+1 800 967-0030

Ecommerce Fulfillment Tips for the Holiday Season

It’s the most wonderful time of year, especially for eCommerce retailers. For many, website traffic is up, shoppers are placing their gift orders, and they are watching their revenues increase.

While this is an exciting time for retailers, it is also one where they must work hard and efficiently in order to achieve success. Order fulfillment is a critical factor that can make or break a successful holiday sales season, so it’s important that retailers are prepared.

Here are three eCommerce fulfillment tips to help you this holiday season.

1. Don’t underestimate the power of excellent customer service.

During the holiday rush, customer service queries increase by as much as 75%. No matter how busy and hectic things get, it’s vital that each and every customer is receiving the type of service that you’d give on your slowest day. Customers expect fast replies to their questions, and the majority will turn disloyal to a brand after a negative experience.

Ecommerce retailers must have a strategy for keeping up with the increased inquiries regarding product details, order tracking, and returns. Outsourcing fulfillment to a 3PL services provider allows retailers to focus on running their business during this busy time while resting assured that their customers are receiving only the best service.

2. Have a plan in place for the major shopping holidays.

Shopping holidays including Black Friday and Cyber Monday are expected to set new records this year, and it’s vital that retailers are able to keep up with the influx of online orders that will come in all at once. Not being prepared increases the odds of making costly mistakes, such as shipping products in the wrong type of packaging, using the wrong carrier, and sending customers incorrect or damaged products.

If fulfilling a large number of holiday orders have you feeling anxious, consider outsourcing to a 3PL service company. To the teams of fulfillment experts at a 3PL company, busy days like Cyber Monday are just another day, and you can breathe easier knowing that your orders are being handled quickly and seamlessly by experienced professionals. 

3. Be prepared for a high volume of holiday returns.

With an increased amount of orders, comes an increased amount of returns. Returns are an unavoidable part of the holiday season, with over a third of Americans reporting that they will return at least one gift that they received.

As with the fulfillment process, if the thought of returns management stresses you out, remember that outsourcing to a 3PL services provider can help you manage both. A seamless reverse logistics system helps retailers achieve the following:

  • Saving money on everything from reducing transportation spend to salvaging the remaining value of returned products
  • Providing a seamless experience to customers, resulting in a better brand image and more positive online reviews
  • Establishing yourself as an industry leader by going the extra mile for customers

 

November 27, 2019
Share This:

Related Posts

RECENT POSTS

Why ShipWizard Is the Fulfillment Partner Your Business Deserves

If you operate an e-commerce business, finding the right third-party logistics (3PL) partner can make or break your success. Welcome to ShipWizard—where we turn the chaos of order fulfillment into smooth sailing for your business! If you’re searching for a 3PL partner...

Smart Strategies for Smooth Vitamin Fulfillment

Vitamin Order Fulfillment: A Prescription For Happy Customers The body needs 13 essential vitamins to function properly, and yet 90% of Americans are vitamin deficient. If your online store sells vitamins, this spells out a significant market. According to a recent...

5 Clothing Fulfillment Challenges and How ShipWizard Solves Them

Are you ready to dress your e-commerce business for success, your brand for your runway? Clothing is one of the most popular e-commerce categories. The online share of total retail sales of apparel and footwear in the US was 34.4% in 2021 - that means 34.4% of...

Hot Deals, Cool Shipping: Summer 2025 Fulfillment

Make Your Online Store Sizzle This Summer As the sun climbs higher and the days grow longer, summer 2025 is bringing a wave of must-have products that are flying off virtual shelves—and savvy sellers are turning to ShipWizard to keep up with the seasonal rush. From...