The Holiday Season is Already Here for Some Shoppers. Holiday Shopping Started Early!

Posted September 14, 2022

In eCommerce, Fulfillment, Reverse Logistics, Supply Chain

Although summer is not yet over, shoppers seem to have got into the festive shopping mood already. Yes, it’s pretty early for holiday shopping. But what’s driving in shoppers at this time to go on a buying frenzy? Well, a Salesforce survey blames it on inflation, which seems to be driving 37% of shoppers to buy holiday gifts already. They are afraid that prices will increase drastically by the time the holidays actually get here.

As inflation is driving consumers to go on a shopping frenzy before the actual shopping season. customers are busy shopping for the holiday season that they usually do closer to Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Additionally, there are lingering supply chain issues that create a lot of fear and panic in the minds of everyone. There are concerns whether they will find the stuff they are looking for in the months ahead when the holiday season actually begins.

Now it’s up to a business to go with the tide and help shoppers do their holiday shopping in advance. What does that mean for a business? Well, that means they must not wait for the holiday season but make gifting items available so interested consumers can place their orders now. With that said, it is still not the right time for Christmas shopping. That can still wait so you have got to be careful about what to flood the shelves with at this time.

Keep Stocks Full

No, it’s not the time to worry about price markdowns. As a business, all you should focus is to sell inventory early, as selling later might be an expensive proposition. By them, many customers might have hit their budget.

Don’t Ignore Returns

A business keen to maximize their holiday sales should also focus on their existing return policies and not hesitate to extend it to accommodate any gift returns after the season is over. Consumers are always on the lookout for ease of returns. That might be a good strategy to pull in some extra customers.

The competition is huge for small businesses. With eCommerce giants always keen to blow away small businesses, it will be a challenge for the latter to play to their strengths. But it is quite possible if small business owners focus on a few essentials, including stocking inventory, offering strong customer service, and understanding customer needs. All in all, it’s high time small eCommerce and retail businesses started focusing their efforts on holiday sales. Things are not returning to normal any sooner. It’s in your best interest to stay prepared for the holiday shopping and grab a large share of the pie.

Elite OPS Order Fulfillment Experience Counts

As an eCommerce business looking to maximize holiday sales, it might be a good idea to trust an online order fulfillment service provider that is ready to fulfill quickly and ensure customer satisfaction. This certainly translates to higher sales and more profitability.

Elite OPS has been a leader in Shipping and Logistics for over 25 years. Contact Us to find out how we can help you Save Time and Money on Procurement as a Service, eCommerce Order Fulfillment, and Kitting and Assembly.