E-commerce tips for a successful year-end

Anyone who thinks of the holidays thinks of presents.
The end-of-year period is traditionally the busiest time of the year for e-commerce.
Everyone then goes in search of the perfect gift for their loved ones.
This year’s peak will be even extremely busy due to covid-19.
In fact, we expect the increase in volume from during the lockdown to occur again as people will store online en masse.

On peak days during the period of mandatory store closures, a package went out the door at ShopWeDo every 9 seconds .
This sudden increase in the number of orders to be processed revealed some bottlenecks.
To cope with the rush during the autumn, we have already taken some precautions: additional employees, a new warehouse in Ostend, a doubling of space in Mechelen and a completely new inbound zone. ShopWeDo gives you practical tips for getting through the e-commerce rush without a hitch.
Thus together we ensure your satisfied customers and smooth logistics.
The key to success?
Start thorough preparation on time.

Prepare your webshop

Start with a look back at last year’s peak period.
These figures will give you a clear picture of the best-selling products and the days on which the most orders took place.
You should also check whether your shop can handle the extra rush.
The last thing you want is a malfunction when customers are placing their orders.
Mobile-friendliness has also become indispensable today as we shop more and more via our smartphones.

Finding the ideal gift is not an easy job for many.
Inspire your customers during their search and make the selection process easier.
Help them by creating a separate section with gift ideas. You can do this by putting together gift sets for women and men with different interests or preferences.
Let your website visitors filter by price, this way everyone will find a nice surprise regardless of budget.
After the holidays, there is usually an increase in returned packages. Reduce the chances of returns with complete product information, clear photos and product dimensions.

In addition, encourage your customers to order early to avoid disappointment.
You can do this by giving a discount or by placing a countdown timer on the web shop.

Calendar

When can you expect a lot of orders in a short period of time?
November is known as the start of a series of high days for Web shops.
High days for e-commerce are Singles Day, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, St. Nicholas, Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
Circle these important dates in your calendar.
Thanks to our handy calendar you can take into account the expected peak moments around these holidays.

Christmas falls on a Friday in 2020.
Therefore, it is very important to communicate to customers that they place their orders no later than the weekend of December 19 and 20.
Otherwise, there is a real chance that their package cannot be delivered on time.

Logistics

Supplier

What you don’t have, you can’t sell.
Therefore, adequate inventory and careful management is crucial.
It would be a shame if your most popular products run out early.
Review your current stock as soon as possible and place another order with the supplier if necessary.
Keep the corresponding delivery time in mind.

Carriers

It is by now a known phenomenon that carriers face delays during very busy periods.
This is why it is so important to sensitize customers to order on time.
During the lockdown, the sorting centers became completely saturated.
As a result, we saw that sometimes a collection was periodically skipped.
We expect that this may happen again in the fall.
Something like this is unfortunately inevitable and affects everyone within the e-commerce world.
In addition, keep in mind that some couriers will charge an additional surcharge for the first time.

ShopWeDo guidelines

The expansion of the inbound area makes it possible to process more in less time.
However, it is still very important to deliver inventory to our warehouse in a timely manner.
As the holidays approach, the inbound process may take a little longer.
Help us with the smooth processing of your goods by notifying the inbound correctly, provide all products with the correct barcodes and provide the ShopWeDo packing slip.
Deliveries can take place between 9 am and 5 pm at the new inbound, gate 10 (back of building).
Does a delivery fall outside these hours?
From now on, we have a safeplace under camera surveillance where goods can be safely placed.
For collections, you can go to the warehouse until 5 p.m. during the busy period. If you sell fragile products, it is best to see if they can be packed with extra protection in advance. Between Black Friday and Christmas, we will also use Saturday and/or Sunday shifts if necessary to reduce Monday peaks.

Need help?

Could you still use support with your preparations for the holidays?
Contact us and we’ll be happy to help: info@shopwedo.com.