Preparing for Peak Shipping Season

In retail, maintaining a consistent supply is crucial for business success. Ensuring products are reliably on the shelves and available to consumers is critical for customer satisfaction and brand reputation.

Managing the supply chain during periods of high demand is even more important, as businesses are under pressure to deliver, competition is stiff, and carriers are at or near capacity. Our suggestions help companies prepare for the busiest time of the year so they can get their products to consumers quickly and efficiently.

When is the Peak Shipping Period For Supply Chains?

In the United States, the peak shipping season typically occurs from late summer through the end of the year. The main periods to consider are:

1. Back-to-School Season (August-September): As kids head back to school and summer vacation ends, expect a surge in demand as consumers purchase school supplies, electronics, and clothing needed for the school year.
2. The Holiday Season (October-December): The busiest shopping time of the year is undoubtedly from Halloween to Thanksgiving and Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and mid-December, when demand rises again for Christmas shopping.

How to Prepare for Peak Shipping Season

1. Forecast Demand Accurately

Use historical data to predict this year’s demand and identify trends. Consider current spending habits and factor in socio-economic changes that may impact buyer behavior. Will the current cost of living impact spending? Are there external factors or conditions that could cause a rise in demand for some products and a decrease in others?

Work with your suppliers, retail partners, and other areas of your supply chain to form a comprehensive idea of this year’s demand and prepare accordingly.

2. Optimize Inventory Management

Once you have a clear idea of your potential demand, ensure you have enough inventory to meet it. Prepare your inventory early, where possible, so your retail partner won’t have empty shelves while waiting for a new inventory to arrive.

Ensure your 3PL partners, both warehouses and carriers, employ sophisticated inventory management systems and order tracking tools to give you visibility to your inventory and orders as they travel through the supply chain.

3. Enhance Warehouse Operations

Ask your logistics partners how they will efficiently manage peak receiving and shipping to streamline warehouse operations. Find out whether they provide additional services such as cross-docking and co-packaging. Cross-docking streamlines your transportation time, and outsourcing your packaging eases the operational burden on your organization.

When you choose a 3PL partner, you are out of the business of managing warehouse operations day to day, including hiring seasonal workers to handle the increased workload. This will all be managed for you.

4. Strengthen Supplier Relationships

The best preparation starts early. Inform suppliers about your needs well in advance. As a precaution, line up backup suppliers, particularly carriers, in case of failure, whether due to the unexpected or because they have overcommitted and are short on capacity.

5. Improve Transportation and Logistics

Secure your transportation and carriers well ahead of peak season. Your best option is to choose a reliable 3PL provider with experience shipping products like yours to destinations like yours. The best logistics partners will work alongside you to find the best shipping solution for you. They should have the assets, equipment, drivers, and facilities to ensure your supply chain runs smoothly and disruption-free.

Ask your carriers what tracking and communication systems they use, and familiarize yourself and your team with how to use their tools.

6. Enhance Customer Communication

Your transportation supplier should communicate shipping and delivery dates and times with you. Avoid making untenable promises and suggesting unrealistic delivery times. Maintaining customer satisfaction is also about managing expectations.

7. Stay Agile

Be ready to adjust your orders and strategy to accommodate unexpected changes along the supply chain. Continuously monitor demand levels and the performance of your logistics providers throughout the season to ensure they consistently meet your standards and expectations.

Learn your transportation provider’s strengths and weaknesses and where they have flexibility. How can they adjust their operations to meet any changes in yours? What are the things they simply do not have the flexibility to do? What can they do that you have not asked them to do?

Partner With Colonial Cartage For a Streamlined Supply Chain

Colonial Cartage is one of the top temperature-controlled LTL carriers operating in the Southeast, Southwest, and Midwest. Our long history of supply chain success makes us the best 3PL choice for reliable and consistent service.

We have the capacity, flexibility, and experience to ensure your peak shipping season is a success. Contact us today for more information.