Peak Shipping Season: What Is It and When Does It Happen?
By Cat Dewinta - July 04, 2022
The peak shipping season is when shipping companies experience the most demand for their services. Businesses that rely on shipping may find themselves drowning in activity at this time of year as they try to meet the deadline. When does this happen, and how can businesses prepare for when things are chaotic? Here are the Philippines’ peak shipping seasons so you can plan!
Why Should You Know About Peak Seasons?
When demand for items and services is high, even the most efficient supply chains might struggle to acquire enough trucking capacity or must pay extra freight/delivery costs. Online and brick-and-mortar businesses must keep up with the rise in orders, and shippers must ensure that each shipment arrives on time.
During this time, demand rises while supply decreases, resulting in severe capacity constraints, expensive freight/delivery costs, and difficulty for the retail and logistics companies. Nonetheless, since this is a yearly and seasonal occurrence, shippers and businesses may prepare ahead of time for them. Regardless of the tides, thorough planning and consolidation can help you navigate the difficult seasons.
Shopping Seasons In The Philippines
Summer
The summer months of March, April, and May are peak shopping months in the Philippines. This is when most students take their summer vacations. Domestic travels rise during this period, particularly around Holy Week.
Holy Week, which starts on Palm Sunday and finishes with the celebration of Easter, typically occurs in March or April. Holy Week is widely observed in the Philippines since it is celebrated by fasting, state processions, and religious activities.
According to iPrice Group, Filipino online customers are most interested in apparel and home appliances during Holy Week and summer. Online stores selling summer clothing, swimwear, and stylish sunglasses and accessories should scale up their operations during this time.
The peak of summer shopping generally occurs around Labor Day, when companies take advantage of the final few days before parents have to pay their children’s tuition bills in time for school. E-Commerce giants such as Lazada, Shopee, Zalora, and Shein usually have sales events to attract more customers during Labor Day.
Christmas
Christmas is a significant occasion in the Philippines and is unquestionably the country’s major holiday. According to a Facebook Holiday Study, Filipinos spend an average of ₱17,000 on Christmas. However, 40% of mobile-first customers are prepared to spend more than average.
The Philippines has one of the world’s longest Christmas seasons, with malls playing Christmas music and marketers such as Shopee and Lazada starting to tease promotions as early as September.
On the other hand, the buying takes place between November and December. When Rappler asked their readers when the busiest month to shop was, 55% said it was December, while 24% said it was November.
How to Prepare for Peak Shipping Season
As the bustling holiday season approaches, e-commerce businesses must prepare for the peak shipping season. This is the time of year when online shopping is at its busiest, and customers expect their orders to arrive on time.
There are a few things you can do to make sure your business is prepared for the peak shipping season:
Plan ahead
Make sure you know what products you will be selling and how many of each. If possible, order inventory in advance so you don’t have to worry about running out of stock during the busy season.
Hire extra help
You will likely need extra hands on deck to help with packing and shipping orders. Hire temporary staff or reach out to friends and family to see if anyone is available to help out for a few weeks.
Create a shipping schedule
Map out when orders will be placed and shipped so you can plan accordingly. This will help ensure that all orders are fulfilled on time.
Get organized
The peak shipping season can be chaotic, so staying organized is important. Create a system for tracking orders and ensure everyone on your team knows where to find information.
Communicate with customers
Keep your customers updated on their order status, especially if there are any delays. Transparency is key during the holiday season.
Work with a 3PL
It’s critical to choose a 3PL early on. You want to make sure they have enough expertise, especially during the peak shipping season. Selecting a 3PL that isn’t accustomed to the peak season may cause significant delays in the shipping process. To avoid this, do your homework and hire the best 3PL.
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