Have you ever seen a Chinchilla take a dust bath? If you have, then you’ve got the perfect vision of events when Black Friday and Cyber Monday are in town. According to a report released by Adobe, Cyber Monday hit a new record of approximately $6.5 billion online sales last year in the US alone. But these two landmarks are becoming blurred as the shopping spree is starting earlier, and stretching over the remainder of the holiday period, putting pressure on online retailers and logistics partners alike.


Logistics companies are running at full throttle at this time of the year to manage their clients’ uplift in order processing, pick and pack, and distribution requirements. In terms of international deliveries FedEx, UPS, DHL etc. are swamped. International next day deliveries can sometimes be more like 2/3 days due to backlogs created at customs due the sheer weight of consignments being processed.

During this time of intense activity and subsequent consignment traffic, there are a few things that you can do to make your experience a good one when considering order taking, processing and delivery. Here are a few pointers to help you:

  • Notification on website – Manage your clients’ expectations online by preparing them for potential disruptions in delivery times over this period.
  • Make sure that your logistics supplier is reliably set up to receive and process a hike in online orders from your website, reseller platform (such as Amazon) or retail platform (Shopify/Magento etc.).

 

Ensure you have the right model in place for e-commerce success – E-Commerce best practice – from order to delivery

 

  • Support your logistics partner by making sure that:
    • they are fully stocked and have adequate personalised (if appropriate) packaging and packing, to see them through the busy time.
    • processes specific to your orders are firmly understood. (This can include packing processes for orders with multiple items).
    • they understand how things are to be sent (post, courier etc), bearing in mind the amount of mail and consignments going through integrators. More so than normal, it is advisable to use a courier service with full tracking over a postal service if items are valuable or time critical. Your supplier should work with you to agree on the best solutions over the period.

 

Decide on the most appropriate e-commerce delivery solution – E-commerce Deliveries – “Which Service?” Guide

 

  • It’s possible that with extra sales comes an increase in returns too. Make sure that there is a watertight returns process in place.

Following the above guidelines will not only ensure that you are giving yourself the best opportunity to fulfil and deliver all orders received, but will also save you money and provide a reliable service for your customers.

Following the above guidelines will not only ensure that you are giving yourself the best opportunity to fulfil and deliver all orders received, but will also save you money and provide a reliable service for your customers.

 

Do you have a watertight returns process in place? – 5 important issues to discuss with your E-commerce Logistics Partner

 

We at Flight Logistics Group Ltd work proactively with our clients to advise and prepare them for all eventualities. If you want to discuss your bespoke needs, please contact us HERE

 
Happy selling!