Peak Season: A marathon, Not a Sprint!

Preparing for Peak Season well in advance and ensuring that the necessary infrastructure and resources are in place is paramount to navigating this busy period successfully.

During Peak Season, companies must be prepared for an influx in orders and deliveries. This may require hiring additional staff, expanding warehouse space, and upgrading shipping and order management systems.

Failure to adequately prepare for Peak Season can lead to missed sales opportunities and dissatisfied customers. Businesses can ensure they make the most of this important time of year by planning ahead and executing a well-thought-out strategy.

Forecasts! 

Consistency with bookings that match your forecasts will be rewarded with additional future allocations. In this market, consistency is better than volume, which will be the case into 2023 and beyond.

Alternate Routings

Whether via the East Coast or Prince Rupert in Canada – keep an open mind on alternate routings – you may be surprised at how many additional options this opens up.

Many SEKO Logistics (SEKO) clients ask us about alternative sourcing locations to China. For instance, places like Vietnam or Mexico are some of the areas to which companies are actively looking. The short answer is ‘NO.’

While this may seem like a viable option, you simply can’t make similar quantities to those in China for such a low cost. There’s a reason why China is the center of so much manufacturing across global supply chains. It’s a challenge but don’t give up on China.

Transloads  

Ocean carriers must limit their Interior Point Intermodal (IPI) points further inland to keep containers moving. If you find alternate routing terminating in a different city to which you’re accustomed, try focusing on getting your containers anywhere in the United States – and we can assist with transloads and local drayage. We have our largest transload operations in Los Angeles and Seattle, but we can help you almost anywhere near a port.

Airfreight  

Of course, airfreight is an option, and we’re seeing more clients convert ocean to air to maintain their inventory levels. This is not a solution for everybody. Still, as ocean rates climb, airfreight may become more palatable to ensure you follow through on your purchase order commitments and keep your product selling and moving.

Air Charters 

We have also helped clients with dedicated air charters from China and other countries for extreme cases. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with your SEKO representative today if this is of any interest.

Competing this holiday season

Ecommerce retailers are coming face-to-face with a new challenge this holiday season - faster delivery times.

Amazon’s rollout of one-day delivery for lower-priced items has given consumers higher expectations, and for many, two-day delivery is no longer sufficient.

Compounding this situation is the fact that consumers have less time to think about holiday shopping, which will increase the demand for shorter delivery times.

True next day delivery

The term “next day delivery” can be misleading. Does it reference business days only or specific days of the week, and what is the daily deadline for orders? You risk damaging your reputation by setting unclear parameters and failing to deliver. As deadlines tighten and expectations grow, the holidays are when all of these nuances can make or break a successful delivery. When considering next day delivery, ensure your logistics provider offers the best shipment services.

Want to know more?

Everything we do is designed to make our clients’ lives easier - helping them develop and maintain excellent relationships with their customers. Let us know what business challenges you are facing, and we’ll see what we can do to help. Contact SEKO today to learn more about our services.