Singles’ Day, Black Friday, Christmas… Peak Season presents unique challenges for many businesses. To help you SME Superheroes manage the rush – and keep your customer promises – our DHL Express experts are sharing their 10 best logistics tips.
1. Maintain regular supply chain communication
Planning and managing Peak Season is often hectic, especially for small business owners. How can you ensure your inventory forecasting is accurate, place timely orders with suppliers, and get a reliable delivery service in place? You don’t have to do it all alone...
2. Know that first impressions count
Build up trust in your brand—particularly important with first-time buyers— by partnering with an established and reliable transport provider.
“DHL on your home page will have a positive impact on conversions if the customer is purchasing on site for the first time.” - Ben Mclean, Head of E-commerce UAE, DHL Express
3. Tap into Artificial Intelligence
AI is a fast-growing trend, especially in logistics! Leaning into AI could save your business significant time and money.
From inventory management to last-mile delivery optimization, discover how AI can transform your operations this Peak Season.
Read more about tapping into Artificial Intelligence here.
4. Personalize your customers' experience
Personalizing services for customers is key to improve your customer experience and as a result, retention rate. Leverage any customer behavior data – like past purchases and browsing history – to give them a better experience this Peak Season.
For example, this could mean curating gift guides customized to their unique tastes, or sending a discount code for a specific product they previously explored on your website.
5. Strongly consider offering free shipping…
Free shipping is a powerful customer incentive—in fact, over 60% of consumers won’t buy from a retailer if it doesn’t offer the perk (1).
E-commerce shipping costs are often a concern for small businesses, but if you can find a way to offset free shipping—by absorbing it into the product price, for example—it might just win you some extra sales.
6. …and international shipping, too!
“I get asked how to enter new markets easily and profitably. I recommend using a trusted partner like DHL to share tools and local insights that enable confident market entry.” - Rachel McGarry, Head of E-commerce, DHL Express US
7. Be transparent about delivery deadlines
“During Peak Season, it is all about clear and open customer communication. There is no bigger disappointment than a late delivery after the holiday, so be transparent about which date you can guarantee the delivery by.” - Leendert van Delft, VP Global Sales Programs, Development & Global E-commerce, DHL Express
8. Offer convenient and customizable delivery options
“I advise merchants to prioritize the delivery experience so that their customer acquisition strategy delivers repeat customers.” - Rachel McGarry, Head of E-commerce, DHL Express US.
With On-Demand Delivery, your customers can choose exactly when and where their orders are delivered—with full tracking, too. Offering this at your online checkout is sure to boost your conversion rate.
9. Keep your returns process in mind
E-commerce returns are a big hassle for small businesses. Creating a seamless returns management system will help your business process returns quickly so that customers receive their refunds without delay.
For a more sustainable supply chain, you could also consider a reverse logistics strategy, which promotes recycling, reusing and repairing of returned products.
Read more about reverse logistics here.
10. Deliver a great experience with a trusted logistics partner
With e-commerce, couriers and delivery people are often the only physical touchpoint your customers have with your brand, so choose carefully.
Speed, international shipping expertise, reliable delivery and excellent customer service should be top priorities to ensure you meet your customers' expectations!
Attention SME Superheroes! With Peak Season nearly here, we know there are a million things for small businesses to consider. But don’t fret! Use our dedicated Peak Season Sales & Logistics Checklist to ensure your business is fully prepared to cash in on every opportunity. Happy selling!
Download your free checklist here
