The holiday season is busy for everyone, but perhaps the most strained are e-commerce and small business owners. While online shopping has been a boon to these businesses, it’s also made holiday shipping preparation a monumental task. As orders start rolling in, it’s essential that business owners are prepared to handle the extra workload. Here’s how you can get ahead.
- Stock up on inventory. You know your business’ most popular products. Be sure to have enough of those products on hand to satisfy all customer orders. It may be wise to professionally pack these orders before the busy season, so that they’re ready to be shipped as soon as possible. Running out of popular products leads to delays and a lack of trust between your business and the customer.
- Use quality packing materials. Customers expect their products to arrive undamaged. To protect the products during shipping, use packing materials such as bubble wrap or Pelaspan loosefill (commonly known as packaging peanuts or packaging popcorn) on the inside of a new corrugated box. Using high-quality packing materials displays your investment in the product and is an opportunity to build trust with the customer while solidifying your brand.
- Ship as early as possible. The longer you wait to ship, the more likely it is that the shipment experiences delays. Shipping early allows you to avoid the rush, and in some cases, pay lower shipping fees. You should also be aware of all holiday deadlines from the major carriers. Contact our experts at Pak Mail to make sure you don’t miss a deadline this holiday season.
- Manage expectations with customers. Being upfront with your customers is the best way to manage their expectations during the holiday season. Use your mailing list and other marketing channels to communicate ordering deadlines, shipping timelines, and inventory updates. Consistent communication with your customers not only keeps them informed, it can also potentially increase your sales.
- Offer tracking technology. If possible, offer your customers the ability to track their shipments. Most major carriers offer tracking capabilities so that consumers know where their package is and when they can expect it to be delivered. This gives customers peace of mind during the busiest time of year for the shipping industry. Pak Mail allows shipping customers to use any tracking number supplied by the carrier.
- Use a trusted shipping partner. You will have to use a variety of carriers and services during the holiday season. Whether it’s USPS Retail Ground or DHL International, you’ll need to be familiar with those services and everything between to make sure your shipments are reliably delivered at the best price possible. Using a trusted shipping partner like Pak Mail allows you to take advantage of all of the services of the major carriers without micromanaging each shipment. The experts at Pak Mail will find the service with the best fit and can even help you package each shipment.
For more information on business services from Pak Mail, contact or visit the Pak Mail location nearest you.