Are you ready
for the peak season in e-commerce?
During the Corona Lockdown, many consumers changed their online buying habits. Shops have since reopened, but customers are still shopping online to avoid unnecessary risks.
Correspondingly, many brick-and-mortar shops have begun to expand their online presence. Many businesses are now hoping for a successful peak season to make up for the low sales from the beginning of the year.
So how can traders prepare for the upcoming season?
When is the peak season in e-commerce?
In the months leading up to Christmas, most retailers make a large portion of their total annual sales. For this reason, this period is referred to as the peak season in online retailing.
The volume of parcels in these months increases by 116 percent compared to the rest of the year. The areas of electronics, computers & accessories (186%) and furniture & decoration (116%) in particular can be pleased about a disproportionately high increase.
Which days should retailers keep an eye on in particular?
- Halloween (31 October)
- Singles Day (11 November)
- Black Friday (27 November)
- Cyber Monday (30 November)
- Nicolas Day (6 December)
- Last week before Christmas (14 - 19 December)
- Last day before Christmas (23 December)
- Christmas Eve (24 December)
What will the peak season in e-commerce look like this year?
When you think of the summer or winter sales, you usually think of crowded shops. Customers queue up to get their hands on the very last products.
Not surprisingly, this year is predicted to be very different and people are likely to do most of their seasonal shopping online. On popular days like Black Friday, many shoppers are likely to prefer to order from home to avoid the crowds.
Nevertheless, despite all the circumstances, the peak season is expected to be successful again this year. 85% of retailers believe online sales will increase this season compared to last. Consequently, more than half of retailers are investing in website upgrades to prepare for the e-commerce rush. Many retailers are rethinking their marketing and focusing on attracting customers to their website rather than their shops.
Since nothing is and will be the same this year, retailers should address the issue early and review and, if necessary, rethink their digital processes.
What you should do first
Retailers need to create a digital experience that is comparable to the in-store buying experience.
What does that mean?
All stages of the customer journey should be kept in mind - and this also applies to everything that happens after the order has been sent. It has never been more important to keep your customers informed during shipping and beyond.
Yet most retailers still don't have control over what emails their logistics providers send or when. Nor do they know the volume or quality of communication during shipping.
Some customers may be inundated with notifications from parcel services, while others receive no information at all. This upsets many customers and reflects poorly on the trader's service.
To get customers excited about themselves and their product, online shops should take their communication into their own hands after the order has been sent. They should send proactive and customer-oriented shipping messages that also offer added value to shoppers. By providing a Track & Trace page, customers can see immediately and at any time how the status of their delivery is changing. The page can be personalised for each customer to ensure that the content is best suited to their needs. Coincidentally, this is also a great opportunity for cross-selling as all traffic is sent directly back to your website.
Let's go with parcelLab!
We automate and optimise communication along the entire customer journey - from ordering to shipping to possible returns. On the one hand, we help you to find touchpoints in your customer journey that you can use to communicate with your customers. On the other hand, we support you in creating a customised communication workflow that is exactly tailored to you and your customers.
With parcelLab, you can also monitor and analyse your shipment data. We provide you with a communication dashboard that gives you an overview of all important data and information. In addition, we offer your team ongoing support to ensure your project success in the best possible way.
Are you ready for the peak e-commerce season?
The upcoming peak season will see retailers venture into uncharted waters.
But investing in your operations experience will ensure you deliver an all-round quality service. Automating your service will ensure that your customers regularly receive all relevant information about their orders.
Want to learn how you can improve your Operations Experience?
Written by
parcelLab
Create new reasons for people to love your brand. Build standout post-sales experiences tailored to your customers. Deliver personalized touch points that grab attention and spark loyalty.
