As the busiest online shopping season of the year draws near, eCommerce companies are busy preparing for the surge of business. Being prepared for the inevitable rush is critical, but capturing those sales is just the beginning.
When processes begin to move more quickly, logistics becomes more complicated. Problems are amplified, and the potential for error increases exponentially. However, if you manage your holiday eCommerce logistics efficiently, success and customer satisfaction is assured.
Understand Your Transit Times
As we approach the holiday gift-giving season, carrier cutoff times and transit times increase. Your customers might be anxious about their purchases reaching their destination on time, but preparation will put their minds at ease.
Shipping times are longer during the holiday months. It is critical to your success to know precisely what your economy and ground cutoff dates are to ensure on-time holiday delivery, every time.
To be on the safe side, push your order deadlines up by a day or two. This strategy will help to mitigate any unforeseen delays and help you avoid any additional stress. Building contingencies into your delivery times as well will help alleviate the customer’s pain points too.
Be Ready: Bring in Products Early
Last-minute logistical delays are the bane of everybody’s existence during the holiday shopping season. If you are prepared, you can avoid all the aggravation and the chaos and reap the benefits of a job well done.
During the busiest shopping season of the year, supply chain movement increases for everyone. This means freight deliveries are more difficult to book, take longer, and are often more expensive.
Bringing your holiday items in by October or early November helps you avoid these issues, ensuring you can continue to delight your customers with excellent service.
Hire Temporary Workers
Many companies run extra shifts during peak holiday times. You need a staff that’s ready to dive in and get to work when you need them. Address your staffing needs as early as possible. Consider working with a staffing agency to help you shorten your time-to-hire and to ensure maximum productivity.
To encourage your full-time team to perform at peak efficiency, you might offer productivity-based incentives to sweeten their holiday pay.
Warehousing Solutions On-Demand and 3PL
If you are expecting a surge of holiday business, you don’t think you have the bandwidth for, partnering with eCommerce Direct can help. We offer on-demand warehousing solutions and third-party logistics services that drive efficiency and support scale during your busiest times.
Our team is highly experienced and ready to deliver. From picking and packing to shipping, storage, and product returns, we do it all, providing omnichannel accuracy and accountability through every process.
Plan Ahead to Keep Up With Holiday eCommerce Logistics
No matter what you imagine the holiday rush will be like, it is always a bit of a shocker. It comes on fast and furious, it’s intense, and it has the power to make or break your company.
Planning ahead will affirm your success and lower your stress. Your customers will be happy, and your employees will appreciate your proactive approach.
If you would like to learn more about what eCommerce Direct can do for you, reach out today.