Don’t get caught short as the orders roll in. Stock up on packaging supplies ahead of time, and make sure you have enough inventory to meet any rises in demand – then keep an eye on your stock levels and forecasts in case you need to reorder.

Together, this will help you ship goods quickly and give yourself the best chance of reaching customers on time.

If your goods aren’t correctly packaged or labelled, this could hold up delivery – especially if you need to get through customs. So that your shipments travel smoothly, check you’ve completed all the right paperwork, and make sure everything is securely packaged and labelled.

If you’re sending goods internationally, solutions like FedEx^® Electronic Trade Documents can save you time when you need it most by allowing you to complete and upload customs documents electronically.

Even with the best preparation, delays can happen during peak season. Make sure your customers are fully informed about the progress of their packages – that way, they get peace of mind over their delivery, and you maintain their trust.

And for e-commerce customers, tools like FedEx Delivery Manager^® let shoppers track goods and customise their delivery date and location.

With lots of businesses shipping more than usual, parcel volumes over peak season can increase beyond their average levels. This means more chances of unexpected delivery delays. One easy way to reduce the risk of longer transit times is to book your shipments as early as you can.

Returns may also rise during the holidays, but you can avoid headaches by putting a simple process in place to help you manage them more efficiently. This will get stock ready for resale quickly and help you action customer refunds swiftly.