Brisk weather and brisk sales – it’s peak season again! The only thing that can dampen the good cheer for merchants? Knowing how hectic holiday shipping can be. Whether you’re new or seasoned in the ways of eCommerce holiday shipping, the dance always follows the same steps.
More than 50 million parcels ship per day between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Courier services slow under the strain, some shipments get delayed, and customer tensions run high. Your sales increase, gloriously, though you should be mindful of those new peak season surcharges. Thankfully, a little planning is all you need to waltz through the holidays with style, grace and plenty of cash in your pocket.
Use this complete playbook to plan for holiday shipping. You’ll gain solutions to the most persistent problems in holiday shipping, our best practices supported by proprietary data from over 2,000 businesses. We walk you through the steps to successful fulfillment, from courier selection to returns. Including how to:
This year, your holiday spirit can be one of relief.
There are now over 5 billion global internet users, and in 2023 eCommerce sales reached over $5.2 trillion. This figure is expected to increase as the years go by, so now is a better time than ever to prepare your holiday shipping strategy. One thing to be aware of is the delay in freight shipping. There are still ports that are backed up due to a shortage of container space and a tight labor market. This means that merchants are still struggling to transport their goods.
What does this mean for eCommerce shippers?
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Good news: peak season may be getting less intense. The popularity of Black Friday and Cyber Monday have deal-savvy shoppers looking for savings earlier in the season. Most people assume that late November to early December is when the mad rush of Christmas shopping begins but in fact, 43% of online shoppers start their holiday shopping in October. October to November is when to expect lots of holiday orders, so if you can prepare for that, then luckily things calm down towards the end of December.
Most companies begin to prepare for the peak season in Q3 around September. This means you'll want to evaluate two things, 1: demand for your products, and 2: your business performance during last year's holidays. Pay attention to metrics like:
Forecasting demand for the coming year is critical because it allows you to buy the right inventory and staff up based on data – not guesswork. To learn how to forecast demand, check out this full guide to demand forecasting in eCommerce. For best results, all your prep work should be grounded in data available in your website analytics.
Running out of packaging supplies at the last minute will slow you down and make you fall behind. Be prepared and ensure you have enough packaging supplies so your orders can get shipped out on time. More importantly, ensure your inventory is stocked up so you don’t have to cancel any orders and disappoint your customers. How much inventory you procure should be largely based on last year's sales numbers. But also consider your demand forecast alongside any marketing promotions or ongoing trends that will drive sales up or down. Once you set procurement objectives, communicate with your suppliers about your needs.
Shipping has become a cornerstone of customer service for eCommerce shoppers. Many shoppers say they choose retailers based on the shipping and delivery options. Amazon set the bar high, so it's important to take steps to meet customers' expectations for a seamless experience.
The holiday pre-season is a good time to test shipping automation that allows you to spend more time focusing on keeping your customers happy.
In the US alone, upwards of 50 million packages are delivered daily by USPS, UPS, and FedEx during the holidays. This staggering crush of parcels can derail your delivery schedule if you're not careful. To ensure customers receive their packages by Christmas, it's best to establish "ship-by" dates for each courier so customers know when the estimated delivery times are for their packages. Here's how.
Every year, couriers publish their "last days to ship" schedules. Easyship recommends the following mailing and shipping deadlines for expected delivery by December 25th:
It's important to remember that each merchant is different and there is no one-size-fits-all courier when shipping to a global audience.
By relying on our Rates at Checkout feature, Easyship clients offer their customers location-based delivery flexibility, while leveraging shipping rules to account for their holiday cut-off and fulfillment logic.
In addition to partnering with popular couriers to ship domestically, Easyship also includes multiple last-mile solutions that provide holistic, pre-negotiated coverage for the rest of the world.
The holidays offer opportunities to brands who don’t usually offer discounts to do so, without diminishing brand value. However, this can often create issues in undercutting profitability.
Below are some options that help you find the balance between services that please your customers, at a price that your business is happy with.
Offering free shipping during the holidays makes sense, as many customers are truly in "purchase mode" and are more willing to justify their purchases accordingly.
To determine the best way to offer free shipping, it's best to know your:
From there, you can make this promotion happen by:
The busiest mailing and delivery times for couriers are the two weeks before Christmas.
Manage expectations for delivery by sharing ship-by dates for the following customers:
Promoting these dates on your website and sending gentle reminders via email marketing can encourage your customers to make their purchases earlier to ensure delivery before the holidays.
There will always be those who procrastinate and are in need of rush fulfillment options.
In order to capture those sales effectively, it's best to have the following solutions available:
Don't have a same-day delivery provider? You can utilize Easyship to offer same and next-day delivery for select shipments! sign up for an Easyship account to see if your shipment qualifies.
Record-breaking holiday sales bring record-breaking returns in January! Be prepared.
Returns are definitely a pain point for eCommerce SMBs. If you're in need of a clearly defined shipping policy, try this free shipping template generator for a fully customized policy with time to spare before the holidays.
To help prevent returns, it's best to do the following:
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