// Waterstones struggles with stock shortages after upgrading its system to Blue Yonder
// The bookseller has said it is working to shift a backlog of unfulfilled orders
Waterstones is facing stock shortages following problems relating to its warehouse technical systems.
The bookseller has said it is looking shift a backlog of unfulfilled orders after upgrading to a new system called Blue Yonder several weeks ago.
The upgrade means it has been struggling to offload stock out to stores and fulfil customer orders.
READ MORE: Waterstones acquires Blackwell’s, UK’s biggest independent bookshop
Waterstones said its new system is now operational, with stock flowing to its bookshops and customers, following an upgrade to Blue Yonder technology.
“Over the implementation period, however, a backlog of orders was created which we are now processing as quickly as we can,” Waterstones said.
The bookseller has apologised for “the unusual slowness”, and it expects to have caught up with the backlog by the end of August.
“By September we anticipate beginning to benefit from the much more sophisticated platform now at our disposal,” Waterstones said.
Publishing commentator and founder of The Empowered Author book, Sam Missingham took to Twitter to help support those who have been affected.
By the way, any authors who have been affected by the @waterstones problems, I’m happy to boost a link to buy your book elsewhere. (Pls describe your book in tweet with link) 🙏📚
— Sam Missingham (@samatlounge) August 8, 2022
“We note some of the public commentary, much of which complains that we have under-bought some titles,” Waterstones said.
“Unfortunately, no amount of sophisticated new warehouse systems changes the fact that as booksellers we choose what to buy, sometimes being a little too reticent, sometimes too enthusiastic. We can’t blame Blue Yonder for this.”
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