We have just entered Q4, its official peak season. Many businesses start planning for this period 3-6 months ahead, but don't panic if you haven't started yet. In this article, we'll discuss how you can still get prepared.

As implied by its name, the peak season is the most important and busiest trading time for eCommerce businesses. Traditionally, key dates for the peak season included Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the Christmas holiday season. However, in recent years, this period has expanded to encompass much more.

Peak Season Statistics

In the UK, shoppers spent a record £1.04 billion online on Black Friday 2023, contributing to a total of £8.74 billion over the weekend, including £3.9 billion in stores.

While Christmas Eve tends to be one of the slowest days for online sales—with in-store retailers seeing a last-minute rush but often having reduced opening hours—don't overlook Christmas Day. Last year, UK shoppers spent £1 billion online on Christmas Day.

Consider Implementing:

Example 1 - Flash Sales: Short-term Offers to Drive Urgency:

Offer a % off sale for 24 hours on your hero product—something popular or highly sought-after by customers. This type of promotion could encourage customers who have been considering trying the product to finally take the plunge, driven by the fear of missing out on a limited-time deal.

Example 2 - Multi-day Promotions: To maintain customer engagement over a longer period:

Run a 5-day promotion leading up to Cyber Monday, offering a new deal each day. For a beauty brand, you could feature a different product each day, such as:

• Day 1: 30% off serums,
• Day 2: 25% off cleansers,
• Day 3: 20% off moisturisers.

Reduce the Stress

It's called peak for a reason, so it's essential to minimise stress for both your team and customers. Here are some strategies to consider:

• Delivery Windows: Adjust or extend delivery windows and communicate these changes clearly, ideally before the point of purchase, but at a minimum, at that point. This ensures customers have realistic expectations about when their orders will arrive.
• Return Periods: Consider extending return periods to provide customers with added flexibility. You may also want to offer free returns during this period, as 47% of shoppers say free returns would influence their choice of retailer. This can alleviate concerns about buying gifts during the busy season.
• Sale Periods: Extend the sale period or start promotions early to smooth out demand. This approach can help prevent overwhelming your staff and logistics while ensuring that customers have ample time to shop without the pressure of last-minute purchases.

Next week, we'll discuss effective strategies for managing your operations once peak season is in full swing.