5 mistakes you don’t want to make on Black Friday 

What goes right on Black Friday and Christmas can outshine an entire year’s performance in e-commerce, in terms of both sales and branding. Learn what logistical pitfalls to avoid during the peak season, because efficient delivery of goods is crucial in retaining customers post-sales.

1. Overbooking Your Delivery Capacity

While offering specific delivery time slots to customers is a savvy move, restraint is key. Before opening up a multitude of time options, confirm your capability to fulfill them. Picking orders and delivering them punctually is essential—if you fall short, tardiness will likely frustrate your customers. 

Solution: Open new time slots cautiously and incrementally to sidestep negative reviews, an inundation of customer service inquiries, and potential harm to your reputation.

2. Unprofessional Couriers

Often, the courier is the sole face-to-face interaction your customers have with your brand. Ensure they present themselves professionally and are adept with all necessary tools and apps. A small misstep can leave customers regretting their purchase. 

Solution: Thoroughly train all couriers, including seasonal staff. Impeccable uniforms, courteous behavior, and efficient processes bolster the image of your e-commerce business.

3. Insufficient Inventory

Predicting exact purchase behaviors isn’t always possible, but accurate forecasting is far from mystical. Investing time in prediction analytics reaps the rewards of boosted sales and customer satisfaction. 

Solution: Employ analytics tools, historical sales data, macroeconomic indicators, and the Pareto Principle. These resources will inform you which items to stock heavily, based on the principle that 80% of sales typically come from 20% of products. Are you aware of your top-performing items?

4. Underestimating Delivery Capacity

As customers eagerly fill their shopping carts with another find, your glance falls with concern to your fleet’s capacity—or that of your logistics partner. A surge in orders can stall your sales efforts if additional vehicles are not on standby. 

Solution: Preparedness is the ally of fortune. Arrange for backup transportation well in advance. Typically, a 13% surplus in vehicle availability suffices, but during peak season, boosting your “fleet reserve” to 20% is a prudent strategy.

5. Warehouse Capacity Overlooked

Even with a sharp eye on order intake and delivery schedules, the rate of order fulfillment must keep pace. Without additional warehouse support during peak times, even an army of couriers won’t meet the demand. 

Solution: Call on the back-office. While temporary staff may be scarce, your office team can assist. This not only ensures customer satisfaction but also fosters team spirit and company-wide motivation to rise to the occasion.

Best of luck with your e-commerce operations this Black Friday and Christmas season. Should you wish to delegate last-mile delivery concerns to seasoned professionals, we’re at your service and ready to assist.