FAQs for Peak

Within this blog we will talk you through the Frequently Asked Questions we get from existing customers as well as potential customers who wish to onboard before peak kicks in.

What is the Peak Period?

Peak is typically over a 6-week period that occurs towards the end of the year and for a vast majority of businesses, this aims towards the build up to Christmas. There isn’t an official start nor end to this period, especially for those who specialise with seasonal stock, but what we do know is that it tends to take place from mid/end November and continuing into the holiday period. While the period provides plenty of discounts and sales for consumers, it’s better to get ahead of the game and organise your stock with your fulfilment centre during the September/October timeframe in preparation for the peak season!

How to best prepare for peak?

A lot of businesses plan as early as the year prior, taking advantage of the statistics, which sold well, which discounts were overlooked and any new opportunities to take into account while planning for the next peak period. You’ll want to foolproof your plan with alternative options, should external issues that are out of your control create any delays or long-term problems.

There will be a variety of blogs, e-books, articles and the like online which can help you excel in the right direction. Realistically, the earlier you prep, the better, but when you begin your preparation is up to you. It’s vital to ensure that you are dedicating a few hours a week at the least to collate data, categorise your items to place on sale, set up discussions with manufacturers and aim for a smooth peak period.

What are most common mistakes made during peak period?

Lack of preparation can be the stumbling block for most during the period and if it was something small which was overlooked, it can be hard to predict the outcome prematurely. For example, one of your top sellers have already gone to a rocketing start, however, now your stock is all out. This can cause a poor experience with customers, especially if they are new to your brand. If the stock wasn’t ordered in addition towards the peak time then it may not arrive until the beginning of the year, causing delays in orders being sent out and missing some key components of eCommerce.

During this time of year, all the businesses want to achieve success, so planning with detail and plenty of prep time is essential if you want to exceed the competition.

Best preparation for your customer services team?

With great power comes great responsibility, with customer service, you can anticipate an increase in queries during this time. Sit down and have a refresher meeting/training session with the customer service operatives to discuss what categories may crop up. Analyse the situation, consider your options, answers and the efficient method of resolve for both business and the consumer in mind.

If you do not already offer this, it may be wise to set up an automated response that relays an email to the customer stating that the issue will be handled within 24 hours and thank them for the time taken to reach out in regards with their order/item enquiry.

Or automate the responses entirely depending on the issue that is at hand. In regards to simple queries such as “Where is my order?” or “How long will shipping take?”, this can be easily located by a Chatbot and sent directly to the customer within a matter of minutes. No faff for the team unless there is a more complex situation. There can be pros and cons to a chatbot but this will prioritise cost as well as time.

Managing returns during peak?

Just as queries, returns are just as likely to increase. Reviewing your returns policy may help minimise costs without compromising the customers experience. A good example of this is seasonal decorations, Christmas trees, baubles, etc, shorter return periods could prevent the usage of them during the festive period before returning them for a full refund after the New Year.

It’s always best practise that any returned stock that comes back is to be checked for cosmetic damage and potentially testing electrical products, seeing if the return is of a standard to be put back to stock and resold again. In the long-run this would save on costs from sending it out initially. If you’re curious about further return policies on our website.

What’s best way to sell old and redundant stock over peak?

Old stock should always be taken into account for this period as there are always people willing to purchase online, either directly to a customer or B2B. Everything sells at the right price, so lowering prices to regain cash for the business is still worth exploring with stock that do not sell as frequently or at all. Slow moving stock can be costly such as reducing your cashflow, increased storage costs and the inability to prioritise your fast-moving lines. It’s not always about just breaking even from the cash you can recoup but saving will be a benefit in the long run.

When is the closing date to go with a 3PL for peak?

All 3PLs have a different date and though the time approaching peak can be quite busy and nonstop, the important part is that business is not rushed after taking on new clientele. If you are looking to move prior to peak season, look no further than MCF. We always consider existing customers and new customers, with our highly qualified staff, we can ensure that your plans go smoothly while heading towards your busiest time of the year.

Are there any questions that we haven’t answered? Please feel free to get in touch with us today!

From everyone at MCF, we hope you have a successful Peak 2023!