3 Based on the sample, analyze the underlying causes of the availability problem described in the text. Founded at the height of the ‘dotcom bubble’ of the late 1990s, supplies4medics.com has become one of Europe’s most successful direct mail suppliers of medical hardware and consumables to hospitals, doctors’ and dentists’ surgeries, clinics, nursing homes and other medical-related organizations. Its physical and online catalogues list just over 4000 items, categorized by broad applications such as ‘hygiene consumables’ and ‘surgeons’ instruments’.

Quoting their website:

‘We are the pan-European distributors of wholesale medical and safety supplies . . . We aim to carry everything you might ever need; from nurses’ scrubs to medical kits, consumables for operations, first aid kits, safety products, chemicals, fire-fighting equipment, nurse and physicians’

supplies, etc. Everything is at affordable prices – and backed by our very superior customer service and support –

supplies4medics is your ideal source for all medical supplies.

Orders are normally despatched same-day, via our European distribution partner, the Brussels Hub of DHL.

You should therefore receive your complete order within one week, but you can request next day delivery if required, for a small extra charge. You can order our printed catalogue on the link at the bottom of this page, or shop on our easy-to-use on-line store.’