Imagine running a company that has no trouble….
- March 29, 2024
There’s nothing like the excitement that the holidays bring. Time spent with loved ones, delicious food,
and – of course – peak sales!
While your business’s peak season will depend on what you offer, peak shipping season is most
commonly defined as the time between October and early January. This is when the major gift-giving
holidays occur, as well as the biggest discounts and sales (think Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Small
Business Saturday).
If you’re looking toward the peak season and are feeling a little nervous about your preparation, we’re here
to help.
Keep reading for tips and tricks on how to prep for peak shipping season with ease.
Start Planning
Don’t wait until your busiest season is upon you before starting to think about the best ways to get
through it successfully.
Start out by reflecting on your last peak season, jotting down the things that went well and the things that
need some work. This will give you a good idea of which direction to go in first. If you’d like more input,
ask your employees what they remember as being successes and failures too.
Go through any data you have from the past peak season, including sales, how many things you sold out
of, how many returns you accepted, etc. While this peak season may be completely different, data will
help you prepare as best you can.
Value Chain Steps
Inbound logistics is the process of bringing goods into a company or manufacturing facility. It is an important part of the supply chain and can significantly impact a company’s bottom line. Inbound strategies can be expensive, so it is important to carefully manage the process.
One way to do this is to use just-in-time (JIT) inventory management, which minimizes the amount of inventory that a company needs to maintain. This can reduce costs and improve cash flow. JIT inventory management can also help to improve customer service levels by reducing lead times.
Keep Customers Informed
Let customers know that peak season is approaching, which means slowdowns are more likely to
happen. Even though you’ll try your best to get everything out on time, sometimes issues arise that are out
of your control. As long as you’re communicating this to your customers, everything will go more
smoothly!
Send out a message to your email list or post a note on your website telling customers when the last day
to place an order is to get it by a certain date (like Christmas).
If possible, offer an option for customers to track their purchase as it makes its way to them.
Purchase Extra Shipping Materials
You don’t want a customer to receive an item late just because you ran out of bubble wrap!
Prep for the peak season by stocking up on all of the shipping materials you’ll need several months in
advance. This includes things like boxes, tape, labels, bubble mailers, and so on. Even if you don’t use all
of the shipping materials during the busiest season, they won’t go to waste and can be used later on.
You can also use this time to prepare fun holiday packaging by designing creative inserts or customized
notes.
Try to buy in bulk to save as much money on shipping materials as possible!
Optimize Your Website
If you’re a business that relies heavily on online orders, it’s essential that customers can use your website
quickly and with ease.
Update anything on your website that needs a refresh, and double-check that it’s optimized for search
engines to ensure people find your site. Check that your site is mobile-friendly as well, and that it has no
difficulty dealing with high traffic.
Now is also a great time to make sure that any information a customer might need (such as your
business’s contact information, return policy, holiday shipping updates, etc.) is easy to find.
If you notice your website is running slowly or has a tech glitch and you’re not sure how to fix it, reach out
to a professional to see if they can help
Focus on Customer Service
While peak season likely leads to more people making purchases, it can also lead to customers feeling
higher levels of stress.
After all, searching for the best deal or the perfect gift isn’t always easy!
To prepare for a higher rate of customer interactions, make a plan for how to elevate your customer
service experience too. This could mean hiring more customer service representatives to take questions,
extending your calling hours, or adding a customer service bot to your website to help customers
immediately.
If customers have a positive customer service experience after interacting with your business, they’re
much more likely to return (and they may even tell their friends to come, too!).
Take a Look at Your Returns Policy
With a season of gift-giving comes a season of returns.
Have a look at your returns and exchange policy. Is it easy to understand? Does it lay out the rules
succinctly and clearly? Is the information easy to find when customers navigate to your website?
These are all questions that should be answered to help you decide if your policy needs some updating. If
your returns or exchange policy changes at all during the holidays, this is important for customers to be
aware of.
Having a great return policy will not only build up your customer base, but it will increase your sales, as
people won’t have to worry about being stuck with an item they don’t want and are unable to return it.
Create a Social Media Plan
If you’re hoping to boost sales during the peak season that’s coming up, using social media and
technology to your advantage is a great place to start.
Come up with a plan for when you’ll post on social media, which platforms you’ll use, who your target
audience is, and what action you want them to take after seeing your posts. Design ads that will capture
people’s attention and make them want to inquire more about your brand. Get creative with your marketing by showing different content forms, from videos to photos to text posts.
Social media shopping is more popular than ever, so take advantage of this trend and attract new buyers!
Prepare Your Store for Peak Shipping Season
Peak shipping season is a time to focus not only on higher sales but also on attracting new and lasting
customers. By following these tips on how to prepare for a sales surge, you’ll be a step ahead of the
competition when peak season arrives.
Looking for help with small parcel logistics and distribution? We’ve got your back. Reach out to us today
to find out how we can assist your business.
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