10 Holiday Shipping Tips

Holiday Shipping Tips

Holiday shipping stats

  • 12% - Percentage of E-commerce transactions that were up in 2016 compared to 2015. 
  • $91.7 Billion - Amount that US shoppers spent online between November 1 and December 31 of last year.
  • $1 Billion - During that timeframe, all but four days had over $1 billion in E-commerce sales

 

  1. Check your supplies: Don't get caught with short supply. Holiday order will come fast and often so make sure your able to handle those orders. Make sure you have a good amount of corrugated boxed in different sizes, the right tape for the job and other packaging materials. 
  2. Use the right packaging tape:  You want to use water activated tape. It's the most secure and tamper resistant for boxes. Make sure your products are delivered where they should be and that they're getting there safely. 

  3. Speed matters: Ship your products as quickly as possible. Customers have high expectations and low tolerance for delays during the holidays.  Best practices include shipping the product out the same day that the order was placed. To help you get those orders right out the door, keep an up-to-date list of shipping carriers and their pick-up times.

  4. Logistics: Give your delivery providers a heads’ up about the timing and volume you expect during the holiday season.  It's only going to help them service your needs and in turn help your customers' needs.

  5. Make good use of your downtime: If you happen to have down time from now leading up to the holiday rush, it's a good idea to go ahead and pre-pack commonly shipped items. Pro tip: Write the contents and weights on the surface of the box so you’re one step ahead of the rush.

  6. Give me some space. Two inches of space on all sides around the item being shipped is what you should shoot for. This way the products can be properly protected with air pillows if needed.

  7. Heavy items on the bottom: Place those heavier items on the bottom if you're shipping several products in one box.  That way there's less force on the lighter items during transit.

  8. Package safety: The last thing you want to deal with after the holiday season is returns and unhappy customers on social media. A lot of those holiday gifts tend to be fragile and breakable. Make sure they're protected with the right void fill material.

  9. The correct carton: It's smart to use a new, unused corrugated box that is the correct size and strength for your products. Reused boxes tend to lose their strength overtime. Santa's sleigh can be a bumpy ride and you want your packages to survive their holiday trip.

  10. Think Festive: Get in the holiday spirit by putting a little something extra in the package. Try adding a candy cane or some other small candy to surprise your customers. Everyone will enjoy that extra touch during the hectic holiday season.

 

 

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