Tis the season to be shipping! With the holidays on the way, shippers will be preparing for their busiest time of the year. We hope that by now your preparations are already underway, and may already be feeling an increase in online shopping. According to studies, 25% of shoppers say that they do some holiday shopping before Halloween. Half of the people from those same surveys say they do the majority of their online holiday shopping on or before Cyber Monday.

Now is the time to build your holiday shipping strategy and make sure your workers are prepared for the busiest time of the year.

Is your fulfillment strategy ready?
Having a stellar fulfillment strategy isn’t only about saving money, it’s also about providing the best possible service to your customers. Since the explosion of e-commerce shopping, consumers more than ever want fast, cheap and reliable shipping. This is especially true around the holidays when budgets are tight and time short. Consumers need to have their purchases delivered to them on a strict deadline, and shippers need to make sure they get their on time and intact.

If your fulfillment solutions cannot keep up with the increased demand, you risk losing out on sales and your reputation during the heaviest shopping time of the year.

Here are a few ways you can ensure that you properly serve your customers this holiday season.

Stock up on sales and heavy hitters
Do you have your sales planned for the holidays? Have you conducted your research to see which items will be in heavy demand this year? You cannot ship what you do not have on hand, so make sure that your supply chain is set before you even think about shipping strategies.

Find the right carriers
Carriers are busier than ever during the holidays, and recent carrier shortages have created a capacity crunch that has had ripple effects across the industry. Carrier rates have increased as fewer carriers have taken to the road, and finding a carrier has become harder for shippers over the years. Take this time before the rush begins to shop around and build relationships with carriers so you don’t have to scramble during the holidays (not to mention pay premium prices).

Plan efficient routes
Carriers are more likely to haul your goods, for lower prices, if they don’t have to go way out of their way to pick them up. This is why route planning is such an important part of the shipping process. Whether you are sending full trailers to partial LTL loads, you want to make sure that you find reliable carriers who are already traveling on your current routes. This helps to drive down costs and increase the speed in which you are able to ship goods to your customers.

Don’t overload your team
It’s important for you to understand the resources you have available to your and your maximum capacity. If you don’t have the storage space for added inventory, the carriers to haul it or the manpower to pick and pack items, make the choice today to invest in a reliable partner to help you get through the holiday season. To discuss your holiday shipping strategy and find a solution that works for your unique needs, contact King Solutions today.