Logistics
How To Optimise Your Christmas Logistics - 6 Best Tips
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Cathy Carpetta
November 6, 2020
Introduction
As the festive season approaches, you must be asking yourself how you will manage Christmas deliveries.
In 2023, the UK's Christmas retail sales, combining online and in-store, were projected to hit £84.9 billion, marking the highest seasonal spending.
With an average budget ranging from £700 to £973, customers will start the gift shopping season with heightened expectations for timely delivery.
You can use logistics to your advantage to improve customer satisfaction and make your sales surge as Mariah Carey streams on Spotify.
At Bigblue, we’ve seen brands like Détective Box or Caval achieve more than 95% customer delivery satisfaction during peak periods.
Consider partnering with a third-party logistics (3PL) provider like Bigblue to streamline warehousing, transportation, and order fulfilment, efficiently meeting your increased business demands.
Contact us here for expert assistance in managing your Christmas e-commerce logistics.
1. Make sure you can deliver on time
Fast and reliable delivery is crucial for Christmas gift shopping, ensuring gifts arrive on time and eliminating the worry of late arrivals.
Wunderman Thompson's The Future Shopper Report 2023 shows a preference for speed in online shopping, with 48% of consumers favouring faster over cheaper delivery, and the average acceptable wait time reducing from 2.36 to 2.15 days since 2022.
During the festive season, delivery demands surge, yet customer expectations remain high. Falling short in meeting these standards poses a risk of losing customers to rivals such as Amazon.
It's crucial to communicate any changes in delivery timelines to your customers proactively to create the best delivery experience.
Clear communication regarding delivery times can reassure customers and potentially attract new ones.
A proactive approach, such as announcing delivery schedules on social media and via email, can set the right expectations and enhance customer experience.
Bigblue Tips
Bigblue's Fast Tags and Estimated Arrival Time (ETA) features offer detailed order tracking, reducing customer queries and boosting sales!
👉 By integrating with product pages, it provides real-time delivery updates based on customer location.
Ensure timely arrivals for office Secret Santas and family Christmas dinners with the quickest shipping options visible to your customers.
2. Wave shipping costs smartly to boost sales
78% of shoppers buy more for free shipping and 48% abandon carts over shipping costs.
Offering free shipping, even if only for a limited period like Christmas, can significantly increase the likelihood of a purchase.
Alternatively, setting a minimum purchase amount for free shipping can encourage customers to buy additional items, such as matching socks with unicorn slippers.
We advise 25% more than the average shopping basket, and you can use a gamified checkout to make the add-to-cart page even more fun for your customers!
Franklin Petfood added a progress bar to their checkout page: Free pickup point delivery → free home delivery → free treat!
However, if free shipping isn't viable, consider incorporating the shipping cost into the product price to offer a 'free shipping' illusion. Or simply and honestly explain to your customers why you can’t offer free shipping.
Bigblue Tips
At Bigblue, we've recognised the transformative power of automation in logistics.
👉 Utilise our in-house WMS and TMS for an optimal experience and cost savings in delivery. Our intelligent carrier selection consistently picks the quickest and most cost-effective options for you.
3. Boost sales with a festive touch in your tracking emails and pages this Christmas
Order tracking is an essential part of the post-purchase experience, with 93% of consumers wanting proactive delivery updates.
Personalised tracking emails and pages, detailing every step from order preparation to delivery, can significantly improve customer satisfaction.
Elevate your game further by sprinkling in some enticing product recommendations to supercharge your Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)!
During Christmas, customising these emails with festive themes can further engage your customers.
These emails and pages are also an excellent opportunity for re-engagement and attracting new customers through discount codes, referrals, or product reviews. How? Add a Christmas banner with a discount code!
Bigblue Tips
Leverage Bigblue to create your own branded tracking emails and pages. On average, customers check the tracking page four times per order!
👉 All the relevant information at a glance, real-time tracking with ETA, and proactive updates on delays or backorders.
4. A touch of magic for an unforgettable unboxing experience
The holiday season is an opportunity to elevate your packaging.
Adding personalised festive greetings, thank you notes, special Christmas card, gift notes, or samples can create a memorable unboxing experience for your customers.
Efficient preparation is key to managing the increased volume of orders during this period.
5. Crafting a customer-friendly return policy
A flexible return policy is more critical during the festive season.
67% of online consumers will check a brand’s returns policy before committing to buy, so a “free returns for the holidays” offer can help you win customers.
Research shows that offering free online returns encourages a higher average basket spend amongst shoppers.
Simplify your return policy to ease customer understanding and extend return windows for added peace of mind during Christmas.
Ensure your policy is clear on return timelines, processes, exceptions, refund terms, and who covers return shipping costs.
Another best practice is to provide them with a return label directly in their package. Or, make it as easy as possible to download or print it from your website!
Bigblue Tips
A hassle-free return experience can make a huge difference in customer loyalty and be your brand's selling point.
👉 Simplify your return process to enhance customer satisfaction with Bigblue!
6. Mastering inventory management for peak season
Accurate inventory management is vital to prevent stockouts during the high-demand Christmas period.
Real-time inventory tracking, anticipation of demand based on historical sales data, and setting up stock alerts are some strategies that can help avoid missed sales opportunities.
Bigblue Tips
Unleash the full potential of Bigblue's dashboard and analytics.
Our app integrates with popular CMS platforms like Shopify, Magento, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and all your sales channels and marketplaces (including Choose, Ankorstore, and Amazon), ensuring that every purchase made on your shop is instantly synced.
👉 Take control of your stock coverage using our main inventory dashboard to stay informed about the units sold and your bestsellers.
Conclusion
Effective logistics management during Christmas can transform your e-commerce business.
By focusing on delivery services, customer communication, festive packaging, and return policy, you can enhance the shopping experience and boost your sales.
Remember, it's not just about managing the holiday logistics; it's about creating a festive and memorable experience for your customers.
So, start planning now and make this Christmas a season to remember for your online store!
Bigblue is here to supercharge your e-commerce business growth, especially during the bustling Christmas season.
Think of us as an extension of your team, smoothing out everything from warehousing to delivery. Keen to see how? Reach out to our team and let's make this festive season your best yet!
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