Holiday Sales & Peak Season

The holidays are quickly approaching. The festive season can be wonderful, joyous, while at the same time, stressful. People across the globe gather for merriment and cheer, but for many, the weight of sending packages is overwhelming. The logistics of shipping and packaging orders can feel like pushing a heavy boulder up a hill.

Above all, the season is smitten with calamity. People are traveling more, spending more, cooking more, and shipping more. Ecommerce and in-store shops alike experience massive influxes of orders. This can translate into longer wait times, increased labor costs, and most palpable, additional shipping costs and logistics needed.

At Atomix, we understand this, it is our livelihood as a 3PL. We care about you and we want to share tactful shipping methods to give you peace of mind with the holiday season.

1. Start Planning….. Now

Q4 is the busiest time of year. Events to prepare for, concerts to be had, holiday parties to cherish, and so much more, take up valuable time.

Prep Questions:

• Do you have enough time to fulfill the increased customer demand?
• Do you have enough inventory to fit the increased demand?
• Do you have the additional supplies and resources you may need?

2. Check Your Store’s Website

It is absolutely necessary that your brand’s landing page is accessible and easy to navigate.

Prep Questions:

• Is your website prepared for increased traffic?
• Is it easy to use and mobile friendly?
• Is the checkout process quick and simple?

Don’t Forget!

Many customers abandon carts if it is too much work to check out, even more so on mobile devices for shopping. It is far too easy for a customer to go onto the next website with easier navigation and order from them.

3. Keep Open Communication
Customers today expect genuine communication and expect to be informed with any delays or mishaps. Keeping them in the loop shows you respect their time and appreciate your business. Sometimes a delay can not be avoided, and sometimes deadlines are not met. Keeping open communication will ensure customer loyalty, so maintain transparency.

Don’t Forget!

As well as communicating with customers, it is important to also stay in constant contact with your suppliers. Let them know about tentative changes in inventory demands.

Prep Questions:

• Will Suppliers have your boxes and material in stock?
• Will they be able to keep up with increased demand for your products?

4. Consider Tentative Road Bumps

Wait Time.
If possible, have your business ship orders earlier to fit the increased demand. Delivery times extended during the holiday season. By shipping orders out sooner, it ensures your customers are getting their orders in a timely manner.

Weather Delays.
Many regions experience weather delays during the holiday season due to unsafe traveling conditions. If and when this happens, communicate with your customers what is going on, so they can plan accordingly.

COVID 19.
The COVID 19 pandemic has created labor shortages in warehouses across the world. If an employee gets infected, it can possibly impact their entire staff and operations. Do you have a plan in action for if this happens? Again, keeping your customers informed if and when this happens, ensures customer loyalty. Customers today are conscious of brands who take care of their employees’ wellness.

5. Look Forward to the Future

During this holiday season, track data and trends for your brand to prepare more effectively for next year. Check to see what products sold well and what did not. Planning is not always perfect as nothing is set in stone, but any preparation will help you in the future.

In Short

Whether you’re ready or not for the 2022 holiday season, it’s important to remember, the season is a time for family and friends. Within your reach are methods to stay proactive during this busy time of the year.

And who wants fulfilling orders over Black Friday Weekend to hold back their time from spending it with loved ones?

Well, ironically, that’s what we’ll be doing at Atomix. We take our breaks (yes we need them once in a while) close to the beginning of the year so our customers can focus on what truly matters — and no, that’s not always sales and marketing — that’s time with family and friends.

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