Four Tips to Maximize your Logistics this Holiday Shipping Season
Logistics during the holiday season requires a significant amount of planning. The holiday season begins on November 1, but businesses and logistics providers should begin preparing in October, and in some cases, even earlier. 19% of consumers begin their holiday shopping in October and 40% are holiday shopping during November. High demand for products means that logistics vendors must ensure that the products are able to reach the end consumer.
In the United States, it is important to bear in mind holidays such as Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Christmas. Shipping around the holidays creates a significant amount of traffic, so it’s important to keep in mind international holidays as well. The challenge for companies is to successfully accommodate the demand that the peak season brings.
Keep in mind these four following tips when planning your holiday season logistics:
- Be Proactive – Being proactive about holiday planning is the best way to make it through the holidays smoothly. It’s important to stay in tune with vendors during a rush period.
- Remember last year’s mistakes – Keep in mind the issues that the last holiday season brought and remedy them. This is an effective way to avoid previous mistakes.
- Be Flexible – Flexibility is also important. Handling shipments as early as possible ensures that customers are satisfied even if there happens to be a delay in shipment.
- Bring in backup – Many companies choose to meet this demand by relying on the help of logistics service providers. Effective supply chain execution is the difference between getting products to customers on time… and not. By reducing the amount of goods that arrive late to retailers, companies can avoid discounting their products after the holidays to move them out of stores.
STC Logistics offers a highly efficient, round the clock operation to help alleviate the demands of the holiday season. Our extensive network ensures that your goods will arrive to its destination promptly and safely. Our Customer Service professionals work with you to determine the best and most cost-effective way to get your shipment to its destination. Click Here to request a quote for your holiday shipments.
Image by Main Street Realtors