Tips For Holiday Shipping Success

The holiday season, with its twinkling lights and festive cheer, also brings a surge in shipping demands. For Canadian businesses, ensuring that every package is nestled under the tree in time requires planning and precision. Here’s a detailed guide with 11 top tips that you can use to sleigh your holiday shipping.

Your holiday shipping preparations should be ready to go by mid-November by the latest, with an ideal target date of October. This gives you ample time to stock up on supplies, understand shipping deadlines, and communicate with your customers about order cut-off dates.

Carriers like Canada Post, Purolator, and UPS have specific holiday shipping deadlines. Create a visible calendar in your workspace highlighting these dates, ensuring you dispatch orders in time for Christmas delivery.

Invest in quality packaging materials. Use sturdy boxes, ample bubble wrap for fragile items, and seal packages with reinforced tape. Consider festive packaging or a small holiday-themed freebie to surprise and delight your customers.

Print labels using a high-quality printer to ensure legibility. Always double-check addresses for accuracy. For an added touch, consider festive-themed labels or stickers.

From express delivery to standard shipping, provide a range of options. Highlight the benefits of each, such as “Express: For Last-Minute Elves” or “Standard: Plan Ahead and Save.”

As a Montréal-based company, we know how Canadian weather can be. We recommend you subscribe to weather alerts, especially if you ship to areas known for winter disruptions. If a snowstorm is brewing, inform affected customers of potential delays. Companies like Inex will offer live alerts on carrier disruptions where possible in their customer dashboards.

For high-value or fragile items, recommend shipping insurance. Clearly explain the benefits to your customers, emphasizing peace of mind during the bustling holiday season. Remember: there is an important difference between a carrier’s standard liability and additional insurance. To understand more, check out our blog article here.

Send festive email updates with tracking information, using cheerful templates and language. If there are delays, be transparent and provide solutions, such as refunds or discounts on future purchases.

Include clear instructions and pre-printed return labels with every shipment. This eases the return process for customers, ensuring they’ll come back even after the holidays.

Stay updated on festive promotions from carriers. These discounts can significantly reduce shipping costs, savings that can be passed on to customers or used to enhance other areas of your service. You can stay up-to-date and make the most of these discounts with rate shopping platforms like Inex.

Using a reliable shipping platform like Inex ensures you have the tools to manage the holiday rush. With Inex, you can integrate with all of Canada’s top global carriers, access discounted rates, and provide a seamless shipping experience for your customers.

With the snow falling and jingle bells ringing, the holiday season is a magical time. By following these detailed tips, Canadian businesses can ensure their packages spread joy, arriving safely and punctually. Here’s to a holiday season filled with successful shipments and happy customers!