Lifeblood of Amazon Merchants Threatened as Coronavirus Infects Chinese Workers

Lifeblood of Amazon Merchants Threatened as Coronavirus Infects Chinese Workers
Bernie Thompson of Plugable Technologies holds a docking station that he sells on Amazon.com from his facility in Redmond, Washington, U.S., on Feb. 6, 2020. Lindsey Wasson/Reuters
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LOS ANGELES—Amazon.com Inc. sellers are bracing for product shortages as Chinese workers—worried about the fast-spreading coronavirus—may be unable or unwilling to return to idled factories.

Brandon Young, who pulls in more than $10 million in annual revenue from the online marketplace, has a 30-45 day supply of portable Apple Inc. watch chargers that could be difficult to replenish because they are built from genuine Apple components that are exclusively made in China.