The last four months of the year are key for e-commerce. The arrival of dates indicated as Halloween, Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas They are turning points for sellers, who finalize all the details to get the most out of the last quarter of the year. According to data from the CNMCelectronic commerce in Spain last year exceeded the €57.7 billion and the last quarter of the year was the one in which there was a greater increase (15.8%) compared to 2020, registering more than 334 million transactions.
But in order to cover the high demand during this time, companies must start preparing from the summer, something that according to the Ecommerce Trend Report 2021 does not occur. Only 4.5% of Spanish companies begin to prepare for the Christmas season at the end of the second quarter and the vast majority of them (54%) begin to worry in August and September, while 40% postpone their preparation until October or november. The forecast is even more important this year, taking into account the general rise in costs and the current economic situation. In this context, thereoone of the providers of fulfillment of the highest growth in the United Kingdom, highlights 4 keys to better address the peak of sales at the end of the year.
Digital sales are now the first choice for shoppers, especially during the busiest time of the year. According to a recent study by Adevinta, 86% of consumers already make their purchases online and 51% do so on a recurring basis. Therefore, it is essential that retailers prepare for this time in advance and ensure that they take into account a number of key factors well in advance of displaying their products in their e-commerce. This ranges from confirming stock sources and their suppliers, to choosing and arranging a suitable courier service, and selecting the most appropriate sales channels for your specific products. If the internal and external market is not thoroughly investigated, many companies may find it difficult to meet demand, especially during peak seasons.
- Management outsourcing
With more and more SMEs betting on online sales, it is necessary for them to be prepared for the usual increase in demand in the last quarter of the year. Many of them do not have the proper infrastructure or processes to handle the high volume of orders and outsourcing fullfilment saves them time and money as fullfilment providers have access to a wide network of carriers and are able to offer the rates most competitive in the market, often by the most efficient route. Likewise, the distribution centers also ensure the care of the products throughout the process and the delivery of their products in perfect conditions within the agreed delivery period is guaranteed. In addition, thanks to outsourcing, the merchant does not have to worry about the storage of products, being able to increase and decrease it depending on the demand of the moment, something key at this time of year.
A good user experience is essential at this time of year and even more so through online channels. Customers not only take into account how quickly they can receive a product, but also the reliability of the e-commerce itself and the details provided by the seller of each reference. Tracking an item from purchase to pick-up, packaging, delivery and subsequent communication to the customer provides peace of mind and gives customers confidence, increasing the chance that they will become repeat customers. This is demonstrated by the 5th Online Confidence Study, which reveals that the majority of Spaniards, 70%, define themselves as faithful and recurrent, since they declare that they always trust the same e-commerce. Caring for and perfecting the consumer experience is possible when working with a logistics service provider that has an extensive tracking control panel and real-time updates, allowing companies to have full transparency about orders and their whereabouts and improving thus the customer experience.
- Stock and storage control
During the busiest time of the year, the number of orders increases significantly, which adds to the continued growth of the ecommerce sector which, according to a study by Webloyalty, during the last year in Spain increased by 35%. For this reason, many companies prefer to outsource their fulfillment services so as not to have to worry about storage, which can not only increase costs exponentially but is also very complicated to maintain, especially when perishable items are supplied and with a certain lifetime. By outsourcing these services, merchants can focus on running the business, without the constant worry of having to ship orders on time and relying on a courier, while also achieving better courier rates compared to what could be arranged by couriers. merchants independently and priority from suppliers despite being an SME.
“The number of people who make purchases online is increasing, especially in the last months of the year, so it is essential that companies prepare in advance for these important dates and be able to cover the demand. The ideal is for companies to be able to manage their products and stock in such a way that they are able to adapt to the high season without great effort and are prepared at all times for a punctual increase in demand” it states Roi Elizondo, Vice President of Strategic Alliances of Hayo.
