Holiday Shopping Season is Approaching – Here’s How Retailers Can Prepare for the eCommerce Rush
Online retail companies are beginning to bolster their preparations for the holiday season. With many companies expecting to see an average 27% of their total revenue in November and December — eCommerce fulfilment plays an important role during these months to ensure customers receive products on time and operations run efficiently. If the holiday season is a big deal for your business, it’s important to be aware of consumer and eCommerce trends — and partner with a fulfillment company who can keep up with the high demand.
eCommerce Shopping Trends and Statistics for the 2022 Holiday Season
According to the National Retail Federation, 62.8 million people are expected to shop online this Cyber Monday, with 46% of shoppers planning to start their online shopping even earlier than previous years. And according to NPD, a whopping 85% of total consumers will include online shopping in their holiday plans — a statistic that continues to increase year-over-year.
Along with consumers’ buying habits, free shipping and out-of-stock messages also affect if customers will buy a retailer’s product or opt for a competitor’s brand. Fulfillment continues to be a key driver of consumer spending, since over half of consumers say they opt for products that offer free shipping. And if shoppers are faced with an “out-of-stock” message, over 70% will switch brands, compared with only 13% who will wait around for the item to be restocked.
Tackling the Holiday Season with a Reliable Fulfillment Partner
How can an eCommerce fulfillment provider help address consumer behavior to ensure your brand can compete during the holidays? Holiday eCommerce fulfillment needs to be three things: flexible, accurate, and reliable.
- Delivery flexibility is highly important when addressing what consumers want from an eCommerce brand. We already know that buyers are more likely to shop products that offer free delivery, but oftentimes this can come at a high cost to the brand. Fulfillment companies like Piedmont Distribution Centers offer bulk shipping discounts due to shipping a large volume of items monthly. This savings is passed on to the client, and then subsequently to the end buyer — meaning online retailers can enjoy an advantage over their competition.
- Increased order volume during the holiday rush requires heightened fulfillment accuracy. A fulfillment warehouse partner that employs detailed picking and packing methods with quality controls in place will ensure that the right product is picked, packed, and shipped every time. For subscription boxes and kitting, multiple products will often need to be picked and packed quickly to meet accelerated delivery deadlines.
- Supply chain issues over the last two years have caused “out-of-stock” messages to surge by an astounding 175%. While manufacturing supply chain issues are still a problem for online retailers, a reliable fulfillment center can make sure the entire order process, from shopping cart to front door, runs smoothly. Piedmont Distribution Centers understands the urgency and importance of fully stocked shelves. Our dedicated receiving team works with clients to get more product through the door faster – because we know fully stocked shelves mean happy customers.
Piedmont Distribution Centers is an eCommerce fulfillment provider headquartered in Charlotte, NC. With a vast shipping and delivery network, along with over 50 years of experience in third party logistics (3PL) through PDC’s parent company, Distribution Technology, PDC works with a variety of clients to address fulfillment and shipping challenges and help online brands increase profit and expand their customer base. The holiday shopping season is competitive and fast paced. Make sure you’re making a great impression with customers by partnering with the right fulfillment company.