While preparing for your move into, out of, or around Philadelphia, you may end up being surprised at how difficult it is to find a moving company that can accommodate you with many open times coming up.
There are a lot of reasons why moving companies across the entire United States, not just in Philadelphia, are struggling to keep up with demand.
Some of these include:
- An incredibly busy peak season of June through August that is having after-effects into the Fall.
- Moving companies not being able to buy moving trucks due to a chip shortage and other logistical struggles with damaged supply chains.
- Industry-wide labor shortages, which are affecting small businesses across the entire U.S., are limiting what moving companies can handle.
This means that you may have to approach moving differently. To help you understand clearer, we put together this guide that details the moving industry trends of 2021, highlighting the challenges that moving companies are facing and how they affect you.
The Moving Industry’s “Peak Season”
Everyone wants to move in the summer. This creates a dramatic Peak Season for moving companies, which comes with a big increase in the number of people looking to utilize professional moving services.
There are a few theories for why this is. It could be the warm weather, it could be families having the kids out of school, or it could have to do with avoiding working around all of the winter holidays. No matter what the cause is; the truth remains that June, July, and August get booked in advance for most moving companies.
Our recommendation, and the consistent recommendation of moving & storage professionals across the country, is to schedule your move during the off-season if possible.
By scheduling your move between September and April, you will get the following benefits:
- Moving is much more stress-free as it will be easier to find a moving company that can move you and you are more likely to get your first choice of a moving date.
- You may save upwards of 20-30% of your moving costs due to the lesser demand.
- With more dates available, you have more flexibility.
Due to complications with COVID delaying people’s moves, along with incredibly unique trends with the real estate market, the moving industry is red hot, and it may be that the typical perks of moving in the off-season may not take effect in September.
Now, moving isn’t always fully in your control. You may have to move during peak season. That means you may have to do more research to find moving companies that have availability and may be looking at moving companies that you’re unaware of. To get through this safely, consider the following when doing your research:
- Check Google and Yelp Reviews.
- Have all of your questions answered by a customer service representative.
- Be sure they take a thorough inventory of all of your items before giving you your quote.
With unique conditions in the moving industry, the Department of Consumer Affairs reported more than double the amount of mover-related complaints between March and December of 2020 than the same period of the previous year. These complaints include:
- Moving companies that take your money and then don’t complete the move
- Moving companies that hold your stuff hostage until you pay an exorbitant fee for unfinished services
- Moving companies that give you a super-low estimate to get your business, then overcharge you upon delivery.
Be sure to remember that an estimate is what it sounds like: their best estimate of how much it may or may not cost. By getting a moving quote instead, you will get a binding price. Do your proper research on what they’re offering so you know where you stand.
Damaged Supply Chain and Logistical Struggles
Some say that a moving company is only as good as its moving fleet. Well, there may be more to it than that, but the trucks are important. If something is wrong with a moving company’s trucks, it could be a disaster. Right now, moving companies across the map are struggling to get their moving fleets in order.
There are new trucks being made. The problem is that they aren’t being completed. There is a computer chip shortage that is leading to trucks that are being built having to sit in a lot waiting for their chip to be implemented. That means that it is incredibly difficult for any moving company that is looking for a new truck to get their hands on one.
Pennsylvania is home to a ton of long-distance travel. According to Fox 56 Wolf, the state ranked in the top 10 for states that Americans are moving out of.
Moving across state lines requires a lot of time and effort. When a moving company moves more people out of the state than in, they end up having to make return trips with empty trucks.
The combination of such logistically challenging moves alongside the supply chain struggles regarding the chip shortage, leads to trouble for moving companies.
Effects of the Labor-Shortage on Moving Companies
There just aren’t people looking for jobs right now. Non-managerial employee wages were raised 14% nationally in 2021, according to the Washington Post, but COVID-19 and many other factors have led to a decline in the available workforce.
That means that moving companies are now lacking the necessary staff needed to take on more work. Some even report having trucks sitting in their lot because they don’t have enough crew to handle the work needed to fill their entire fleet.
There are stories across the United States of people being affected by this, including one by the Wall Street Journal featuring Debora and Brian Roland. These California natives were promised by their movers that they will be fully moved in 6-12 days. Four weeks later and they’re still waiting.
Overbooked and undermanned, it’s clear that moving companies are struggling to keep up. Keep this in mind as you plan for your move.
What This Means for You
All movers are experiencing similar issues related to:
- Handling a red-hot peak season volume.
- Being understaffed.
- Dealing with a damaged supply chain.
You have to take this into account when planning your next move. Obviously, moving can be unpredictable, but do what you can to schedule your move as far in advance as possible. Do your research in your moving companies fast, but don’t sacrifice the security of your items by choosing one you aren’t sure about. Request your quotes sooner rather than later to put yourself in a better position to get a good date.