Ask an Expert: Unlock Success During the Seasonal Holidays with Smart Planning and Strategic Shipping Solutions

Jacqueline Jennings
Director of Retail at Purolator Inc.

Jacqueline Jennings is Purolator’s leading retail solutions expert. She oversees more than 2,900 shipping locations and access points to enhance the customer experience for businesses shipping throughout Canada. With over 25 years of experience in the retail shipping sector, Jacqueline leads her team of 650 frontline employees and 25 managers to establish strong relationships with retailers and help drive revenue growth for Canadian small businesses.

Why it’s important to prepare for peak season

The holiday season can seem intimidating for retailers and e-commerce stores, especially when your customers expect to receive products fast and on time. But if you prepare in advance and work with the right carrier, the holiday shopping period can drive significant revenue growth. In fact, it’s a golden opportunity to capitalize on consumer spending, as 30% of all retail sales tend to happen during the holidays. And sales keep going up, with North American online sales increasing by 4.8% year-over-year.

But how exactly can your business prepare for peak season? Purolator retail expert Jacqueline Jennings explains how small businesses shipping in Canada, or to Canada, can make the most of the holiday season. By planning ahead of time and clearly communicating changes to your customers, your business can overcome the holiday shipping season rush and gain big revenue opportunities while enhancing customer satisfaction. However, doing all that prep work on your own while managing your business can seem impossible. To make things easier for yourself, consider working with a trusted carrier who offers a variety of flexible shipping solutions like Purolator.  

Learn how you can prepare for holiday season. Check out the Purolator Power Talks podcast

Key takeaways

What is peak shipping season and when does it start?

Peak season shipping typically begins during the fall and winter months, starting at Thanksgiving and going through the New Year. Rush shipments, logistics delays and even attempts at theft or e-commerce fraud tend to rise during this period as the supply chain is crammed with holiday gifts due to big shopping sales. 

Depending on your industry, peak season can happen at other times of the year as well. For example, school suppliers consider the Back to School period from August to September to be a peak shipping period, while gardening and lawn care businesses are busiest during the summer months. 

According to Jennings, planning ahead is crucial: “Whether it’s your first peak season or it’s your thirtieth, having a plan is so important. Think about the dates that you have to be aware of, not only for early shoppers but also to prepare your suppliers and vendors. Consider your carrier options and whether their schedules can help you deliver to your end-customers on time.”

Start by being aware of when early shoppers start buying gifts ahead of time and when the biggest deals of the year cause a surge in both foot traffic and online orders. Whether you’re preparing for holiday season this year or next year, include the following key events in your plan: 

Seasonal holidays and sales events

• Canadian Thanksgiving

While not typically a key period for sales, Canadians start to think about holiday shopping around this time. Be prepared for early shoppers during and after Thanksgiving.

• Halloween

Although Halloween isn’t as big of a sales event compared to later opportunities, this is when businesses start to ramp up their promotions and discounts. 

• American Thanksgiving

Seen as the traditional start of the holiday season in the U.S., early gift shopping starts around this time and leads directly into the first big sales event of the season.

• BFCM

Known for the biggest deals and crowds of shoppers, Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) has become an international phenomenon. More and more Canadian small businesses are getting involved each year.

• Small Business Saturday

Small Business Saturday takes place on the day after Black Friday, and encourages customers to support local, small businesses—making it a great opportunity to share your story and your business to the community.

• Green Monday

Green Monday occurs on the second Monday of December, and is seen as the last day online shoppers can place an order and guarantee it will arrive in time for the holidays.

• Super Saturday

The final Saturday before Christmas, where shoppers rush to nab those holiday gifts. Given the tight shipping timeline, it’s a day for brick-and-mortar stores to thrive.

• Christmas Eve

The final day to shop before Christmas Day. Many businesses close early on this day, so expect frantic last-minute holiday shopping.

• Boxing Week

Boxing Day is a statutory holiday, but deals and discounts tend to stretch from December 26 all the way to the New Year—making it a week-long opportunity for sales.

Get Black Friday ready with our tips for Canadian sellers. Read article

What are the logistics challenges and solutions for peak shipping season?

During peak season, small business shipping has a few logistical challenges to tackle.  But with proper preparation and the right shipping partner, these challenges can be more easily overcome.

Jennings stresses that getting support from your carrier ahead of time, during the planning and preparation phase, is key to successful holiday shipments. “Even if you’re just reaching out to get information and knowledge from our customer care team or sales reps, they’ll be able to help you plan ahead and ship when you need to. As a business owner, think about what your plan is for the holiday season and we can work with you to find a solution.”

Here are the challenges you can expect during peak shipping season, and how Purolator’s solutions can support your success:

Inventory management

Challenge: Managing inventory levels becomes more complex during the holiday season as customer demand fluctuates, leading to either stockouts or excess in your inventory. As customer orders surge during peak season, your businesses may struggle to keep up with the volume.

Solution: Purolator’s shipping network uses regional warehousing, so your products are never out of reach for your customers. By stocking in-demand products in local warehouses, it frees up space for your store while also reducing shipping delays. Additionally, Purolator ships to 100% of Canadian postal codes, so even your most remote customers can benefit from stocking your inventory at the closest location.1

 

Shipping delays

Challenge: Delays tend to rise during the holidays due to increases in shipping volume, weather disruptions, labour shortages and even theft or fraud.

Solution: Purolator can help build resilience into your supply chain and prevent delays. Our National Hub triples our shipping capacity and uses world-class automation to ensure your shipments are always on the move. Additionally, our trucks are Level 1 Trucking Security Requirements (TSR) certified, so you can rest assured that your ground shipments are protected. And if you need to get an urgent shipment moving, Mission Critical will deliver your goods as quickly as possible. Overall, Purolator is equipped to help your business overcome a variety of unexpected supply chain disruptions with our suite of flexible solutions.

 

Transportation costs

Challenge: During the seasonal holidays, shipping rates often rise due to high demand. As supply chains around the world surge with product orders, the price of shipping can take a steep climb.

Solution: Whether you’re shipping packages to, from or within Canada, Purolator offers multiple flexible shipping solutions including Purolator Express® and standard ground shipping options. With more options, you can choose how to manage your transportation costs. And if you’re shipping on pallets, we also offer peak shipping season tips for freight. By consolidating loads and leveraging a less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping strategy, your business can effectively save on shipping costs.

 

Packaging and fulfillment

Challenge:When you’re running a small team with limited resources, preparing orders quickly to get them shipped on time can be difficult.

Solution: Streamline your packing and order preparation process with Purolator’s guidance on packaging. And if you’re shipping large or bulky items, our special handling services have you covered. Additionally, you can take the opportunity to improve customer experience with our sustainable packaging solutions, making your shipments more eco-friendly.

 

Customer experience

Challenge: The peak season chaos can lead to a spike in customer service inquiries and complaints, which can overwhelm your small business shipping team. That’s why it’s important to continue to offer an excellent customer experience even during the holiday madness.

Solution: Purolator offers easy returns management solutions, so your customers can return products without worries. You can further enhance customer experience with our shipping locations and access points. Your customers can pick up or return packages at over 2,900 access points throughout the country.

12 tips to take your seasonal holidays preparation to the next level. Read article

3 ways to manage online customer expectations during peak shipping season

Even if you’ve planned out your holiday season thoroughly, communication is always key to managing customer expectations, especially on your website. “When you’re thinking about customer expectations during the holidays, make sure you have communications that are clear and upfront,” says Jennings.

Even if you’ve already invested in the latest shipping integration technology and optimized your e-commerce store’s layout and loading times, you’ll want to take the extra step of telling customers exactly what they can expect before they click the purchase button—especially during the seasonal holidays where shoppers are in a rush and tensions are high.

Have a crystal-clear returns policy

Returns have become a pivotal part of the seasonal holidays. In the past, businesses have tried to avoid returns due to lost sales, but now returns can become an opportunity to generate more sales. After all, if your customers know that they can easily return holiday gifts, they’re more likely to make that initial purchase to try the product. And if it wasn’t quite what they were looking for, 96% of customers will make a repeat purchase at your business if they had a smooth returns experience.

Jennings goes into further detail: “Make sure you communicate your returns information clearly. When I’m shopping online during the holiday season, checking the returns policy is always a top priority. It’s holiday season for shoppers, too, so they have to check if they can return gifts that don’t end up working out. From a retail perspective, the more flexible a small business is with a returns policy, the more potential it has to create a great customer experience during the holidays.”

 

Tell customers where you can ship to

There’s nothing more disappointing than finding out an order won’t ship to your location when you’re on the last step of an online checkout. Tell potential buyers where you can or can’t ship your products as soon as possible, preferably on the product page itself. For example, clearly state whether you can only ship in Canada, or if you can ship to the U.S. and the rest of the world.

Working with a shipping partner, like Purolator, that offers shipping and returns throughout Canada, the U.S. and 210+ countries internationally can alleviate any miscommunication issues. After all, if you can ship to nearly anywhere, then there’s no need for customers to worry about location.

 

Keep buyers in the loop during the shipping journey

No matter how much you’ve prepared for the seasonal rush, some events are simply out of your control. Weather disruptions and supply chain slowdowns can occur unexpectedly. But instead of keeping customers guessing on whether their holiday gifts will show up on time, try to give them full transparency into the shipping journey instead. Doing so can help manage their expectations for when shipments will arrive.

If you partner with Purolator, then your customers will receive updates throughout the shipping journey with Purolator Your Way. Not only can they track packages with total visibility all the way to their door, they can sign up for SMS notifications if there’s a missed delivery and opt for Photo Proof of Delivery to ensure their shipment is in the right place.

Learn how Purolator helped St-Viateur Bagel manage customer expectations and grow their business. Read the case study

Why you should partner with Purolator during the seasonal holidays

Bolster your peak season planning and manage customer expectations more effectively with a shipping partner like Purolator. We offer scalability and custom solutions, so you can consistently deliver an exceptional experience to your customers even during the holiday rush.

• Flexible shipping and freight options: We provide various shipping options, whether you want to prioritize speed or cost-effectiveness. Our express delivery and standard ground services can accommodate different delivery times (including weekend delivery), budgets and package sizes. And if you’re shipping on pallets, then our freight services can help you move items in bulk. Choose the service that best meets your needs, whether you want to prioritize speed or cost-effectiveness.
• Vast delivery network throughout Canada and beyond: Our shipping network covers the entirety of Canada. It includes over 2,900 access points, so your customers have the convenience of picking up orders or dropping off returns at a nearby location. And if you need to ship across the border this holiday season, then we’ve got you covered. Our cross-border shipping services can deliver your packages to the U.S. and international destinations, too.
• Closed loop network: Know that your packages will be delivered without unnecessary hand-offs to third parties, decreasing the risk of delays, theft or other security concerns during the hectic holiday season.
• Easy returns management: Working with a carrier who has a returns management process can help manage customer expectations and encourage more sales during the seasonal holidays. Purolator simplifies the process of returning goods in Canada and across the border, making it simple for your customers to return items wherever they are.
• E-commerce integration support: Purolator’s shipping integration solutions can enhance your online store with streamlined order fulfillment. With integration to our web services, your orders are immediately captured in our supply chain, allowing you to focus on running your business during the busy holiday period while we ship your products to their destinations.
• Special handling: If you need to ship bulky, oversized, overweight or otherwise unconventional orders, Purolator offers specialized handling services to ensure safety and compliance with regulations.
• Mission Critical: When you’re shipping in the holiday season, every minute counts. Purolator Mission Critical prioritizes your goods and gets them delivered as fast as possible, even outside of regular hours. And you can rest assured that you’ll know exactly when your most urgent shipments arrive with complete visibility and tracking.
• Sustainable shipping and packaging solutions: Packaging waste and shipping emissions can make customers feel guilty about holiday shopping. With Purolator, your customers can get peace of mind knowing that we offer sustainable packaging options, ship with zero-emission vehicles in certain regions and are fully committed to environmental sustainability.

Grow your business this peak season with Purolator

The peak shipping season presents both challenges and opportunities for small businesses. By planning ahead, anticipating logistical hurdles and working with a reliable shipping partner like Purolator, you can ensure a smooth, efficient experience for both your business and your customers. From managing inventory and avoiding shipping delays to providing clear communication and offering flexible shipping options, proper preparation can lead to increased sales and enhanced customer satisfaction. With the right support, your business can thrive during this crucial time, setting the stage for long-term growth and success.

When you’re looking for the right partner, you want a carrier who can deliver your promises to your customers while also supporting your business’ growth. We deliver right across Canada and have over 2,900 access points throughout the country. We deliver cross-border and internationally, too. Think about where you want your business to expand, because Purolator can help you get there
— Jacqueline Jennings, Director of Retail, Purolator Inc.

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