With the retail projection for the 2018 holiday season looking as large as ever, retailers will need to plan ahead to meet the high expectations of consumers. Immediately following Amazon Prime day, and after record-setting 2017 holiday sales, an inundation of online shoppers can be expected.
Steps to Plan for Holiday Fulfillment and Shipping
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It’s still scorching outside, and the smell of sunscreen hasn’t even faded from most people’s laundry, but it is not advisable to delay planning when it comes to holiday shipping and fulfillment. By planning in advance, companies can ensure that they are stocked, staffed, and on their way to seamless distribution when the busiest time of the year hits. Use our
dimensional weight calculator to get started with your product shipping.
Plan Your Schedule
With so many options available to consumers, business owners have choices to make when it comes to holiday shipping. Plan well in advance with the appropriate parties to decide what your holiday schedule will be; decide your cutoff shipping dates, shipping charges, and any shipping specials you may want to run. It is best to let customers know these early in the season so that there are no surprises during fulfillment. Based on a recent survey by delivery service, Dropoff, about 77% of consumers plan to do last-minute shopping. That’s a huge 15% increase from the 2017 season. Avoid disappointment by making cutoffs and shipping plans clear.
Review Your Shipping Contract
Contact shipping companies if you have any questions leading into the holiday shipping season. This is vital to your bottom line. Companies to wait to iron out shipping contract details, will likely end up paying top dollar for their shipments. By planning ahead and taking care of any discrepancies, companies can plan for shipping costs.
Transform Your Packaging Process
This is where Dim Weight Solutions comes in. Once you have reviewed shipping costs and processes with your provider, find out how you can lower your costs even more. Smaller packages always incur lower costs, so right-sizing product packaging could be transformative to your shipping costs. Prior to holiday fulfillment, we would love to review your packaging system. Whether it is cushioning solutions or right-sizing packaging that your company needs, we can work together to figure out the best plan.
Need a Solution?
Associated Packaging’s Dim Weight Solutions can
transform businesses’ packaging habits and shipping costs. We’d be happy to find a solution that’s right for your company.