Peak season shipping can feel like trying to navigate through a storm. With the surge in orders, the pressure is on to deliver promptly and accurately, but the stakes are higher than ever. A single misstep can lead to disgruntled customers, overburdened warehouses and a logistics nightmare. 

But the chaos of peak season doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With strategic foresight, you can prevent pitfalls and let peak season be just a source of profit. 

In this article, we share how you can prepare for peak season, coordinate with carriers and analyze key trends to set yourself up for success.

Let’s dive in. 

How to prepare for peak season

Peak season can be a chaotic whirlwind, but with strategic foresight, you can navigate it better. The key? Forecasting demand with laser precision. 

Dive deep into your data, use advanced analytics tools and predict the ebbs and flows of customer orders. By planning your inventory meticulously, you ensure you’re not just meeting demand but exceeding expectations.

Your past peak season data also holds the secrets to your future success. Analyze it thoroughly to unearth trends and patterns and ask:

• Which products flew off the shelves? 
• What were the bottlenecks? 
• Which products didn’t sell well? 

Every data point is a stepping stone to a smoother, more efficient peak season. Communication is your best ally during peak season, so start coordinating with your suppliers and carriers earlier than necessary. Build strong relationships and set clear expectations. Share your forecasts and inventory plans so everyone is on the same page. 

This proactive approach ensures that your supply chain runs like a well-oiled machine — minimizing delays and disruptions.

Here’s a quick checklist to get you started:

• Forecast demand accurately: Use advanced analytics.
• Plan your inventory: Stock up smartly.
• Analyze past data: Identify trends and patterns.
• Coordinate with suppliers and carriers: Communicate and set clear expectations.

Ways to optimize your shipping strategy

Building a reliable peak season shipping strategy can seem daunting, but it’s possible with pre-planning. 

Here are three key steps to streamline your shipping process:

• Evaluate carriers: Assess reliability, coverage and customer service. Not all carriers are created equal and choosing the right ones can helps you deliver orders on time. 
• Compare rates and times: Look for carriers that offer the best rates for the delivery speeds you need. Balance cost with efficiency to keep both your budget and your customers happy because cheaper isn’t always better if it means compromising on delivery times or service quality.
• Implement multi-carrier solutions: Relying on a single carrier can be risky. Diversify your shipping options to ensure flexibility and resilience. Multi-carrier solutions allow you to choose the best carrier for each shipment based on destination, cost and delivery time.

Remember, a well-optimized shipping strategy improves your bottom line and boosts customer satisfaction. 

How to enhance your warehouse operations

Elevating your warehouse operations isn’t something you can do once and forget about. It needs a planned strategy and constant iteration. 

First, you need to start with a streamlined layout. Organize your warehouse to minimize travel time and maximize space in a way that prevents collisions and breakages. Install corner mirrors so your warehouse staff can maneuver inventory easily. 

By optimizing aisles, storage areas and workflow, you reduce bottlenecks and speed up order fulfillment.

Second, train staff for peak season demands or hire additional workers to help you deal with additional volume. Helpful staff trainings include: 

• Safety training: Ensure all employees are well-versed in safety protocols to reduce the risk of accidents and injuries when rushing about the warehouse floor. 
• Equipment handling: Provide comprehensive training on how to use warehouse equipment such as forklifts and pallet jacks correctly to minimize injuries and the reduced capacity that follows. 
• Efficiency techniques: Teach best practices for picking, packing and shipping to maximize productivity and minimize errors.

Third (and most importantly), deploy inventory management software. Tools like Linnworks and SkuVault Core have automated systems to track stock levels, manage reordering and provide real-time data. This not only reduces errors but also frees up your team to focus on more strategic tasks.

The importance of effective packaging solutions

Choosing the right packaging materials is your first line of defense. Opt for materials that fit your products snugly and offer durability. Think corrugated boxes, bubble wrap and eco-friendly alternatives that align with your brand values.

Protective packaging is crucial for protecting items during transit. A well-packed item arrives intact, delighting your customers and reducing return rates. Use padding, sturdy boxes and tamper-evident seals to prevent damage and show customers you care about their purchase.

Accurate labeling is the final touch that can make or break your shipping process. Clear, precise and weather-resistant labels ensure packages reach their destinations without unnecessary delays. This means including all necessary information: shipping address, return address and any special handling instructions.

Here’s a quick checklist of packaging materials (which often become an after-thought): 

• Custom-fit inserts: Prevents movement and protects items from damage.
• Void fill: Fills empty spaces to avoid product shifting.
• Shrink wrap: Keeps items secure and protected from moisture.
• Desiccants: Prevents moisture damage during transit.
• Fragile labels: Alerts handlers to take extra care.
• Reinforced tape: Secures heavy packages and ensures they stay closed.

The role of real-time tracking and communication

Sometimes, despite perfect packaging and an optimized warehouse, shipping logistics can still wreck havoc on peak-season order handling. Your inventory may fall short after confirming an order or your carriers may face an unexpected road closure. 

In such instances (especially for enthusiastic peak-season buyers), real-time tracking and communication are critical. It reassures your customers while helping you proactively come up with a solution. 

Managing customer expectations also means setting clear delivery timelines and providing frequent status updates. Use automated systems to send notifications at key stages, such as order confirmation, dispatch and expected delivery times. 

Ways to manage returns during peak season

The higher the order volume, the higher the number of returns. Common culprits include inventory shortages, carrier overload and unexpected weather disruptions. More returns also mean you’ll have to rush to fulfill orders while also accepting returns and restocking that inventory. Even with real-time updates and immaculate inventory management, returns add a layer of uncertainty that can leave you feeling overwhelmed. 

Here are our top tips on navigating them:

• Offer local pickup options: Give customers an option to pick up their orders at a local store or designated pickup location. This reduces shipping times and mitigates the risk of delays caused by shipping carriers. 
• Use regional fulfillment centers: Distributing your inventory across multiple locations closer to your customers can significantly reduce shipping distances and times. This approach also helps in managing inventory more efficiently and can serve as a buffer against regional disruptions or carrier delays.
• Implement predictive analytics: Use predictive analytics to anticipate potential shipping delays before they occur. By analyzing historical data and current trends, you can identify patterns and forecast disruptions such as heavy snow or rains that impact transport schedules. Then, use this information to put proactive measures in place, such as rerouting shipments or adjusting inventory levels, to minimize the strain on your delivery timelines.
• Leverage customer feedback: Collect and analyze customer feedback to understand common pain points and areas for improvement from the customer’s perspective. 
• Maintain a crisis response plan: Develop and maintain a comprehensive crisis response plan to handle major disruptions. This should include strategies for communication, alternative shipping methods and contingency actions. 

Regularly review and update the plan to ensure your team is prepared to address any shipping issues, maintaining customer trust and operational stability.

How to utilize technology and automation

While you can’t prevent the complications of peak-season demands, you can deploy systems that ensure this season is rife with new business — not new headaches. 

Automation should be your first stop. Analyze your systems and document:

• Reorder points for inventory items: To automate stock replenishment and prevent stockouts.
• Supplier lead times: To ensure timely restocking and manage inventory levels effectively.
• Order fulfillment work-flow steps: To identify tasks for automation and streamline the process.
• Shipping carrier performance metrics: To select the best carriers based on speed, cost and reliability.
• Customer order patterns: To predict demand and optimize inventory levels during peak periods.

Once you have this information, you’ll be better equipped to automate the parts of your process that create the highest impact. For example, if your analysis shows that supplier lead times frequently cause delays in restocking, then setting automated reorder points to account for these lead times can ensure your inventory levels remain optimal and prevent stockouts during peak periods.

To calculate reorder points, consider:

• Lead time demand: The amount of inventory sold between ordering and receiving new stock.
• Safety stock: Extra inventory to cover unexpected increases in demand or delays in supply.

Formula:
Reorder Point=(Average Daily Usage×Lead Time)+Safety Stock

For example, if you sell 10 units per day, have a lead time of 7 days and keep 20 units as safety stock, the reorder point would be: 

Reorder Point=(10×7)+20=90 units

When your inventory level reaches 90 units, it’s time to place a new order. This ensures you always have enough stock to meet demand during the lead time and avoid running out of inventory.

Ways to best collaborate with shipping partners

Strong, reliable connections with your carriers can be the lifeblood of your peak season shipping strategy. To start, maintain open lines of communication and regularly touch base with your carriers — not just when issues arise, but to plan and strategize together.

Collaborating on contingency plans for peak season can prepare you for potential hiccups. 

Also, negotiate on rates and offers early on. You’re in the advantageous position of offering a high volume of orders, so leverage them to get discounted deals. Many carriers also offer discounts for long-term commitments or increased shipping volume. 

This is where tools like Linnworks and SkuVault Core come into play. They help streamline your operations by providing seamless integrations that connect your entire supply chain. With these integrations, you can automate processes, reduce errors and ensure that your shipping operations run smoothly, even during peak times.

Why post-peak season analysis is so important 

Once you’ve navigated peak season and emerged triumphant, you need to analyze how things went, what you’ve learned and how you can make changes moving forward. 

Here are five areas that you should take stock of:

1. Order fulfillment rates: Assess how quickly and accurately orders were processed and shipped. Identify any bottlenecks or inefficiencies that slowed down the process and develop strategies to improve speed and accuracy for the next peak season.

2. Customer feedback: Review feedback from customers regarding their shopping and shipping experiences. Look for patterns in complaints and compliments to understand what worked well and what needs improvement. For example, if multiple customers complained of battered packaging, you may need to upgrade both your packaging materials and shipping carriers. 

3. Inventory management: Check how well you maintained your inventory levels. Determine if there were any stockouts or overstock situations and adjust your inventory planning and reorder points to better match demand.

4. Carrier performance: Evaluate the performance of your shipping carriers in terms of delivery times, costs and reliability. Consider whether there are better options or if renegotiating terms with current carriers is necessary.

5. Financial impact: Look at profit margins, shipping costs and any unexpected expenses. Then, use this data to refine your budgeting and financial planning for future peak periods.

Let Linnworks do the heavy lifting

Even though each of these tasks (optimizing inventory, order tracking and real-time updates) can seem like a heavy lift on its own, Linnworks makes it easier for you with three of its core features:

• Automated inventory management: Linnworks helps you automate inventory tracking across multiple sales channels. This means that your stock levels are always accurate, so you prevent stockouts and overstock situations. 
• Centralized order management: Manage all your orders in one place so your team doesn’t have to switch between platforms or manually update stock levels in multiple places.
• Real-time analytics and reporting: Linnworks provides detailed reports and real-time analytics on your inventory, sales and shipping performance. These insights can help you both prepare for peak season and analyze peak season performance over time. 

Ready to give it a try? Head over for a demo!