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Strategizing a plan to prepare your business for the busy holiday season is often easier in your head than it is to actually execute. With next to no 'slow season' in sight, preparing your business today means you can help ensure shipping demands get met and your customers remain happy all season long.

Learn more about 6 simple ways to cover your business’s shipping bases this holiday season.

1. Anticipate supply chain delays and restock as early as possible

During peak shipping seasons, the global supply chain becomes strained, to say the least. This issue has only been compounded in recent years by the effects of COVID and continues to cause headaches. In response to these backlogs, it's important you plan far in advance to guarantee that your inventory arrives at your warehouses on time and get adequately stocked for upcoming orders.

2. Use historical data to project inventory needs

Leverage your most valuable business asset -- your data. When it comes to projecting inventory needs, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, it’s important to use the right data to predict how much inventory you will need this holiday season. This means:

Historical year-over-year growth data
Last year’s holiday volume
Consumer trends

Based on these findings, you'll want to keep enough inventory on hand to last you through the busy season and then also the first few months of the new year. This helps accommodate post-holiday orders and last minute gifts.

You'll also want to consider how sales and promotions impact your inventory. If you're running particularly good sales, keep in mind how this may make orders come in faster than you would have anticipated. These discounted items may sell faster than average.

3. Communicate early and often with your 3PL partner

With peak season officially here, your 3PL partner should be your closest ally. Communicate with your fulfillment providers often and transparently. Some areas to discuss when connecting with your warehouses may include receiving, shipping charges, ongoing services, and peak season delays. Don’t have a reliable 3PL partner yet? We know just the crew to help!

4. Suggest shipping timelines for customers

To ensure all orders get delivered before the holidays, we recommend using these suggested timelines for customers which add in a little buffer room in the event of backed up deliveries.

December 9: Last recommended day to ship USPS and Economy services (Priority, First Class Mail, UPS SurePost, FedEx Economy Ground).
December 12: Last recommended day to ship FedEx and UPS Ground services (FedEx and UPS Ground, FedEx Home Delivery, UPS Ground Residential).
December 15: Last recommended day to ship FedEx and UPS Expedited services (FedEx and UPS 2 Day, Overnight). Why so early? Expedited guarantees from both FedEx and UPS are suspended, meaning they are effectively just slightly faster Ground services.

5. Be transparent with tracking information and carrier delays

Don't join the club with bad reputations this holiday season. Under promising and over delivering is the best way to ensure your customers are happy and expectations get met. Being realistic about inventory and shipping helps customers plan accordingly. Customers are also much more forgiving when communication is clear and transparent in the event of delays or out of stock items.

Regular notifications to your customers will keep them informed about their orders and greatly reduce the number of customer support inquiries your team will need to field.

6. Consider returns and post-holiday orders into the new year

Returns are a standard part of any shopping experience, but return rates can be much higher for eCommerce retailers during the holiday season. Plan to handle returns and new orders into January and February of the new year.

You may also consider extending your return policy by a couple of weeks around the holidays so that customers can give and return gifts.

Choose a partner to help support your needs

As you can see, preparing for the holiday season requires planning, preparation, and oftentimes a trusted partner to help you get the job done. For those needing some extra hands and support with shipping demands, ShipDaddy is here to help. Learn more about our fulfillment services, and contact our team today to learn more about getting started.

6 Simple Ways To Prepare Your Business For Holiday Shipping Demands

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1. Anticipate supply chain delays and restock as early as possible

2. Use historical data to project inventory needs

3. Communicate early and often with your 3PL partner

4. Suggest shipping timelines for customers

5. Be transparent with tracking information and carrier delays

6. Consider returns and post-holiday orders into the new year

Choose a partner to help support your needs