Over the past 5 months we have seen an undeniable increase in online sales of essential and non essential items. From the initial panic buying of groceries as the COVID-19 pandemic took over, to the increase of online shopping during lockdown, and now an increase in purchases of PPE equipment as the country faces a ‘new normal’. It is clear that shopping habits have changed for good.
No-one could have predicted the rapid increase in online shopping that occurred this year, and with more consumers having made the switch to online shopping, it is expected that we will see an notable increase in sales over peak periods towards the end of the year in the lead up to Christmas.
Therefore, now more than ever, it is vital to be one step ahead of demand. With major peak shopping periods mere months away, it is important to start the planning of such events sooner rather than later. The problems now lie with predicting how far consumer habits have changed and the impact this could have on usual ‘peak sale’ periods.
Staff Training
Preparing your team is essential, and you may wish to consider cross training staff members so they are able to jump into any role that proves more in demand during peak seasons. Cross training will empower your employees with an increased skill set whilst also providing a balanced team at lower cost to you.
Longer Sale Periods
Many businesses consider extending their sale periods to lessen the blow of a short intense peak period. It enables you to slowly release products into the sale and gives you more control over that period of time.
Forecasting
Work with your order fulfilment partner to forecast and prepare for the busy period, use the advantage of previous data to improve year on year and implement changes for the better. Not only can we learn from previous years peak periods but we have the added advantage of sales made during the pandemic to compare and contrast those figures and processes going forward.
Warehousing
Get packaging up to date and pre pack and store items in advance so that they are ready. Make the use of warehousing space to store sale stock and optimise access to those items in preparation.
Update Operating Procedures
Following the impact of COVID-19 it is important to review your best practices and procedures in order to allow for the new way of working. Make sure to communicate changes to your staff so they are kept in the loop and are aware of any procedural changes that could affect their day to day tasks.
The supply chain and order fulfilment is put under pressure during peak seasons such as Prime Day, Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas, however implementing these preparations and a flexible approach to your options can help you rise to the challenge. Our services can assist you in being well positioned throughout the year with our highly experienced team and we offer a one-stop service for Amazon Sellers making efficiencies and cost savings on sellers fulfilment processes.
Please get in touch with our team to find out how we can help with your preparations – Contact us
