Fulfilment Strategies That Deliver For Christmas 2023

1. On the first way to Christmas, Diamond gave to you: Diamond Logistics

You might be forgiven for thinking that we are a logistics company. And we are. But our real gift is giving you the gift of time. On every transaction.

Christmas is a big deal, but we are on it every day of the year. Implementing fulfilment strategies and providing solutions to get your product from A to B on time, easily. Word of warning, we are not known for delivering on a sleigh… but at Christmas we know how to pull an extra load!

2. On the second way to Christmas, Diamond gave to you: Two shipping methods

Make sure you provide at least two good shipping methods to your customers including expedited shipping, clearly communicating delivery time frames and costs and free shipping promotions or discounts to incentivise early shopping. A great way to keep your sanity in the run-up!

3. On the third way to Christmas, Diamond gave to you: Third-party logistics providers

3PLs can help with order fulfilment, warehousing, and shipping, especially during peak seasons. Getting this set up now will ensure you are getting out ahead of it and that feeling of calm we all crave can descend on you like snow falling on Christmas Day.

Diamond is ahead of the curve here, we have you covered with over 30 service centres throughout the UK.

4. On the fourth way to Christmas, Diamond gave to you: Organisation

• Organise your warehouse for efficiency.
• Use inventory management software to track stock levels in real time.
• Implement efficient picking and packing processes.
• Cross-train staff to handle multiple roles if necessary.

Of course, when you use Diamond Logistics this all happens as if by magic! Cue glitter dust scattering all around. We are master organisers and our tracking software, Despatchlab is second to none.

This smart solution lets you book, track and manage your courier requirements, express parcels and shipments all on one easy-to-use platform. You can be with your delivery every step of the way. Almost like you are in that sleigh yourself!

5. On the fifth way to Christmas, Diamond gave to you: Easy returns

If you’re looking to streamline your eCommerce returns and provide a superior customer experience, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

• Make sure you have covered the key points to reducing your return rates with good clear communication.
• Make sure your product is high quality.
• Many clients empower us to send out replacement products when damage is reported, while we handle the subsequent claims with the carriers on their behalf.
• Maintain simplicity and clarity in your returns process.
• Be prompt with the way in which you handle queries and resolve damages as this is vital for retaining future customer loyalty.

6. On the sixth way to Christmas, Diamond gave to you: Superior customer support

Look to scale up customer support. You will be expecting an increase in customer enquiries and support requests, can you cope under your current system?

Hire additional customer service teams or outsource customer support during the peak season.

7. On the seventh way to Christmas, Diamond gave to you: Packaging!

We are all over packaging at Diamond Logistics with plenty of advice and suggestions. Take a look at some of our other guides here.

The holiday season can be a great time to demonstrate your customer love with seasonal packaging. Consider festive and eco-friendly packaging options to enhance the holiday shopping experience.

8. On the eighth way to Christmas, Diamond gave to you: Communication and marketing

Communication and marketing is never ending. New ideas and creativity are always required but at Christmas time it is vital to make sure you are guiding your customers through a smooth experience with both you and your fulfilment partner.

Clearly communicate holiday shipping deadlines, return policies, and any special promotions on your website.

Use email marketing and social media to remind customers of important dates and encourage early shopping.

Make it easy for them to buy, receive and return deliveries on time . . . and then buy again because the first experience was so good.

9. On the ninth way to Christmas, Diamond gave to you: Sales!

Ensure your website can handle increased traffic during the holiday season. Optimise load times, perform stress tests, and have a plan in place for handling traffic spikes. Everyone loves a good consistent flow of sales, but the holiday season is now designed for spikes in trends and if your tech can’t handle it, you will lose out on sales.

10. On the tenth way to Christmas, Diamond gave to you: Extra stock

And talking of spikes in trends you might consider expanding your inventory. Stock up on popular and seasonal items well in advance, don’t be caught out. We know Christmas is on its way so don’t get taken by surprise! Consider increasing safety stock levels to account for unexpected spikes in demand.

11. On the eleventh way to Christmas, Diamond gave to you: A good fulfilment partner

It’s a must to work with a good fulfilment partner. Ease is what we are looking for over Christmas. It can be stressful enough in other departments of your life! Delivering your products needs to be as seamless as an elf’s tights… just saying!

We work hard with our customers all year round, including fulfilment strategies, so that Christmas is mapped out, communicated, anticipated, and wrapped up. Talk to us if you are looking for extra support this year. It’s what we do best, remember? Giving you the gift of time…

12. AND on the twelfth way to Christmas, Diamond gave to you: Reflection

After the holiday rush, analyse your fulfilment strategies, performance, and customer feedback. Identify areas for improvement and develop a post-season report to enable your strategy for the following year. Share that with us too. We like to learn what suits our customers best and where you need extra in your stocking.