How to stay in control of stock, promotions and fulfilment
The final months of the year are among the busiest periods in e-commerce. Around Singles’ Day, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, St Nicholas and Christmas, order volumes can increase significantly within a short period of time. This affects not only webshops, but the entire logistics chain.
Good preparation helps keep order processing running as efficiently as possible during this busy period. By sharing your plans and expected volumes with Hexspoor in good time, we can prepare our processes accordingly.
What can you expect during the peak season?
During the peak season, a large number of orders are placed within a relatively short period. Carriers also handle significantly more parcels than usual. As a result, delivery times may increase and carriers may operate with adjusted schedules, temporary surcharges or other conditions.
The busy period does not start with Black Friday. Many brands launch promotions earlier, while consumers increasingly spread their purchases over a longer period. As a result, peak volumes can start building from October and continue into January.
The period after the holidays can also remain busy. Higher sales volumes often lead to an increase in returns in January. Take this into account when preparing for the peak season.
How can you prepare?
The following steps can help you prepare for the busiest period of the year:
- Make sure you have sufficient stock in good time
Identify which products you expect to sell more of during promotions and the holiday season. Previous sales figures and planned campaigns can help you estimate the required stock levels. Pre-notify incoming goods to Hexspoor and make sure the stock you need arrives well before the peak period. Keep in mind that lead times from suppliers and carriers may be longer than usual. - Share your forecast with Hexspoor
Let us know your expected order volumes as early as possible. A timely forecast helps Hexspoor prepare the required capacity. Update your forecast if your expectations change. - Share your promotion schedule in advance
Are you planning campaigns, product launches or other sales activities during the peak season? Share your schedule with your dedicated contact at Hexspoor in advance. Let us know when the promotion will run, which products will be involved and what increase in order volume you expect. - Check your product and stock data
Well before the holiday period, check that your master data and stock information are complete and up to date. Make sure new products are registered in good time and that all required product information is available. This helps prevent missing information from causing delays during the peak season.
Want to know more about the importance of complete product information? Read our knowledge article about master data in fulfilment.
Take adjusted holiday schedules into account
Around Black Friday, St Nicholas, Christmas and New Year, fulfilment and transport networks become increasingly busy. Carriers may also operate with adjusted collection and delivery schedules during this period.
Take this into account in your own planning and customer communication. Where necessary, adjust the expected delivery times in your webshop and communicate clearly about possible delays around the holidays.
Hexspoor will share relevant changes to schedules and deadlines as soon as they are known.
Preparing for the peak season together
Share expected volumes, campaigns and important changes with your dedicated contact at Hexspoor as early as possible. This helps us prepare for the busiest period of the year together.