While working with a client on their house remodel, we took the master bathroom floor tile into deep consideration. We wanted a certain color, shape, design, texture, and durability. We searched high and low and finaly found the perfect tile for our client. I placed an order and waited for the tile to arrive.

Everything seemed normal. I received a few e-mails from the vender indicating the tile had been ordered and was being processed. After a couple weeks, though, I received an e-mail from the vender letting me know the supplier had miscalculated their inventory. The tile was out of stock indefinitely! The vender offered to cancel my order for a full refund or wait for the tile to come back in stock.

We didn't have the time to wait indefinitely for a tile. Even though it was the perfect tile for our client's master bathroom, we needed to keep our project going and get the client's bathroom functioning again. With that in mind, I needed to consider what options were available to me. Here are the options I considered in order:

1. Contact other venders to see if they had enough inventory of the tile we selected at their warehouse.

2. Consider the tile we selected in a different color.

3. Start looking for another, comparable tile.

Starting with option one, unfortunately, I wasn't able to find another vender that had the tile in stock. Most vendors don't have a large enough warehouse to keep a large amount of inventory on hand. They all rely on having materials sent to them from a supplier upon request. Therefore, all the other venders I looked into also reported the tile we needed as out of stock. You may be able to find a vender with the materials on hand, so it's a good idea to take the time to check.

Moving on to option two, I researched the tile we selected to see if there were other colors available and if they were in stock. Fortunately for us, the tile we selected did come in other colors and had availability. I presented this option to the client, and the clients selected a similar tile in a different color. We were able to do an exchange with the vender and received the tile within about a week.

If both options one and two were not possible, move onto option three. This is the last resort because it can delay a project. We have already lost time waiting for the tile to arrive. Now we have to start the selection process over again. Making a selection that is similar enough in size, shape, color, design, texture, durability, and price can be hard to do depending on the tile. Hopefully you're able to find something suitable. It may even turn into a "happy accident" and be a better selection than the original.

Though the supply chain has improved, there are still some issues. Being flexible and having a plan in mind can save you a lot of time and frustration.