stock-up plan. Free warehouse storage is available for participating dropshippers, and our agents are ready to help you finalize a supply plan tailored to your products and markets.

Prepare early. Stock with confidence. And keep selling, while others slow down.

January 25 will be our last day to place stock orders. Thank you for your cooperation.