There's plenty to be thankful for when it comes to e-commerce. Online trading has opened up the market - both for vendors and for customers.
But in the past couple of weeks, we have also seen the pitfalls of doing business on the web through the cyber attack on TVH, a global parts supplier which conducts almost all of its business online.
As reported last week, the attack halted operations, and our forums indicate the significant impact on end-users whose existing parts orders were delayed and others who were not able to place new orders.
To make matters worse, many parts suppliers appear to source their stock from TVH, so buyers had no alternative sources.
In this just-in-time era, inability to obtain parts can be extremely disruptive, especially for businesses which rely heavily on their materials handling equipment.
When the dust settles, no doubt, there will be some serious questions in the industry about supply certainty.