As shippers prepare for the holiday season rush, it’s critical that they have the fulfillment infrastructure in place to meet customers’ needs and retain their business.
Today’s shipping and logistics landscape is more complicated and fast-paced than ever before. With customers expecting fast and cheap delivery — as well as regular insights into the status of their orders — brick-and-mortar retailers, e-commerce companies, and everyone in between need to be sure that they have the capacity to fulfill orders on shorter and shorter timelines.
At no time of the year is this more important than during the holiday season. During these critical months, customers are increasingly demanding order fulfillment that puts companies’ shipping and logistics capacities to the test. Accordingly, supply chain managers and other professionals with a stake in the fulfillment process need to understand what consumers are expecting in order to meet those needs, go above and beyond their expectations, and secure their business this holiday season and beyond.
Thankfully, a recent survey by Convey has provided insight into what shippers need to do to satisfy their customers during the holiday rush. As companies prepare for this peak season of business, they should also be considering how a third-party logistics partner (3PL) or integrated logistics services provider (ISP) can help them deliver the kind of service that their customers have come to expect.
The Results of the Logistics Survey
Titled “Last Mile Delivery Wars: How to Keep Retail Promises and Win with Reliability,” Convey’s survey is based on conversations with 2,500 consumers throughout the United States. The results of the survey show a consumer marketplace in flux as more and more buyers come to think of fast and cheap delivery as a given in the fulfillment process.
For example, 64.3% of respondents explained that costs are a deciding factor when it comes to holiday shipping. This was followed by speed at 18.7%, which was up from 9.7% the previous year. Additionally, Convey’s survey found that 28.6% of those they spoke with explained that a faster-estimated delivery date has a large impact on their decision of whether to buy from a certain vendor over another.
Aside from speed and cost, the survey shows that consumers now expect to be a larger partner in the fulfillment process. That is, 98.3% of respondents want some kind of notification if an order won’t be arriving on time. With 38.6% of those surveyed explaining that late delivery is their primary concern during the holidays, keeping consumers updated has become a necessity for successful businesses.
What This Means for E-Commerce and Fulfillment
For e-commerce companies and other fulfillment stakeholders, the results of the Convey survey underscore the importance of getting delivery right. In fact, 72.7% of respondents said that a single poor delivery experience is enough to make dissuade them from ever doing business with a particular brand again.
Accordingly, supply chain managers need to streamline their operations to minimize delays and provide customers with up-to-date information on the status of their orders. By boosting distribution center efficiency, resolving delivery bottlenecks quickly, and improve visibility at key junctures of the supply chain, shippers can give their patrons the kind of fulfillment experience that they demand if they’re to continue doing business.
How Primary Logistics Can Help This Holiday Season
As businesses prepare for the holiday rush, they need to ensure that their operations are ready for peak demand. While larger enterprises may have the resources to update their fulfillment infrastructure themselves, small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) will need experienced industry partners to handle holiday season logistics without making costly capital investments themselves. With a 3PL or ISP, SMBs can get exactly this kind of support.
With a proven track record of success in the shipping and logistics space, Primary Logistics has the expertise businesses need to deliver on customer expectations. Our fulfillment infrastructure has been tried and tested by businesses across a wide range of industries, making us a reliable partner for your fulfillment needs this holiday season and into the future. Whether you’re looking for a targeted solution to a specific logistics bottlenecks or a customized fulfillment solution, the team at Primary Logistics is ready to help your business excel.
If you’d like to learn more about how award-winning shipping and logistics services from Primary Logistics and Primary Freight, contact us today at (800)-635-0013.